Can you identify a broken piece (shroud?) From under the car (need to replace); is it necessary?

Tiny
DAWNZIG
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
  • 106,000 MILES
We got this car from my in-laws. They'd brought it to a chain tire store for an oil change and the tech removed this large (~3 ft x ~22") wavy black plastic piece from under the car. The holes where the bolts go in are torn. My husband thinks it's some kind of shroud, but when I look online, all I can find are fan shrouds which don't look anything like it.
We brought it to a mechanic who said it wasn't necessary. However, those chain tire folks had told the in-laws it could cause the hood to come up at high speeds. And the hood DOES shake quite a bit at high speeds (up near the outer edges near the windshield, not at the bottom by the radiator). So, I'm not sure who to believe.
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Monday, February 6th, 2012 AT 10:17 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
That is a splash shield and you really should replace it. They get torn off all the time when people drive over the curbing stops and when they back off the shield gets snagged. That shield prevent road water and debris from going up into the engine. With all the computers and modules under the hood, it's pretty important to keep the water out.
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Monday, February 6th, 2012 AT 10:34 PM

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