A re-tread snuck up on my Maxima this morning. I was driving into work (fairly dense traffic) and saw a re-tread in the left lane about 5 cars up. One car swerved and the next car hit it with his passenger wheel...throwing it into my lane in front of me. Luckily, the hit laid it out flat as prior to that it was rolled up in a ball. I straddled it with the front wheels, the highest part rubbed the bottom of the front bumper and removed (cleanly) the driver side under body shield. There was no damage whatsoever to the front bumper. No cracks, dents...just a small scuff mark.

While I was looking, I noticed a thin piece of metal to the left (driver side) of the rear catalytic converter (just behind the transmission pan). You can see it (while crouched behind the driver side tire) if you look from the driver side to the passenger side. It is not a straight piece, rather it is curved down and toward the driver side. I don't recall if it was ever like that. I need to see some pics of the underbody of other cars. I'll post a picture later today when I get home.

 

OK, I found it in this picture...I can't post it to my website. Look at the bottom of the transmission (lowest brass colored bolt). There is a black, metal, "flap" with three vertical grooves (left side of picture, halfway up). Mine is now slightly bent. What is it's function?

http://www.greghome.com/images/Maxim...xSE-YPipe1.jpg

 

i don't know... i just looked, and it's not there on mine, but im a manual... i can't remember anything like that on my automatic... nice looking underbody.. very clean

 

I wish the underside of my car was that clean. That pic is from greghome.com. He took the picture at a dealership in 2001 where the 2002 Maxima was being displayed.

 

Looks to be a shield of some sort for the CV boot. Check your CV boot for any damage. If none is present bend it back and repaint.

 

Here is the part:


Here is mine:


It's called an "Air Guide". Anyone know the function (cooling tranny, cooling engine, etc)?

 

From the looks of it's location and name, I would venture to say it directs air to your exhaust manafold to help cool it.

 

Looking up in that spot (while I reattached it) it is aiming air at the passenger CV input into the transmission. I wouldn't think that would need cooling.

 

Look on the bright side, at least you didn't hit a driveshaft laying in the freeway...

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...ted-wheel.html

 

It's to provide cool barrier of air, so that the exhaust radianted heat doesn't melt your cv and rack and pinion dust boots!

 

Now that make sense. The exhaust is extremely close to that area. Thanks!

 

Yeah i bent that on mine already, its just a air diffuser

 

why are they only on autos

 

maybe auto tranny components get hotter than manuals...