TFA really overstates the importance of the part in question. The part is typically is plastic, and serves primarily an aerodynamic function, improving fuel mileage, with a secondary function protecting the engine bay and limiting ingress of dust and debris. It’s really not a critical part and typically replacing every bolt with a zip tie of sufficient size (that is important) would be enough to hold it in place. It is indeed quite common for the bolts to be replaced with zip ties; often the bolts are weird shapes and sizes and threading. In fact, several cars I’ve worked on have used plastic screws which wouldn’t have significantly greater strength than a zip tie.
But in this car it’s metal, which makes me wonder if it’s a semi-structural component and therefore the zip ties wouldn’t hold, though this is again a pretty uncommon configuration outside of convertibles (which need reinforcement as they lose the roof structure). The photo in TFA shows some very thin sheet metal, and I don’t think that it is structural in any way.
In any case, if a shield falls off your car and it makes you drive into a ditch, particularly after you’re made aware there is a problem, I’m not sure you’re really prepared to safely operate a 1500kg wheeled vehicle at 100kph.
Its a metal splash shield, not structural, but protects your oil pan and filter from getting hit by road debris, so essential.
Plastic fastener in vertical axis is strong and can absorb vibrations. A zip tie around a sharp metal edge will get cut through with vibrations starting a gouge which become a stress riser for fracture.
A metal shield dropping its front edge. Is going to cause a lot of issues if it catches on pavment.
The photo in TFA shows some very thin sheet metal, and I don’t think that it is structural in any way.
If it’s thin metal it’s a heat shield. Putting nylon straps on a heat shield is just stupid. But, bad news guys, most shops, including dealer service, just throw these shields out. This is one reason why I change my own oil.
That is literally the aftermarket part name for it when you buy them online. You have to remove it to drain the oil. This thing is so thin it’s basically a dust cover, so all it provides is protection from road debris and helps with aero. It isn’t going to protect anything if you bottom out.
But in this car it’s metal, which makes me wonder if it’s a semi-structural component and therefore the zip ties wouldn’t hold,
Even if it isn’t structural in the least, the massively increased stiffness of metal over even thick plastic means that even pretty minimal flexing of the vehicle’s chassis would eagerly shear any size of plastic zip ties off.
This is very much a consequence of paying technicians among the lowest wage in the industry and failing to mentor them effectively. Not to mention being ignored, unsupported, and abused by Manglement.
I love Canadian Tire for its breadth of products, and have almost always found the staff there to be eager and helpful, but I don’t make use of their vehicle services for a damn good reason.
The metal probably is sharper too, and harder. It’s an opportunity to tell the customer that something broke and they should come back tomorrow and get it fixed for 1/4 hr labour, or it may fall off in the near future.
The tech cut corners and the chain may suck, but I object to the way the article presents the issue. It’s not like they zip tied brakes on.
TFA really overstates the importance of the part in question. The part is typically is plastic, and serves primarily an aerodynamic function, improving fuel mileage, with a secondary function protecting the engine bay and limiting ingress of dust and debris. It’s really not a critical part and typically replacing every bolt with a zip tie of sufficient size (that is important) would be enough to hold it in place. It is indeed quite common for the bolts to be replaced with zip ties; often the bolts are weird shapes and sizes and threading. In fact, several cars I’ve worked on have used plastic screws which wouldn’t have significantly greater strength than a zip tie.
But in this car it’s metal, which makes me wonder if it’s a semi-structural component and therefore the zip ties wouldn’t hold, though this is again a pretty uncommon configuration outside of convertibles (which need reinforcement as they lose the roof structure). The photo in TFA shows some very thin sheet metal, and I don’t think that it is structural in any way.
In any case, if a shield falls off your car and it makes you drive into a ditch, particularly after you’re made aware there is a problem, I’m not sure you’re really prepared to safely operate a 1500kg wheeled vehicle at 100kph.
Its a metal splash shield, not structural, but protects your oil pan and filter from getting hit by road debris, so essential.
Plastic fastener in vertical axis is strong and can absorb vibrations. A zip tie around a sharp metal edge will get cut through with vibrations starting a gouge which become a stress riser for fracture.
A metal shield dropping its front edge. Is going to cause a lot of issues if it catches on pavment.
If it’s thin metal it’s a heat shield. Putting nylon straps on a heat shield is just stupid. But, bad news guys, most shops, including dealer service, just throw these shields out. This is one reason why I change my own oil.
I don’t think that’s a heat shield; all it would be shielding is the ground from the engine. It’s right under the oil pan.
It’s a skid plate. Protects engine from debris and provides aero.
JFC…that’s not a skid plate, and that’s no what a skid plate does.
That is literally the aftermarket part name for it when you buy them online. You have to remove it to drain the oil. This thing is so thin it’s basically a dust cover, so all it provides is protection from road debris and helps with aero. It isn’t going to protect anything if you bottom out.
or, a HEAT SHIELD. This prevents engine heat from igniting grass when parked on a field.
Even if it isn’t structural in the least, the massively increased stiffness of metal over even thick plastic means that even pretty minimal flexing of the vehicle’s chassis would eagerly shear any size of plastic zip ties off.
This is very much a consequence of paying technicians among the lowest wage in the industry and failing to mentor them effectively. Not to mention being ignored, unsupported, and abused by Manglement.
I love Canadian Tire for its breadth of products, and have almost always found the staff there to be eager and helpful, but I don’t make use of their vehicle services for a damn good reason.
The metal probably is sharper too, and harder. It’s an opportunity to tell the customer that something broke and they should come back tomorrow and get it fixed for 1/4 hr labour, or it may fall off in the near future.
The tech cut corners and the chain may suck, but I object to the way the article presents the issue. It’s not like they zip tied brakes on.