Okay..on my way back from Indianapolis last weekend, a truck cut a tire in front of me and it was either spin off the road into trees on the left or take out a F-150 on the right..so I ran over the guys tire. At first all I heard was this "flapping" noise so when I pulled over I found that my front bumper was all smashed in, the ground effects where basically cracked in two, and there was this black part sticking out from under the car hanging down about 2 or 3 inches. The best picture of this I can find is below..

http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.ph...02&postcount=9

I'm wondering if the part that is bent all the hades and back is the part that is just to the left (on the picture) of the Y-pipe as it joins together. I dont know if it is this part or not. The part is metal, that's for sure because when I touched it it was metal, although I could not dislodge it and I wasnt going to try too hard incase it is something vital. The max goes to the shop thursday for much needed repairs and to look pretty again.

I'll try to post a picture of it later, although a undercarriage pic would be ideal, I cant get it just yet.

Anyone know what this part is? For all I know this isn't even the part.

 

Looks like those pics were taken from an Australian Maxima (and it sounds like an aftermarket part to me as well), so I don't think that you are comparing apples to apples here. but, if you have some metal pieces hanging down like that it can't be good...

 

Hey man,
I have that same piece of metal hanging down too. Last week I was passing someone at ridiculous speeds and there was a dead animal in the road. Of course, I tried to avoid it by driving my car over the center of it, but somehow that piece under there caught it. I looked under the car and saw that piece hanging down. It didn't hurt anything under the car or on the outside either, luckily. However, I felt that piece too and it's metal. I am going to a shop and have them put it up on a lift and see what it is. I'm thinking it's a bracket of some sort. I am hoping that it can just be bent back. That is very coincidental that mine is hanging down now too. Obviously that piece is not flush to the undercarriage. Anyway, if you get to the shop and find out before I do, let me know. PEACE...

 

That is some kind of trans cooler or something, just to deflect air in. I bent mine by hitting something on the highway, my mechanic just bang it in to place. That's sucks about your car though, sorry to hear.

 

Just to let you know, I just got back from the shop to get them to check on that piece. RHMax is correct, they can just bend it back. The fella at the shop said he thought it was a metal tray that funnels air conditioning water or something. Anyway, luckily, it was an easy fix. Sorry about your wreck dude. Get that baby fixed and in the process throw in a mod or something. It will make you feel a lot better. PEACE out, I hope the info was of some help!

 

RHMax is right..the piece is called a "Air Deflector" and it's purpose is to deflect air up around the transmission. The Nissan guy told me this personally as he was gracious enough to put my Max up on the lift so I could see it. I wish I brought my digital camera so I would have pics of the undercarriage...argh!

Anyways..thanks for y'alls help