What is this metal piece hanging under my car?

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

Does anyone know what this dangling piece is under my car, toward the front? It is a manual Hyundai Elantra 2001. It was in the shop a month ago for other repairs, so this dangling piece must be new. I just noticed it yesterday while walking away from my car, it doesn’t make any noise or hit the ground while driving. Is this something urgent?

Thank you!!!
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2

I doubt anyone can give a clear answer from that picture . Just have the shop you use look at it and let them tell you what needs to be done.

3

Looks like a O2sensor or a spark plug.Any work done to the engine or exhaust recently?

1 Like
4

Take another picture and use the flash. You might also enlarge it before you take the picture.

5

A parking brake cable?

6

Looks like an oxygen sensor :slight_smile:

@Margaux_Brewer, do you have “check engine” light on by any chance?

7

i think you’re right, i took it in to the shop last month because the engine light went on and they said the oxygen sensor is what needed fixing, i just didn’t know it was hanging down underneath the car. thank you!!!

8

i think you’re right- i think it is the oxygen sensor, i took it in to the shop last month because the engine light went on and they said the oxygen sensor is what needed fixing, i just didn’t know it was hanging down underneath the car. thank you!!!

9

is the light still on?

you do not need to reply to each person, we read all your replies at https://community.cartalk.com

10

That needs to be corrected asap b/c it might hit the road and bounce back up toward the bottom of the passenger/engine compartment. Could damage something. And this is uncommon, but drivers have been badly injured when something as common as a short piece of concrete rebar sitting on the road surface has bounced up from a tire and punctured the floor boards.

11

There’s always the chance it’s not even her o2 sensor, it could have fallen off another car and got caught by her car, just hanging there by the wire.

12

I just “zoomed in” and it’s clearly AN oxygen sensor

For now, I’ll assume it’s op’s oxygen sensor, and not another one that was lying on the road and is now dangling from the car

13

If the oxygen sensor came out of the exhaust pipe the exhaust leak would be quite noisy, are you still driving the car in this condition?