Snow driving? - Check your splash guards!

[Altus]

It's fairly snowy here in southern Ontario this year, and we've been getting it pretty much steady for the last couple of weeks. Lots of snowbanks, slushy roads, drifting snow, etc....So today when I get home, I notice my driver's side front mud flap / splash guard (called flaps from here on in) is falling off!The 'christmas tree' plastic bolt at the bottom has been pulled right out, I've lost the middle bolt/screw, and the top one is just holding on. DAMN! So with the help of a hair dryer I cleaned up the whole area and got it reinstalled -- though I'm going to go to the dealer and have them do it again under warranty to make sure. Didn't have a screw to replace the missing one, so put a temp seal over the hole using electrical tape until I can get a new one. Also checked the passenger side -- although still on, both bolt/screws were loose! The middle one was basically held in by the ice. Dried it all out and tightened them too.Oddly enough - both the rear flaps were just fine.So seems the front ones don't totally seal against the cladding, which was letting snow/slush/water get between the flap & cladding, creating pressure. Add to that the beating they take driving in conditions like this, and the occasional hit when going over speedbumps etc, and they're pretty likely to come loose.So everyone with the flaps -- you might want to check they're OK.Anyone else had a problem with them coming loose or worse?

[pmh013]

Yup, I noticed this past summer that a fastener on my rear flap had pulled loose. I have the crappy Pontiac flaps, so I really don't care. Maybe someday I'll "upgrade" to the nice molded Vibe flaps (which will always fit my car, because GM won't replace my cladding because I'm beyond the warranty period).

[NSimkins]

Quote, originally posted by Altus »Anyone else had a problem with them coming loose or worse?Thanks for the reminder. I checked mine last night and noticed almost all the screws were very loose but still there. The bottom push-pins were intact. I had this happen last year as well (loosened up) - this year more with the worse snowy roads and now that my Vibe is lowered, the flaps are more prone to bump the pavement.I've had no good weather to check and clean the Vibe which is probably why I neglected!

[Sub-Vibe-R]

No trouble here... I had to remove mine cause they were too close from the ground...

[rubberman]

Mine did the same thing the last snow storm we got. u could hear something banging when i was driving and when a got home the front right flap was hanging by one bolt. The problem is the stock bolts are to short they just pull out,lucky i had some longer ones to replace the ones that went awol.You guys with lowered Vibes try triming the bottom of the flap i did this on my Civic Si and they work and still look stock

[Charlievibe]

I hadn't thought of this problem. I am not currently living where we get snow, we get ice storms. Anyhow, when I get home tonight, I am going to check mine.Thanks for the heads up!