Under body panels

[mldavis2]

I'm not sure where to post this, so since it's "exterior" I'll put it here.

In viewing the oil change video, I was not terribly impressed that the underbody panels are plastic sheets. Nowhere in the specs or on forums have I been able to find out what the ground clearance is on the Stinger AWD, but it does disturb me a bit that the panels are plastic and include a couple of "push pins" to secure the panels to the frame.

Has anyone had any problem with these panels being sheared, ripped, punctured or otherwise damaged from ground clearance problems? How heavy are they, and how durable? And I wonder how expensive to replace?

 

[Kia Stinger]

I'm not sure where to post this, so since it's "exterior" I'll put it here.

In viewing the oil change video, I was not terribly impressed that the underbody panels are plastic sheets. Nowhere in the specs or on forums have I been able to find out what the ground clearance is on the Stinger AWD, but it does disturb me a bit that the panels are plastic and include a couple of "push pins" to secure the panels to the frame.

Has anyone had any problem with these panels being sheared, ripped, punctured or otherwise damaged from ground clearance problems? How heavy are they, and how durable? And I wonder how expensive to replace?

I think the "Kia Stinger Talk" forum will work fine for this discussion for now. I moved it. I can't answer your question but I can say that it seems most cars have these push pins securing the thin plastic lower panels to the body of the car. I'm sure they can break or become damaged if you run into a curb...

 

[westcoastGT]

I'm not sure where to post this, so since it's "exterior" I'll put it here.

In viewing the oil change video, I was not terribly impressed that the underbody panels are plastic sheets. Nowhere in the specs or on forums have I been able to find out what the ground clearance is on the Stinger AWD, but it does disturb me a bit that the panels are plastic and include a couple of "push pins" to secure the panels to the frame.

Has anyone had any problem with these panels being sheared, ripped, punctured or otherwise damaged from ground clearance problems? How heavy are they, and how durable? And I wonder how expensive to replace?

Same on BMW , Merc and Audi , they are light,strong and waterproof The clearance is 5.1 inches I believe

 

[AV8R]

The main problem is the fasteners will drop out after being removed a few times for inspections.

 

[mldavis2]

The main problem is the fasteners will drop out after being removed a few times for inspections.

Surely you could buy a bag of them for a couple of dollars.

 

[westcoastGT]

The main problem is the fasteners will drop out after being removed a few times for inspections.

Agree , but they are cheap as chips to buy and install if required , I had to replace 2 clips when I put on my mud guards , but this is standard practise on most mas produced cars .

 

[rocket23]

The panels,(my take) are there for 2 purposes. 1st enviromental....keeping the engine bay as dry as possible, 2nd would be aerodynamic there are portals in the panels to let air circulate out of the engine bay while keeping under carriage air flow smooth. I wouldn't be in a hurry to remove them.

This is a sports car by design and the only concern would be speed bumps......keep it on the road and there shouldn't be any clearance issues,imo.

 

[Kamauxx]

He might want to buy some aluminum skid plates for extra insurance when he off-roads his Stinger. Maybe a set of steel rock sliders to protect the rocker panels for his trips out to Moab.

 

[rocket23]

agreed as well, I came out of a leveled pick up, fully modded. I couldn't care less where I went with it.......little different now,lol

 

[AZSting3r]

Agree , but they are cheap as chips to buy and install if required , I had to replace 2 clips when I put on my mud guards , but this is standard practise on most mas produced cars .

I recently had to remove my bumper cover and a few of the push pins broke. Do you know what size we need for the Stinger?

 

[westcoastGT]

I recently had to remove my bumper cover and a few of the push pins broke. Do you know what size we need for the Stinger?

I just took one to an auto supply store and bought the closest size I could find , good luck

 

[rocket23]

I recently had to remove my bumper cover and a few of the push pins broke. Do you know what size we need for the Stinger?

or go to the dealer and ask for a handful....they're cheap enough

 

[MerlintheMad]

Oo! Undead under panels discussion. My front ones are newer than the car by c. half a year. They're not plastic, but a flexible, weather proof compressed board of some kind: probably very standard material (with an accurate name I do not know). No pins have fallen out that I have seen.

