Splash Shield: Zip Tie Locations
Did my first oil change today. Put the Fit up on DIY wooden ramps, carefully removed the splash shield, did the oil change (the easy part, no mess), then replaced the splash shield and added zip ties. Here are my zip tie locations, with pics. These pics are a bit confusing, so bear with me. If you are confused with orientation, cut a paper card and label front, rear, driver, passenger on the side facing the ground. This will help with orientation.
From the first pic you need to turn the splash shield upside down, reversing left and right, or the shiny side is pointing to the road, when installed. Both zip tie locations in the splash shield go through a smaller hole, the one with a "+" in the middle. I used 3 x 7.5" standard zipties. The driver's side uses a single zip tie that wraps around a piece of metal. The passenger side uses two zip ties daisy chained together and goes through a hole on a metal part. I did not want to zip tie to another plastic piece. Overall I believe this splash shield design is flawed. The 6 metal screws look pretty weak, and the 2 plastic expansion fasteners are just badly designed. This is not news for forum members. With the front lip tightly tucked into the front and 2 zip ties on the sides, even if all the fasteners fall out the splash shield should still stay in place. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...6f185665cf.png 2015-2017 Honda Fit splash shield. Top side faces the ground when installed. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...8397b5d800.jpg 2015-2017 Honda Fit splash shield, underside, zip tie locations. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...69f1456c81.png 2015-2017 Honda Fit, driver's side, single zip tie, goes around a metal part. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...3ec404f7f3.png 2015-2017 Honda Fit, passenger side, double zip tie, goes through a hole in a metal part As usual, ask questions for anything unclear. |
that is good reinforcement for the factory hardware.
im going to see if i can replace the hardware too when i do da oil change this yr.. honda really surprised me with the junk screws and tabs they used. |
I bought my usedFit(2015) two months ago, the shield is gone and all the fastener hole for the other(side) sheild are pulled out. Once I get a replacement, this looks to be my only option, unless I buy the side shields as well.
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why do you need the zip ties if all the screws are in place? Are they? I plan to leave mine off after the first oil change. 2017 LX CVT.
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Originally Posted by wasserball
(Post 1362925)
why do you need the zip ties if all the screws are in place? Are they? I plan to leave mine off after the first oil change. 2017 LX CVT.
I can also see why many posters have dislodged or lost their splash shield. |
Originally Posted by TorontoBoy
(Post 1362929)
The 6 screws look really low quality and weak. They seem easily stripped. Drywall screws look stronger and are thicker. The plastic expansion screws are, well, plastic, low quality and really weak. I would not even hang an 8x11 picture frame on these plastic expansion screws. If something on the road happens to catch on the splash shield, like a cardboard box or tree branch, it might rip off a screw or two. I can see why the dealership could easily damage all of them.
I can also see why many posters have dislodged or lost their splash shield. |
Originally Posted by TorontoBoy
(Post 1362929)
The 6 screws look really low quality and weak. They seem easily stripped. Drywall screws look stronger and are thicker. The plastic expansion screws are, well, plastic, low quality and really weak. I would not even hang an 8x11 picture frame on these plastic expansion screws. If something on the road happens to catch on the splash shield, like a cardboard box or tree branch, it might rip off a screw or two. I can see why the dealership could easily damage all of them.
I can also see why many posters have dislodged or lost their splash shield. |
What mileage on your odometer? I had 11.5k kms at my 1st change. Waited until 0% on the minder. My minder is coming on between 9 to 10k kms as of the last few instances, all until 0%. I don't know how others report the minder coming on at 10k miles. Maybe because they have the cvt. Or maybe it has to do to adjustments to the minder schedule due to the Canadian factor.
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Originally Posted by CommanderSlug
(Post 1363023)
What mileage on your odometer? I had 11.5k kms at my 1st change. Waited until 0% on the minder. My minder is coming on between 9 to 10k kms as of the last few instances, all until 0%. I don't know how others report the minder coming on at 10k miles. Maybe because they have the cvt.
