Remember all those posts where the front cover under the engine came off? Well, mine is solid as a rock, but the rear is hanging. The pins on the passenger rear side have gone missing. Below is the rear passenger's side hanging down. The other photo is of the rear driver's side, which remains connected. Of course, I didn't think of taking photos while the car was on the lift.




The Honda dealer (who has been good to me throughout the life of my 5 year old car) says I hit something and that the pan will need to be entirely replaced. They are quoting me $650 for the part, and $70 for labor. She told me to see if a repair shop could come up with a cost-effective solution, which I intend to do.

I found the attached for $541 with shipping (thanks to the K.I.S.S. thread OP), and i'd appreciate if one of you can confirm this is the correct part: .https://www.hondapartsnow.com/genuin...%2c8;et=2%2c4)

So I have a few options. The pan seems to be fine to me, while the pins are missing and the posts to which they attach on the car are bent, so option 1 to replace it is one I'd like to avoid. Option 2 is to remove it, and the service tech said I could but is concerned about the exposure of the cats, et al, under it. Option 3 is to jury-rig it up with some zip ties or something. Option 4 is to let it stay on hanging down and let the other three pins support it.

I'd truly appreciate your suggestions and comments on this one.

 

If you want to have the pan in place I would just zip tie it in place for the places missing connections. You could take the pan off and run without it.
I would not pay that kind of money. Most are putting on zip ties when this weak bad design pan fails and falls off.

James

 

I like Option 3. You'll have to redo the zip ties at each oil change, but it's the most cost effective solution.

 

Zip ties!!

I don't like removing them as they do help keep junk out of places it shouldn't be.

 

You could look for a scrap yard which has some Fits suitable for parts. If you can find a pan in good condition the price should be cheaper than a new one.

 

Thanks to all of you so far. I should be clear that it's not the front cover, but the giant cover in the middle of the car that covers the length of the wheelbase. So I shouldn't even need to remove ties for an oil change or trans drain.

 

I left the undercover off after the first dealer comped oil change (yes, to their surprise). I've been getting over calculated 45 mpg on trips (2017 LX CVT). 42K miles so far with no concerns. Because it is not there, I can change the oil/filter in 15 minutes without the need of ramps or lifts.

 

I'm thinking the same, but since no one has had this happen to the mid-car cover, only the front, I wonder what risks exposure is.

 

My bad. Since there had been so many issues with the front I didn't realize it was his back cover. He must have run over a deer. Hard to imagine that OEM part costs $650 while the labor is only $70.

 

I went to a local shop this morning. $39.95 plus tax to cover labor, no charge for the new fasteners.

Bonus: the owner remembered my Dad, who died 15 years ago and stopped driving 20 years ago. Guess I know where I'll be going in future.

Thank you all for your help. I love this forum. Oh, and we don't have deer around here ;-)

 

Glad it all worked out.. there is an Option #4 - ebay for new clips... Same thing happened with me but luckily I had extra 10mm??? round, not square, clips to place them back up there.

 

I'm aware this is solved, however: zipties are what honda should have secured the plastic aero pieces with from the factory. :P