Can anyone identify this part dragging under my car?

I noticed a noise after driving on a brick street. Thought I had hit a tree limb. Looked under the car and saw this hanging down.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u4t08yk673l0tj2/IMG_0461.JPG

https://www.dropbox.com/s/arodl33a2sapd60/IMG_0462.JPG

 

Hard to say for sure from the pictures, but my guess is it is the plastic door in the middle splash pan that provides access to the oil filter housing and drain plug in the sump. It is designed to hinge down when one fastener is released.

Did you have your oil changed recently?

 

No. Have not had oil changed recently. Noise started after driving on a brick street. Might have hit a loose brick or something like that?

The loose panel is located in the center of the car, about 12-18 inches behind the front axle.

 

Like someone previously said, it is the access panel to the oil filter. I believe there should be two screws securing it to the rest of the larger panel which yours is obviously missing.

 

This DIY shows the access door on page 5 when it is closed and secured and page 6 when it is open to access the oil filter housing and drain plug (while open it hangs from a little plastic tab). Yours may not look exactly like this as the design has varied slightly over the years but you get the idea.

You just need to push it up and run the screws back in (assuming they are not lost). During the last oil change it probably wasn't tightened properly and finally vibrated itself loose.

 

oil filter access panel

 

oil service access panel. i removed mine permanently.