Clearance is more like seven inches for stock. That battery box? It's higher than that, but dropping after a speed bump will possibly scrape it; and you'll lose your "vent plug" and scrape up your weatherized coating, etc. The same can happen if you drop directly (not angled) from a drivable, low profile curb into the gutter. (Ask me how I know.)

 

[Lisa Hauser]

I think the "Kia Stinger Talk" forum will work fine for this discussion for now. I moved it. I can't answer your question but I can say that it seems most cars have these push pins securing the thin plastic lower panels to the body of the car. I'm sure they can break or become damaged if you run into a curb...

My Stinger GT2 went through a deep puddle 2 days ago. The weight of the water made it fall and I had to have my car towed. It was replaced yesterday for over $250. The dealer said I hit something, which I didn't. Went through same puddle total and the same thing happened. Have to get it towed again tomorrow.

 

[DCBStingerGT]

My Stinger GT2 went through a deep puddle 2 days ago. The weight of the water made it fall and I had to have my car towed. It was replaced yesterday for over $250. The dealer said I hit something, which I didn't. Went through same puddle total and the same thing happened. Have to get it towed again tomorrow.

Welcome to our stingerforum, well that's bad luck to drive through the same puddle twice, if I understand it correctly, which colour did you choose ?

 

[Kamauxx]

My Stinger GT2 went through a deep puddle 2 days ago. The weight of the water made it fall and I had to have my car towed. It was replaced yesterday for over $250. The dealer said I hit something, which I didn't. Went through same puddle total and the same thing happened. Have to get it towed again tomorrow.

This panels are only a couple of inches lower than your door sills. You probably should avoid wading your car through so much water. You're going to end up with a floating car or flooded interior.

 

[MerlintheMad]

My Stinger GT2 went through a deep puddle 2 days ago. The weight of the water made it fall and I had to have my car towed. It was replaced yesterday for over $250. The dealer said I hit something, which I didn't. Went through same puddle total and the same thing happened. Have to get it towed again tomorrow.

Hi. What was replaced for over $250, a sagging/falling under panel? Why would you drive right back into the same damned puddle?! Is that your only way to work or something? Anyway, the Stinger is not a "wader". I floated across the midpoint of a small but somewhat deep creek in my VW Bug many years ago: felt the rear wheels come unstuck for a breathless couple of seconds before they contacted the ground on the far side; by then my exhaust pipes were under water, of course, and the whole lengthy moment of madness I could hear the engine note burbling underwater. Once the tires had grip again I drove out. But Bugs were well known for their resistance to water ingress (when new, of course). Still, I was pushing it. I'd never try that in a 4K+ LBS Stinger!?

 

[sym]

My Stinger GT2 went through a deep puddle 2 days ago. The weight of the water made it fall and I had to have my car towed. It was replaced yesterday for over $250. The dealer said I hit something, which I didn't. Went through same puddle total and the same thing happened. Have to get it towed again tomorrow.

You can remove the front panel with a screwdriver and a 10mm socket. It takes about 5 minutes and you can do it from the ground - the car doesn't need to be jacked up.

Mine broke during a 1/4 mile run which was terrifying. I think some of the push pins gave out. There were several missing with I attribute to either the dealer failing to replace the pins or installing pins that were damaged.

I had to replace the panel. It cost about $200 total.

29110J5100 - Genuine Kia PANEL-UNDER COVER FRONT (Panel)

https://www.kiapartsnow.com/genuine/kia-clip~1420608250b.html (Clips)

 

[MerlintheMad]

Mine broke during a 1/4 mile run which was terrifying.

I shudder to imagine what it would be like at 155+ MPH if an under panel separated!?

 

[rocket23]

only bad things happen at 155 +