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Flaps in front of rear wheels

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29K views 30 replies 18 participants last post by  ypodolyan  
#1 ·
I was making a winter-to-all-season tire switch last weekend and noticed that one of the flaps in front of the rear wheels was turned half way. After closer inspection, I found that it was attached to the body with only 1 bolt despite having 3 holes neatly aligning with 3 holes in the body of the car. I thought I maybe lost one or two? After checking the other side, I discovered that it too was connected with just 1 bolt.


Can anybody tell me the purpose of those flaps? Are they for drag reduction? They don't even align well with the tires.
Also, can you post if your flaps are attached to the car with only 1 or more bolts? I believe they rattle at high speed a little because of loose 1-bolt connection.
 
#3 ·
Here are some pics

We have a 2016 and 2017.5 Murano. Being that we had a rough winter here in Michigan, both vehicles have broken plastic fasteners as shown in the attached pics. As you found out in the other post these are made to break away but the fastener retains the flap. I guess you could use some cable ties but I'm going to stop at the dealer for replacements, and a few extra push pins too!







 
#4 ·
We have a 2016 and 2017.5 Murano. Being that we had a rough winter here in Michigan, both vehicles have broken plastic fasteners as shown in the attached pics. As you found out in the other post these are made to break away but the fastener retains the flap. I guess you could use some cable ties but I'm going to stop at the dealer for replacements, and a few extra push pins too!

View attachment 48796

View attachment 48798

View attachment 48800

View attachment 48802


instead of adding the plastic push pins and running into this issue again is it possible to add 2 more fasteners to hold them in place? its what I would do.
 
#10 ·
Mine broke as well last year. Don't know how or when. So I just bought something similar to this off of Amazon.


I'm sure I'll find a use for the use of more of them. One of those items you don't need often but glad yo u have them on hand when you do.
 
#11 ·
Came to this thread & I wonder IFFFFFfff our 2017.5 would have this issue... sure enough, both flaps are missing the two rivets. I just wonder IF they were there at all from the factory ?!!!!

This isn't the 1st time I had quality issues with Canton, Mississippi. My 2004 maxima was the 1st year of a major redesign & Nissan decided to (for the 1st time ever) move the Maxima production to Canton. Here were some of the issues with that Maxima:
* Found grease splattered around (passenger) front axle the next day after delivery,,, the CVBoot was cut cleanly. A few owners complained of the exact same thing in the forum. Probably the guy/gal carelessly openned the (right CVBoot) box with a box cutter?
* The protective plastic film for roof chrome strips werenot removed prior to assembly. The dealer had to replace.
* The heatshield rattled. The dealer had to re-tighten.
Around 2004/2005?, the news said Nissan had to send hundreds of engineers (from Japan) to Canton to work out all those quality "issues".

Now onto the 2017.5 Murano issues:
* Transmission leaks @ 15Kmiles.
* Some noise heard under... dealer said some nuts weren't tighten, they could turn them by hand.
* Low Power Steering fluid.

Nissan probably don't pay workers enough for them to care ?
 
#12 ·
I ended up installing plastic fasteners I recently bought on Amazon. Will see how long they will last. I wonder if the original ones broke from snow or car wash (with rubber cleaning belts hitting flaps) as my front license plate was constantly bent by the car wash (bad bad design of the front license plate holder with license plate fastened with just top screws AND bottom of the plate sticking out. Ended up bending plate's bottom and attaching with 2 more screws).
 
#14 ·
I think it's to improve aerodynamics just like the deflector under the front bumper. Other vehicles have them too.
 
#18 ·
I was making a winter-to-all-season tire switch last weekend and noticed that one of the flaps in front of the rear wheels was turned half way. After closer inspection, I found that it was attached to the body with only 1 bolt despite having 3 holes neatly aligning with 3 holes in the body of the car. I thought I maybe lost one or two? After checking the other side, I discovered that it too was connected with just 1 bolt.


Can anybody tell me the purpose of those flaps? Are they for drag reduction? They don't even align well with the tires.
Also, can you post if your flaps are attached to the car with only 1 or more bolts? I believe they rattle at high speed a little because of loose 1-bolt connection.
They are called "Air Guides", probably to direct air out the sides for aerodynamic purposes.


Here's a link to buy the "Air Guides" and screws & clips to hold them on. $3.00 for 10 clips, plus shipping.


https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/par...deal.com/parts-list/2017-nissan-murano-base/floor-fitting.html?Diagram=747_A003


The clips go by year, buyer beware and fully read each item. Clips are items 11 (14-16) and 12 (16-) in the list.


Properly attached, they should not rattle.


Have a good day.
 
#21 ·
You might get a bit more road noise, if that's something you care about? Service Tech told me that without them, you will be getting wind sucked up into the wheel well from under the car and will baffle up against wheel well liner. He told me this while I was buying my replacement clips and asked what the things are even for. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about, but then again, he just sells car parts and I'm assuming didnt engineer the cars exterior....
 
#22 ·
Bought four clips today from my local dealership and installed easily. Not driving my Murano today, but will travel around a bit tomorrow. I'll be curious if my loose air guides contributed to the occasional mystery rattle I was hearing back there, and if it's fixed now...:confused:
 
#28 ·
I have ran into the same issue with my 2018 murano. I was hearing a raddle e it was the rear mud flap as well with only one bolt. Do you happen to know the bolt size ? When I had got my oil changed at the Nissan dealership I looked at the new muranos and there are bolts besides the one holding the mud flaps .