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I have a stock 2012 TL (base) with the 17 inch rubber and I noticed that both front mud/splash guards are pretty chewed up on the undersides. Even some nicks on the bottom edges are visible. I didn't buy the car new (it was 2 years old) but I am pretty sure this has happened over the last 2 years I have driven it. I have to admit that every now and then I hear it bottom out on sloped driveways - but always thought it was the front rubber piece that was hitting. Despite being really quite careful (I know it doesn't sound like I am careful from the above!), I am surprised these splash guards are so chewed up. I was leaving a pizza place the other night and practically crawled out of the driveway because I saw it was an unusual angle and I heard it scrape again! That's when I noticed a small area of the silver on the bottom side of the splash guard is scratched to the black plastic below - about the size of a dime.
So either I need new glasses or these splash guards are terribly designed. Am I the only one having this issue? The wheels are great - no scratches on those. It's just those guards ...
Did the previous owner lower the car with suspension mods ?
No I don't think so. It was CPO and probably an off lease car. The front suspension doesn't seem very firm and I think it doesn't take much with that heavy V6 to bob the front end and that's where any sort of uneven concrete is going to potentially scrape the flaps .... That's my theory anyway.
I would think if your splash guards are indeed scraping, you would hear two scrapes. Once for the plastic piece hanging under the bumper and twice for the splash guards when taking on a slope. Take some pics and show us, especially from the profile.
Check your front suspension. Do the bounce test. lol
Btw, I'm on stock 18's and stock suspension. I don't scrape my splash guards.
Yeah - this seems really odd to me. I kind of get the scrape on the outside corner edge where possibly an uneven curb got me but its seems so odd that the full underside of the guard is scraped up ...that's what makes me think it must bottom out sometimes.
The other side isn't nearly so bad however ...
I have to check mine to see the condition they are in I also have scuffs my wife goes over curbs when making turns sometimes and in and out of driveways also does this best thing to do is to take the turn as wide enough to ensure no scrape, this will deter any scratches on the mud flaps.
I have to check mine to see the condition they are in I also have scuffs my wife goes over curbs when making turns sometimes and in and out of driveways also does this best thing to do is to take the turn as wide enough to ensure no scrape, this will deter any scratches on the mud flaps.
Yeah - I can see that happening. I am the exclusive driver on my car so I guess I can't blame anyone else - just me . I suppose this could have happened but I don't recall it happening specifically.
I also notice now that a lot of late model TLs don't even have the mud guards. But I don't think that's a good idea on these cars since it's so easy to spin the front tires ....
04-02-2016, 04:58 PM
. I suppose this could have happened but I don't recall it happening specifically. 