This is not supposed to happen

[HondaHolly]

Noticed something walking out to my car this morning to go to work. The plastic inside my front left wheel well appears to have torn/ripped.



Comparing it to the other side, it looks like it ripped around that screw which holds it to the bumper. I have not hit anything, driven over anything. I park far away from other cars in parking lots, and go slow over speed bumps and going into/out of my driveway.

I don't know how long its been like this. I've looked through pictures I've taken, and most of them arent of the driver's side, and the ones that are are too blurry when I zoom in. I saved all of the dealer photos, and none of their pictures were of the left side.

As a result of this tear, the bumper "bows out" at the edge. Here is a pic, looking down at it:



Here is a pic of the good side:



My theory is that the plastic cracked and gave way when it was frigid cold here (10 degrees Fahrenheit or less last week). It appears to be under a lot of pressure, considering it holds in the edge of the bumper pretty tight. I'm considering taking this to the dealer I bought it from and seeing what they say. I have Honda Care (if that even helps), and no other physical damage.

Does anyone know the type of plastic that stuff is made out of? HDPE, PP, PVC? If I knew the plastic type I could look up it's Glass Transition Temperature. When plastics get colder, they become more brittle... and then it would crack. That's my theory, but I need to prove it to the dealer...

If nothing gets resolved, I guess its not a huge deal, right?

[ITEM9]

That's physical damage. There's no way temperature would cause that.

It looks like something snagged the bumper while backing up with the wheels turned. If you had the music blasting, you might not have noticed when it happened.

[likwid]

It "Blows out" because of the liner pushing on the bumper. Just push the liner back in, and the bumper should take it's original shape.

[HondaHolly]

The bumper side is bowing out where the liner no longer connected to the bumper. I have nothing to put the liner back in to.

[likwid]

Have you tried? I said push it in, not connect it. You'll have to rig that some how in order to screw it back in. But it pops into the bumper, and will stay there, like 9 said, looks like something hooked onto it and pulled it out. Where you see the liner hitting where the screw goes, I'm sure there is some tension there, seriously...if you haven't tried to, pop it back in and see what it does for you.

[HondaHolly]

Ok I will try again later today, see if itll pop into anywheres.

I'm trying to look up what part this is... is it the front splash guard? (#10)
Or the actual fender, "FENDER, L. FR. (INNER)" (#8)

Honda Automotive Parts

[likwid]

Number 8 for the inside cover. Let's hope I'm right about the tension and that it's the only part you need.

[HondaHolly]

I've been trying to look up what plastics are used where in the car. The best I have found is that "polypropylene is used in car trim". Well PP's glass transition temp is around 0 deg C. The coldest Rochester got last week was 10 deg farenheit (probably lower due to wind chill), which is -12 deg celsius. I still think this plastic piece could have gave way to the stress of holding the bumper in at the screw point.

[HondaHolly]

Aha! Fenders is in the Vehicle Service Contract list of things NOT covered. So I'm interested now in buying this part myself and having someone replace it for me.. Could try doing it myself

[likwid]

That's weird, in NYC you don't have bumper to bumper coverage?