MJMeucci

After I backed out of my driveway the other day I noticed this really loud grinding noise coming from underneath my car. I was involved in a minor collision last week so I thought that it was maybe related to that, but after inspecting the car I found that there was a large piece of plastic hanging down and grinding against the road surface. I tried to push it back up but it wasn't going anywhere, I also tried to pull the rest of it off, but since I don't have any tools or anything it was rather difficult. I haven't driven it in a few days now just out of sheer embarrassment of the loud noise that it makes and can't decide if I should have it towed to the dealership or drive it myself.

I also can't figure out what would have caused this, I thought that it may have been caused by backing over the snowbank at the end of my driveway but the more I think about it I don't think that was the cause as my friend with a 328xi backed over it before I did and had no problems...

Any thoughts or input would be great, I e-mailed the pictures to a few service different service advisors at local Lexus dealerships but they haven't responded to me.

MJMeucci

Additional Photos

MJMeucci

Even more pictures:

Edit: Just for perspective, this piece is hanging down below the driver-side footwell of the rear seat.

Rollin'ES3

Looks like a plastic underbody cover.

Probably hit some debris on the road that caused it to lose its clips/screws and hang off like that.

MJMeucci

Awesome thanks for the response, anyone have any idea if it is okay to drive the car with this hanging down? I don't want to do any further damage to it but don't want to have it towed unless absolutely necessary.

Rollin'ES3

Nothing will happen except for damage to the plastic cover. I would recommend to just take it off now, and put it back on later when u get some extra screws/clips

salimshah

When splash shields hang like this, either the snaps or the screws have pooped out or the plastic has ripped around the holes.

Why it happened? Most probably the shield acted as a scoop and the snaps gave way. [If the area has been worked on in the past, it may not have all the snaps or the installer re-used weak snaps].

I would not drive around with the thing hanging down as it will scrape and catch the wind like a sail. There is a potential of driving over the screws and mess up your tires.

Driving around without the shield will get road salts and other goo in crevices that must be washed off before re-installing the shield. Also do not re-use snaps and holdowns that are weak or worn.

Salim

greenvy2k

i don't think that there is any danger with driving your vehicle around with this hanging plastic cover. it would just be a little annoying. these plastic covers serve mostly as aerodynamic covers. i can't imagine that lexus would make these to provide any other protection. they would have made out of something else.

salimshah

I respectfully disagree. The somewhat rigid hanging plastic would drag one way but it will catch and snap when you drive the other way. [Forward or backward].


Salim

grouch

Most muffler shops and lube shops will raise the car and inspect it for you and maybe put it back where it belongs for a small or no fee. Just drive slow so as not to damage anymore of the plastic.

MJMeucci

I was able to get out there today and have a closer look at it, I think is what happened is that parking or backing out of a driveway the rear of the cover acted as a "snow shovel" and the snow won... the actual loop on the shield where the bolt that should hold it on goes through it ripped in half.

I don't have any tools so getting it off is not as easy as I had hoped it would be, I am just going to bend it back just enough to get it to the body shop where I am getting my collision work done.

Thanks for all of the help guys, it is much appreciated.

salsaboi

lol the front engine cover of mine falls down all the time .. its super annoying! Feels like someones scratching my tiles with a nail or something!

iKon_RX

there you go easy fix. just a clip screw

biff44

Obviously you can not drive around with that thing hanging down! It could catch on something and puncture something or break something that would cause thousands of dollars to fix! Think catalytic converters, sensors and wires, gas tanks, etc.

Either hold it up with something (wire) and drive it, or tow it, to the nearest dealer and have it fixed.