If only Honda had used metal, rather than those tiny plastic screws. They are the problem. The little Philips head strip, and they can't be unscrewed. After installing a new set, I immediately tried to remove one, but it was already jammed. Using those little push-in plugs is so much easier.

 

You think that's bad, try doing an oil change in upstate NY, in January. I waited until the warmest day of the week, when I got up to about 20F, so I could lay on my back on a wet concrete floor without freezing. THEN have to wrestle with that stupid shield.

 

I think the dealer that did my first oil change did that for me and the second dealer that did the second oil change retained them - however they neglected to fully tighten the 6 tapping screws into the captive nuts, and missed one nut entirely. So next oil change I do myself, if I can find a place to work.

 

Oh man! I guess I'm lucky, I waited till after lunch when it hit 75F. It's been a chilly mornings out here in Northern CA where the lows were about 46F. Can't imagine doing any oil changes in 20F!!! No garage??

 

Before I got a garage, I would use a big sheet of cardboard to insulate me off the cold concrete. It helped a lot when I needed to wench in the cold.

 

I usually do my oil and fluid changes in the driveway, rather than in the garage. I put an old piece of paneling on the ground to keep any excess dirt off me, but mainly to catch and oil dripping.

I love not having to change the oil by time and mileage. It saves me time and money. I'm at 40% now, and my son's at 50%. It hasn't said it wants new trans fluid yet, but I changed my son's at about 35K. I bought the fluid from Amazon - less expensive than the dealer.

 

should just invest in an weather proof overall if you are in a snow belt state. night/day difference in warmth while working on cars in the winter time outside. its definitely NOT my choice to work on cars in the winter but sometimes we have to and the overall just makes it a comfy warm experience even in 0F weather.

and i use those round cardboards from tirerack as my disposable creeper and placemat for when i pour old oil into empty containers to ensure i dont drip any on my drivway. at the pace i buy wheels, i have A BUNCH of those round cardboards..

 

oh, and that lower shroud design by honda is a piece of crap, the hardware they use is a faking joke. i work on my cars too and the GK's lower shroud is the cheeziest ive seen in a while.

 

My dealer only removes the front part to change oil and filter.

 

There is only one part that needs to be removed; it is the frontmost piece of plastic shrouding, no-one removes more than that one part. To say your dealer only removes the front part is to say that your dealer does exactly what everyone else does.

 

I thought some folks remove the whole cover.

 

I remove the whole cover because I don't want to pull down on it, applying stress to those two rear mounts. Also, when the oil comes out, it shoots toward the rear of the car - and that cover.

 

I think there is some confusion on what the part that is removed. The whole splash shield assembly is three pieces seen in this picture:



The center piece is the only one needed to be removed for an oil change. It is held on by 6 metal screws and capture nuts in the front, then 2 plastic push pins in the rear.

I remove the whole center piece, 6 screws and 2 plastic push pins. It only takes a few minutes.

Where you have problems is if someone rushes to put it back on. Doesn't slip the front piece under the bumper (it helps hold it on), or doesn't make sure the screws go into the capture nuts and tighten it down, or the plastic push pins aren't tight in the holes. Or a combination of.

 

My "push pins" are small plastic screws with tiny Philips heads that jam and strip easily. That's why I now use the plastic push pins for attaching bumpers, etc.

 

It is not a splash guard. It is called an under cover. Honda makes no claim that it protects anything.

 

Ezzactly That center piece needs to be removed. There are 4 pieces shown in the drawing (not including the fasteners). The large middle one is the one needing to be removed. It is made out of some kind of plastic. The small middle one, shown above the large one, is just a piece of an absorbent material, attached to the topside of the plastic large one. My sister calls it the "panty shield" or the "panty liner." My grandma calls it the "adult diaper."

So Honda calls the center plastic piece an "under cover." What an awful, vague name. Sounds like it is "the thing that covers the under." But what's an "under"? Even "the piece of plastic" is more precise.

I think "the section of plastic shrouding at the front of the car under the engine" is the best name I've heard so far, though I don't think it's all that good a name. What purpose does all that plastic shrouding serve? I guess to provide some aerodynamics, and to protect the metal parts above it from mud, snow, salt, etcetera? I can't think of anything else. Maybe it serves to provide some protection from injury, to the rubber sections of the brake lines?

 

Yesterday, Friday, I'm pulling into work and I hear the dreaded splash-guard drag. Now it's Saturday morning and I am canceling my Saturday plans to stay home and fix the shield. As soon as I'm done I'm sending in this form and I urge others to do so too.

 

Funny, but sad. Have you guys really removed your splash guards? I'm thinking of doing it.

 

Good idea. I'm using a combination of bumper push-pins and safety pins with the clip through them - two different Fits. Now I have to find a replacement for the sheetmetal screws. I've lost a couple of those flimsy speednuts that they screw into, so those spots have nothing holding the shield in place.

 

Have you had any work recently that required the removal of the shield?
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