bluejae

i'm posting this to see if anyone else has experienced something like this and also to ask a few questions...

i got my service b at the end of May and less than a month later i put my car in the shop to get some mods done and that's where my car is currently... i received a call from the shop and they told me something strange... they asked if i knew i had a missing part under the engine... i'm like ... he explained to me that it's right behind the front bumper underneath the engine... either before or next to some shield or something... i asked for him to try and find a part number and possibly take some pictures and send them to me since i was having a hard time picturing what it might be...

so i'm hoping the members here can help me out... what could this part be? could this part have been removed during service b possibly during the oil change and then forgotten to be installed back? does the dealership remove the oil from the bottom or from the top usually? would this be something i can have the dealership replace?

obsidian05e55

Sounds to be the splash shield. They probably removed it, and never re-installed it during your last service. You WOULD know if it just fell off while driving.

Yuille36

Most dealerships, remove the oil using a suction device, but some use the old standard of draining from the oil pan. And no, it isn't normal. The belly pans are relatively cheap. I would go back the dealership, and have a talk with the Service Manager. maybe he can help you, if not then I would find out what pans your missing and purchase them, along with the mounting screws to secure it. If, I remember correctly the C63 has three belly pans. One under the oil cooler, one under the engine, and one the covers the bell housing and part of the transmission.

bluejae

ok... found out it's the front shield. part number 2045241230 $129... that's not cheap to me...

would the front shield be removed for anything during service b?

Roswell

Definitely, the dealership has to remove the front shield to drain the oil from the pan & oil cooler. If they change your oil from the top, it means they didn't drain your oil cooler... so it's very possible they forgot to put the front sheild back.

Yuille36

I'd say that if they forgot to replace your front belly pan, after your oil cooler was drained. I would go straight back to the dealership, and ask them WTF, where the hell is my shield? But since its been about two months now, your better off just buying a new one. Maybe the dealership can cut you a break, and sell the part to you at employee cost. But you need to talk to the service manager first.

khmergod

After reading this thread, I might need to go check my undercarriage.

grane

Give it a good washing while you are at it.

khmergod

Lol, the stealership did it yesterday after my LSD fluid change at 2200mi.

khmergod

And hell no at car wash in 100f+ weather. My car underperforms so bad, and gets to 115f parked in lots. FML!

bluejae

just called my service manager and let him know about it... he sounded concerned and said to definitely bring it in... so as soon as i get back, i'll be taking it over there...

i also found a pic of the part i'm missing and it looks pretty damn big (10)... definitely something i would have noticed if it decided to just fly off..

i just hope everything under there is ok

Yuille36

Trust me, that piece wouldn't just fly off, and if it did you would have notice it. The piece that you mentioned is the oil coller belly pan, well that's what I call it anyway.

msheredy

Where about's are you located? I recently had a very bad experience at MB of San Diego. I checked the car out when I got home to make sure that what was supposed to be done was indeed done and noticed that the pan was missing! It's a long story full of some BS drama but in the end they replaced them (2 pieces on the W203 chassis) on their dime.

bluejae

i'm in dallas, tx... i'm sorry to hear about the BS drama... care to share more details like how long it took you to convince them it was their fault?... so you basically checked right after the service? it's been over a month for me but seriously, who normally has to check under their car after a service... i guess i need to now... wtc

JimmyR

Just a thought but where do you park your car?? Not unheard of to have parts nicked to order to repair crashed cars on the cheap. Perhaps a C63 owner has damaged their shield on a kerb or something and seen your car parked on the street - a few screws to quickly undo and there is a replacement part.
Having said all this the more likely scenario though is that the dealer dropped it off to do the oil change, put it aside in the workshop ready to put back on, went off to lunch.... lowered the car back down on the hoist, topped up the oil and then out to the parking bay for you to collect

bluejae

i'm sure it's not unheard of... but i live in a pretty safe neighborhood and my car is not parked in the street...