I had an unfortunate run in with a raccoon (RIP) the other morning. Not a giant raccoon by any means, just a moderate raccoon. 40mph

Dislodged my grill, knocked out the circular tow hitch cover, bent the steel crossmember that the radiator is mounted on causing the radiator to shift position, knocked the horn into the radiator, caused my bumper to droop.

Did NOT dislodge my splash guard!!

Sometimes you can't help running over stuff....if the stuff is running.

 

I hit a thousand dollar racoon. .That's what my deductible was..The biggest problem is now I'm on hyper alert every time I drive at night.

 

Not happy with just a raccoon.....



Splash shield (racoon shield, porcupine shield) still intact.

 

I hit one that ended up costing the insurance company $6500. Had the initial quote been that high they would have likely totaled the car ('00 New Beetle TDI, happened around 2005 or so). FWIW, the lower engine shield on that car fell off after only a couple years, too. I ended up buying a Panzer Plate - thick aluminum - to replace it.

Thankfully have yet to hit anything with the Fit (47K miles and a touch over two years). And after replacing the cheap plastic screws when the panel fell down not long after my first oil change, I've not had any further problems with it coming loose - I'm just a lot more careful now when I change the oil.

es

 

Holy snot balls, that's a crazy photo! Never seen anything like it.

In 38 years of driving, I've never hit anything, just boring I guess. Maybe one of these days I'll get lucky.

 

A deer hit me one time (I did not hit him...he stood on the edge of the road, eyeballed my car. and ran headfirst into the side of the front fender...was in bumper to bumper traffic, no where to go, in the Jersey Pines...) Killed himself....cost $75 to get fender fixed....this was on a '75 Celica, would imagine, as thin as the Fit sheetmetal is, that I'd be looking at a new fender. Guess that dumbarse deer didn't like red Celicas, as there was a line of about 100 cars to choose to headbutt....heh

 

It happened again. .I had the dealership do a oil change and then I went to Orlando. On the way back as soon as I got on the turnpike I heard it flappin as soon as I got above 50 mph. I had to keep my speed down more as it got worse the longer I drove. I go to the dealership Tuesday. .

 

It was no porcupine, but I met a fox last night and not the long legged and busty type. I was coming around a corner and a fox is on the right side of the road facing right. I braked and figured if I go to to center he'll run off to the side. Well, he instead bolted to the left side of the road and I tagged him. Captured it all on the dashcam. I'm watching my rear view mirror and the car behind me tags him again as he's getting up.

When I was able to pull off, I checked out the bumper and didn't see any damage or blood/fur. Splashshield was intact. Guess I lucked out and hopefully the fox did too.

I think I'm going to invest in some brighter lights and maybe aim them a little higher. Maybe look into some aux lighting too since I run through very rural area.

 

my tabs popped out also everytime i put in new tabs it keeps coming out so i just zip tie it

 

BS

 

The part can be physically the same, but I am sure Honda would use a different suffix so that it can track the part for each model year. For example the under cover part number for 2017 fit is 74111-T5A-000 COVER, ENGINE (LOWER)
$61.67 retail $43.17 from 3rd party.

 

I hit a tire-retread snake on I75 at about 80mph last year (flew at me like a god damn serpent from under a tractor trailer). I thought for SURE my rad was going to be destroyed. Much to my surprise, rad was fine, and minimal scraping to bumper occurred. It did however manage to rip the under engine shroud out, and while doing so ripped the passenger side inner fender liner off, and dislodged the driver side inner fender liner to the point where it rubbed on my tire (which completely destroyed it)

I ended up finding a wrecked fit at a scrap yard and bought all the covers which were damaged. I used plastic cable ties to hold the under engine shroud on, and reused/purchased the missing clips for the fender liners. Those pop in plastic inserts are my nemesis.
Drill two holes, use a cable tie, done. 👍 Worked great.

 

.
A snippet from a Canadian newspaper auto journo

 

I had some scratches on the front of my shield (2016 LX).

Let dealer look at it. Part was $90 US nut parts rep told me it was just scuffed and not needing replacement. Since shield is removed for oil change, no labor if done with a normal oil change.

Dealer has plenty in stock confirming bad design.

My old Corolla had wheels more in front which would warn you if you got too close.

 

Says the guy from the south where they get inches not feet of rain per year

The AC compressor&clutch hangs down low enough that the left tire drowns it in water.. I ran with mine for about a week and the clutch started malfunctioning, put the new one on and its happy again.. We also sand and use deicer in the winter, without the shield there is sand everywhere under the hood with it it says way cleaner.. In the rain the engine bay is dry as a bone with it on and soaking wet with it off..

It also gets the serpentine belt soaking wet so when the ac turns on and off to defrost mine would slip..

 

Maybe I am looking at the wrong part, but the lowest I have seen it in for $120?

 

This is happened to us (Honda Fit 2015) twice now since buying it new. The first time we were on the interstate in eastern Montana (near Glendive) going 83 mph and it started flapping loudly. My wife and I had no idea what it was. We hobbled back into town (6 miles away) thinking major problems with something under the hood. In town I was able to get a better look under it and noticed that it was this shield. I had just had the oil changed 2 weeks prior in Spokane. It was a Saturday afternoon and the small town only had one place open. Fortunately, the guy fastened it securely for cheap.

Happened again yesterday about 2 weeks after another oil change. This time it was in town and we were going slow. Took it back to the same place where we got the oil changed and they fastened it tightly this time.

Not sure if it's a design flaw by Honda or if they oil changing place (same place both times) is getting it wrong.

 

Ever since it happened to me on the interstate coming out of Orlando, I have been careful to remind the dealer to make sure the shield is secure after they do an oil change. So far no troubles.

 

My GD you don't have to take the shield off to change the oil.
I bought a shield off amazon for like 30 bucks. its trimmed a little different than the stock one.

 

2016 LX, manual. I've had two oil changes done by my local independent. Have never had any issues with it coming off. I had mentioned the shield problems at my first oil change. Tech told me it was just a matter of reinstalling it correctly.

So, any problems may not be caused by the design, but by whoever is working on the vehicle.