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Originally Posted by TorontoBoy
(Post 1363028)
I did not want to wait until the minder said 0%. The wife does not like any such messages, or even the low gas light, as she thinks something will explode.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...c0939ed913.jpg |
Originally Posted by TorontoBoy
(Post 1363028)
The maintenance minder came on at about 8,100 kms, 15% oil life left.
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Originally Posted by TorontoBoy
(Post 1363028)
or even the low gas light, as she thinks something will explode.
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does anyone know the PN for those "metal screws" the op is referring to?
Couldnt find it, on the diagram, only those plastic clip thingees https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...e8a9c2b5cf.png |
16 and 18 i believe. u can use any clip nut thingie though in dat size from like Acehardware. lol
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I lost one of those metal screws when I was doing an oil change last week. I replaced it with a general purpose sheet metal screw of about the same size. Replacement worked fine but I was thinking afterwards I should have used a stainless steel screw since a normal one will rust out exposed to water, salt and whatever underneath there. I did find the missing screw a few days later on a chair where I had temporarily placed it, pointy side up of course. I found it when I sat down on it :( I'll swap it back next time I'm doing work underneath.
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I think they are #16 in that diagram. They screw into a #18, it's like a clip with threads.
I've replaced a set with a cage nut and bolt from our datacenter. It's not stainless, but I use grease on it and it's held up for a few years without any rust. |
The damned splash shield
A couple weeks ago, I was driving down the interstate and the splash shield came loose and started dragging. While searching this forum, it seems to be a common problem. Anyhow, my brother managed to secure it back on with a few screws and zip ties. However, all those plastic screws were gone.
Well, I procrastinated getting it to the dealer to get it properly (professionally) secured, and last night on the way home from work, it started raining so hard, I couldn't see the street in front of me. I ended up driving through a large puddle and it literally bent the shield backwards so that the front right side of it was scraping the pavement as I drove. This morning, I got underneath the car and was able to bend it back enough and secure it with duct tape to stop the dragging. Later, I took it to the dealership, and their shop got flooded last night, so they were unable to lift it up to see if any other damage occurred. However, they gave me an estimate just to replace the part. They want $450 for that big chunk of plastic and $300 in labor! 5 hours of labor...when the oil change guys take it on and off in 5 minutes! The guy doing the estimate said there's a possibility it could be bent back to shape enough that all I would need would be the fasteners. I will have to take it back to them on Monday so they can get a better look at it. I'm wondering if it's even worth it. Should I just take it off? I have a feeling there will always be issues with it. Has anyone bought one somewhere else besides the dealership? I found this one online... https://www.partsgeek.com/gbproducts...ad=47584901292 Thanks for hearing my rant! |
easy way is to just remove the thing and keep it removed. there are members here dat just got fed up with it and removed it entirely.
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Remove it. The design is poor and it attaches to other plastic pieces which allows it all to flex. If if you don’t break it, the oil change places will. I dont like the idea idea of salt spray getting up there, but I also look back at my previous vehicles that had no splash shields and there were no ill effects. If we want To be logical let’s think of the worst thing we could come up with. Nasty rock hits oil pan and punctures it? Tow bill and new pan is probably less than what you were quoted. Rust maybe? But the body is under coated. Subframe rusting? Seems unlikely, look at old Honda’s still on the road. Just thinking out loud... sorry to ramble. one other topic brought up is aero benefit and mpg. I haven’t had my splash shield the past 2 months and haven’t noticed a difference in MPG. To be more specific I’m only missing the center piece that has to be removed for oil change. The little lip/flap on the front is there and the pieces that wrap up around the sides of the motor and create the wheel wells. |
I actually just reattached mine today with bumper clips from Amazon and screws I bought from Home Depot. It looks look 2 of the clips that they screw into are missing, but I figured I’d at least see if this holds. |
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