I riding down the interstate at maybe 65, 70 mph when I hear this big KABOOM from the passenger side front tire. I look to my girlfriend and say, "wtf was that?" I look in the rear view mirror and see this bumper looking thing flapping around in the middle of the road. I thought my cf hood had flown off, but I checked and that was still there, so I pull off to the side of the road and make the slow, (oh ****) walk to the passenger side. I see the front quarterpanel bent in severely and the wheel well lining missing. I cuss several times, get back in my car and pick up my lining that was in the middle of the highway. I go home to analyze wtf happened and it appears that the front part of the lining that goes under the bumper gave way and I just unavoidably ran over it. The pressure of the lining being run over ripped all the screws out and pulled the fender up and in real bad. The car is still driveable, but it's ugly. Now, I don't completely understand why this happened. The car is only 9 months old. After speaking with a few H-T buddies, they are convinced that during the CAI install, the screw that holds lining to the front lip gets tampered with a little and never fits back in right. I guess it was just time (24000 miles after the CAI install) for it to give and I have to pay for it. So, I ask the answers to 2 questions:
1) Has this happened to you?
2) Do you have an alternate reason for the happening?

Mike K - I called your cell and left you a message. I need a passenger lining and PY passenger fender asap. We can install it at the Dyno Day/whatever meet.

 

Damn, that sucks. Are you sure you didn't hit something - like maybe some of the big-rig tire tread you see in the road. I imagine that would cause similar damage as it was picked up and thrown around under the car and inside the wheel well...

 

damn that sucks, I think that your theory seems right

 

I had something similar happen on my '96 turbo GSR a few years back. It happened because the passenger side inner fender black plastic piece was hanging a little bit, and the thing caught got caught when I was going up a driveway, pulling itself down and towards the back of the car, and eventually got caught between the tire and pavement, so as the car moved forward, it rips the whole piece off. Mine didn't bend the fender, because it was at like 3mph... if your case, I can see with some speed, it would pull everything downwards, causing your fender to get tweaked down.

The AEM CAI might have caused it, because on my ITR, it looks like the filter kinda pushed down on the black innder fender well piece, inside the bumper. Over time, I can see the little screws giving out, caughing the black piece to sag, and eventually pull back. Any kind of highway speed will make the piece pull back if it's sagging.

 

I agree a CAI install will add to th eprospect of the screws failing prematurely in the sense they pop out unexpectedly.
Happened to me just last week in fact and my CAI has been on the car over a year now.
Cant think of any other reason... unless you did run over something you never saw.. or that could be a good story for the insurance adjuster to hear.. I dunno.

 

Now, I've been told to put the stock intake back on and start cussing a lot at the dealership and they should fix it......would you agree?

 

Mine did the exact same thing but luckily I wasn't going fast...maybe 5 mph or so. It is usually the clips that hold the liner to the bumper that come loose causing the liner to flap back and go under the front tire.

 

I ran over a truck tire at the same speed on highway ripped up the unlining and scuffed up the paint

 

Oh dang. My friend just told me the same story bout a week ago and warned me that my lining was loose. I was missing 2 screws that must have fallen off after the CAI install. Luckily he had some extra screws and now its on there tight. i hope...

 

Same thing kinda happened to me. My friend didn't screw down my splash gaurd all the way when i was taking off AEM CAI and i was driving and the splash gaurd ripped completely off and i have a lil dent on my pasanger side panal....sucks, but i ordered a new splash gaurd which should push that dent out.....since it has no brace to hold it in..

 

I say we should all bitch at AEM for their CAI design

 

Sure, because it's obviously their fault. No chance that you or AEM had anything to do with it.



Weak.

 

No bitch at all the people who installed them and failed to put the screws back in right lol that's y i only work on my car so i know what was done and what wasn't.

 

yeah, everyone knows dealers have fair prices for their fellow customers. Give me a break, take as much money as you can from the dealer...they practically steal it from us anyways by way-overcharging parts.

 

Wow, my first thought was a blow-out, but after every said they had the same thing happen to them, maybe it was the inner liner. I have gotten under there and cleaned the filter, and I rmove the wheel for brake work often and have never seen the liner look like it is falling off. I guess I'll have to check it in the morning.

-Floyd

 

No, but it's one more reason I'm happy I kept my car stock.

 

Is yer car lowered? I saw a supra eat it's front fenderwell lining at an autoX, but it was super low and wearing really hoosiers (very grippy)...that sux. Gonna doublecheck my screws tomorrow (though the icebox doesn't interfere with anything that i can see, i was still fiddling around in there...

 

 

well, the dealership lives with itself charging 8.00 for a ******* crown nut. I say do it.

 

Stick it to the dealer like they stick it to us every single time. Just my .02 though.....

 

werd up!!

 

i dont known why it happened. but it did happen to me once, not as bad, but it happened . i had to replace the inner lingin

 

And risk losing all warranty coverage, if they're smart enough to realize what you've done.

Warranty repair work is like insurance - aside from the fact that it's "a good thing" to be honest and tell the truth, you also put their valuable coverage in jeopardy if you attempt to scam them.

 

The car is NOT lowered (but will be soon ) Why does this **** always happen to good people. I'm a good person - don't rip off people. I'm not into eye for an eye - dealer screwed you so now you gotta screw them back type thing. I'd rather forget about it and fix it myself now. Thanks H-T, glad I'm not the only unlucky person here.

 

Actually, your insurance might cover your damages. Discuss it with your agent, telling him/her the truth.

I would get an estimate from a body shop first, though - at least know in advance how much money you're talking about.