The FD I am buying has cloudy gauge lenses. It appears to be on the inside, and is not just fog. Is this common?

Here is a pic...just look at that tach!

 

I have never seen that on any cars, but I see it in watches quite a lot. In watches, it alway means there is water in there. I would look closely under the dash, and carpet to see if there are any signs of rust.

 

It looks like condensation.

If it isn't then someone probably used some type of cleaner on it that reacted with the plastic. You can buy new lenses from the dealer for about $90 and that includes the chrome rings. Worth it in my opinion.

For cleaning, just use a damp cloth. No rocket science involved here, many cleaners react with the chrome or the clear plastic.

Jeff

 

I'm betting Jeff is right on the plastic because I've seen something like that in person. Mine has a little bit of that on the bottom from some cleaner that reacted to the plastic. Thankfully, mine is not that extreme.

You might just find some place where you can purchase a sheet of plastic and start cutting a way. Pull the original out and use it as a mold for the size of a new piece. It would probably be cheaper than getting the parts from the dealer.

 

I have the same problem with the "glass" on my instrument panel. It looks like the previous owner tried to clean them acetone or something and it has caused them to look really bad. It also at the "chrome" off the bezels on the bottom so the entire thing is looking really bad. As mentioned, you can order replacements from Mazda for around $90. This included both the plastic "glass" pieces and the fake chrome bezels. The part number is FD01-55-447A. Hope that helps some.