January 9, 201511 yr Hi everyone. I have a 2011 Legacy Premium, and last night there happened to be a ton of snow in our driveway. My wife was pulling in, and it happened to not be plowed yet. She had to get a little momentum to make it up the bottom of the driveway, which is at about a 45 degree slope. This morning, I checked underneath, and it looks like the big panel covering the oil filter in the center came loose. Didn't have time to put it on the ramps as I had to go to work. I had the same problem happen last year with a Scion tC, and long story short it was an $800 fix at the body shop..and the Legacy only has .7 inch more ground clearance. I'm still at work..but does anybody has an idea as to what I can expect when I get under it to look at possible damage? Any chance the panel just came loose, if so is that an easy fix? Thank you for any input you have, it is appreciated.
January 9, 201511 yr Leave it off. Its useless anyhow. Supposedly for under car aerodynamics and a bit of skid protection but obviously a little snow is enough to wreck the damn thing. Honestly I think subaru puts those stupid psuedo skid panels on just to catch and absorb enough oil leaks (ever notice the fabric mat on the inner side of them?) to not leave spots on the driveway for 100k miles......so that the 1st owner is out of warranty before they notice the oil leaks.
January 9, 201511 yr Author Yeah I agree..(although i thought they addressed this issue by 2011). I'm just worried there's some other damage besides that, gotta get it on the ramp to check. Crossing my fingers..
January 10, 201511 yr chances are there is no real "damage". We regularly drive our Subarus through deep, heavy, crusty snow drifts (live in farm country - LOTS of drifting snow in the winter) with no problems whatsoever. driveway can be clear when we leave for work in the morning, and have a 2 ft high drift that stretches for 8 ft by the time we get home in the evening... the 2006 Outback has those silly plastic panels underneath it, too...
January 10, 201511 yr Those silly panels are there to keep water off the accessory drive belt and out of various electrical connections. I don't know why you were charged $800 to replace one of those panels, when I get one torn off, I head to the hardware store and get some body washers (big washer, small hole) and remount the original panel. Works every time. Edited January 10, 201511 yr by keith3267
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