# What is this metal piece hanging under my car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** hyundai, elantra\ **Created:** [September 3, 2019, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035 "2019-09-03T15:23:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Margaux\_Brewer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@Margaux\_Brewer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Margaux_Brewer)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/1 "2019-09-03T15:23:42Z")
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!!! [IMG\_0661|666x500](https://community.cartalk.com/uploads/short-url/tBV0p8hOdTq9gBJ0aSc2OlWA1Vc.jpeg) ![IMG_0662](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/2/0/20e82baa54c4686d57b0f8f7ba0b0adc8ceeb83e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/2 "2019-09-03T15:28:57Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 6:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/3 "2019-09-03T18:00:26Z")
Looks like a O2sensor or a spark plug.Any work done to the engine or exhaust recently? ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/4 "2019-09-03T18:37:10Z")
Take another picture and use the flash. You might also enlarge it before you take the picture. ---
**Author:** ![gdan29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4bbf92/32.png) [@gdan29](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gdan29)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2019, 11:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/5 "2019-09-03T23:48:53Z")
A parking brake cable? ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/6 "2019-09-04T00:04:59Z")
Looks like an oxygen sensor 🙂 @Margaux_Brewer, do you have “check engine” light on by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![Margaux\_Brewer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@Margaux\_Brewer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Margaux_Brewer)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/7 "2019-09-04T00:27:06Z")
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!!! ---
**Author:** ![Margaux\_Brewer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@Margaux\_Brewer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Margaux_Brewer)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/8 "2019-09-04T00:28:03Z")
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!!! ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/9 "2019-09-04T00:29:30Z")
is the light still on? you do not need to reply to each person, we read all your replies at [https://community.cartalk.com](https://community.cartalk.com) ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 3:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/10 "2019-09-04T03:24:24Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 3:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/11 "2019-09-04T03:29:21Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > 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 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. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 4:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/12 "2019-09-04T04:39:38Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2019, 4:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-is-this-metal-piece-hanging-under-my-car/148035/13 "2019-09-04T04:45:55Z")
> [@Margaux\_Brewer](#): > > 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. 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?