Technical Help! Plastic bent hanging down from front of car

[Deebyron87]

Any idea what this is? And how urgent to fix? Photo attached.

 

[Deebyron87]

Photo

 

[Eklipze3k]

Welcome to the forum.

Not urgent, not even essential, just cut it off - weight saving

 

[2668GRIFFIN]

personally I would try and fix it back and attach it some how
LUIGI

 

[Deebyron87]

Semi impossible to reattach as it’s so bent what would you recommend using? Do you know what the part is?

 

[g8rpi]

Semi impossible to reattach as it’s so bent what would you recommend using? Do you know what the part is?

It appears to be part of the plastic undertray. You could remove the whole tray and repair it. Repair would need a hot air gun and plastic welder like https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/362697928864
or
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/c/plastic-repair-systems/
These are just examples, I've no used one of these. A body shop may be able to do it too.

A new one is probably not tht expensive.
While the car will run without it it really should be fitted. hile only the designer knows what applies to a particular design, typically the under tray performs 3 functions, reducing noise, controlling airflow/cooling and protcting the engine accessories from water and road debris. Worst case of not having it is a stone in the aux or timing belt resulting in engine damage.
Technically the undertray is part of the under bonnet sound emissions control system so having one missing is an MOT failure under the latest rules but I've no idea how strictly this is enforced.

Robert G8RPI.

 

[LordMetro]

It appears to be part of the plastic undertray. You could remove the whole tray and repair it. Repair would need a hot air gun and plastic welder like https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/362697928864
or
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/c/plastic-repair-systems/
These are just examples, I've no used one of these. A body shop may be able to do it too.

A new one is probably not tht expensive.
While the car will run without it it really should be fitted. hile only the designer knows what applies to a particular design, typically the under tray performs 3 functions, reducing noise, controlling airflow/cooling and protcting the engine accessories from water and road debris. Worst case of not having it is a stone in the aux or timing belt resulting in engine damage.
Technically the undertray is part of the under bonnet sound emissions control system so having one missing is an MOT failure under the latest rules but I've no idea how strictly this is enforced.

Robert G8RPI.

I do know that my 2015 500L does not have an undertray when bought in 2016. Lots of peeps were complaining about it at the time - to this date, I have not seen any issue with it being removed.

I do believe they removed it as a cost-cutting measure, but they must have changed something to protect the internals. The best option would be to take a look at ePer and see if the newer models w/o undertray differ with the model w/ undertray - if nothing major has changed, I cannot see any problems running without it?

I have done MOT at Fiat and Kwik Fit and has passed all the time without it (mind you my local garage is a crooked dealer and started on saying brakes were worn too much when I took it to Kiwk Fit those tossers passed it - he was charging a Chinese man £35 to change a pair of brake lights, stealing more than the dealer! something which ought to be £5 considering the trade price of a bulb is £0.28. btw do not believe any garage with 5 star reviews on Google with accounts of 1 review).

 

[g8rpi]

An earlier thread about the treeking indicated later cars just had side shields. Looking on eper (without a VIN) indicates there are variations depending on engine and if it is a normal, cold or hot country. You can see why the MOT inspectors don't bother. On a non Fiat car I had it come back from a service without the undertray. When questioned they said it was broken (I knew it wasn't) so they left it off. I think they either broke it or fitted it to the wrong car. They could not produce the broken one. After a slight argument they fitted a new one. On that particular car it was critical for proper cooling.

The OP's car has one so probably needs it.


Robert G8RPI.

 

[LordMetro]

An earlier thread about the treeking indicated later cars just had side shields. Looking on eper (without a VIN) indicates there are variations depending on engine and if it is a normal, cold or hot country. You can see why the MOT inspectors don't bother. On a non Fiat car I had it come back from a service without the undertray. When questioned they said it was broken (I knew it wasn't) so they left it off. I think they either broke it or fitted it to the wrong car. They could not produce the broken one. After a slight argument they fitted a new one. On that particular car it was critical for proper cooling.

The OP's car has one so probably needs it.


Robert G8RPI.

Robert, you are definitely right about the heating element variations.

I tried an air filter recently passed for variations without the heat blowpipe (cold climate) and my engine ran like trash but with the double compartment filter, it works perfectly.

The same case here, they've obviously designed it for some purpose, so it should be on - I just know that my car doesn't need the undertray for some climatic reason, probably made for normal climates. I always thought they were to save bits like screws falling off and to meet strict noise regulations, probably why my neighbours can hear my diesel rattle along at night lol. It is a flimsy piece of plastic so I doubt it offers much protection but probably may have some little effect on the aerodynamics of the car

Edit: Thanks for this advice Robert, I just tried my VIN and apparently it did come with an undercover. I assume the previous owner must have sent it to Fiat and damaged it which is why it isn't there (I bought it literally 8 months old with 5k miles but the guy had an unforeseen disability so sold it cheaply to me - he did do a service but elderly people losing sight won't realise things like this). My model is the one for colder climates. Hmmm... More and more reasons to hate their dishonest service centres

There does seem to be an engine shield on it for the turbo fan

 

[isthisagoodidea]

Jam something like a bit of wood under it to push it back up into position ....Then get a few cable ties onto it ....once you have held up knock out the prop ....

 

[Ralf S.]

There must be a second-hand one out there, pretty cheap?

Undertrays go AWOL because garage mech's don't like them. It takes an extra 5 minutes to remove them, the little buttons and clips go missing while the car is being worked on and then they are occasionally a faff to refit. They can also just be "forgotten".

As above, the tray is there for a reason. I replaced a missing one on my Stilo and I'd say the main reasons are noise suppression and to keep dirt/crap out of the engine bay. Cooling seems less likely, since no undertray offers a heap more airflow... but the tray does smooth out the airflow under the nose, so it possibly boosts (by 0.x%) fuel economy.

I would fit one just for the cleaner engine bay to be honest. It's very worth it.

Any road up.. get any second-hand one... the appearance isn't too critical since it's "speed-hump bait" ... as long as it's in good uncracked condition.

For yours in the meantime.. just hoik the dangly bit up for now... and pierce it with the point of a sharp scissors (or use a nail... or just screw in a self-tapping screw to "drill" a hole) in the best places so that you can use a cable tie or two to hold it together until you get a chance to change it.


Ralf S.