Broke my bumper and something else under the car. Now the CEL is on. Any help?

[Yakooza]

I was backing out of a drive way at night and my wheels weren't aligned right so I ended up hearing a loud thump as soon as the wheels took off the curb and unto the ground.
I didn't think it was that big of a deal and that I might have just scratched it but damn, it broke the left side of the bumper.
But I patched it up with my dad and while it looked a bit ugly, it stayed in place.
Now, today I go to class. When I return and put it in reverse to back out, I start hearing loud noises in front of the car. I get back out to see what it is and I see some plastic part under the car had fell off... Cue me laying down in the middle of the parking lot trying to tie this part to the car with a keychain lanyard and a toy I won in a carnival game.
When I was back on the way home I noticed the check engine light was on...All this from that damn small mistake I made a few days earlier. Granted, the CEL is probably just from a cable that got loose or disconnected, but any ideas? The fans in the front also wouldn't turn off when I turned off the car. I had to turn on the car and turn it off again a few times to get them to stop. I am not so worried about the bumper but I do need to get in driving condition and fix the CEL.

The bumper (the right one this time came off...)


Under the car (The plastic that broke off) [4]



I have no idea how this one happened while I was parked. I can get a better picture if needed.

[AF-Wabbit]

I'm not 100% sure what that is a picture of in the first picture (I'm terrible with super close-ups), but the second picture just looks like a support piece and that wire on it is going to your windshield washer fluid reservoir. Until you get the car scanned and find out what is actually causing the CEL (and I believe a low reading from the washer fluid will set off at least one light), there's probably not much we can do to help. That piece of plastic is likely held on by the same screws that most every other plastic piece is held on by in that area, so hit up a hardware store or your stealership and get enough replacements to put it back in place.

Those fans that don't turn off, I wouldn't worry about it, mine stay on a lot if I drive the car a long ways or its really hot out (it's always hot out, its southern Arizona in the summer). They'll automatically turn off when the car thinks it's cooled down enough, or after about 10ish minutes when the car finally cuts electrical power to most everything.

[le0n]

that harness attached to the piece that is laying on the ground appears to be unplugged (squeeze-clip on the top left corner of the second photograph)...

as stated before, get your codes read. some parts stores do it for free, so take them up on that.

and for an analogue for the fans not cutting off, it was 103°F (110° index) here yesterday and after an hour of driving home, my fans only stayed on for about three seconds when i shut it down...

[Yakooza]

Here are some more pictures

The unplugged cable. Could not find anywhere that was missing a plug though. The cable runs by the windshield fluid container. Gee, I hope I didn't break some part and leave it behind...


Same cable from underneath the car


The plastic that broke off. Where do I even get a replacement for this?


I can take it to Autozone which is near by, but my guess its the cable.

[Yakooza]

I just noticed that the thermostat gauge also doesn't seem to be working very well or at all.

Most of the times its just staying all the way to the left even after the car is on and being driven.

The fan staying on isn't normal either. At night even, its on maximum and even louder than the engine. Still stays on for a few minutes after the car is on...

Also, tried Autozone but they guy told me they don't check CELs anymore.

[le0n]

i went and peeked at my car just now and the only thing that looks similar to that harness, in that location of the vehicle, is the ambient temperature sensor...

it has to connect to a clip on the passenger fender area because that's where the wire leads to on mine. i'd have to take stuff apart to figure out where...

[DUSlider]

I could be mistaken, but it looks like you broke your radiator support.

[le0n]

^^ yeah: http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-...ling/ES316683/

however, what happen to the main plastic shield underneath? it's like he's not running one...

[DUSlider]

Breaking the rad support like that, probably put some weird pressure on your fans as well which you may have broken. (Usually if one fan goes really fast or doesn't turn off it is because the other fan is broken. Open the hood with the car off and see if you can move each fan freely. Or there is some other cable/sensor that was broken.

The bumper is easy to remove. (Open hood, remove top grill by removing two t25 screws, then unclip two clips and remove. Then remove 4 t25 in each fender and 8 under bumper (if they weren't ripped off. Will give you a better look of what else is messed up.

[le0n]

^^ yeah, the free weight of the radiator and fans probably put tension on the harness and either broke the wire or un-clipped the harness plug...

either way, i wouldn't drive it in that state. you have no reliable temperature reading and you risk damaging your radiator/fans...

edit: keffer has if for $199.50 plus shipping: http://keffervwparts.com/catalogSear...ext=1K0805588T
(i'd call and ask about the shipping costs)

ecs wants $258 + $145 to ship

also, call your local dealership and see if they can beat those prices...

[Yakooza]

Fans move fine. Don't think I broke the rad support. Just some plastic that attaches to it (as shown in the picture).

Pretty sure my problem is electrical. I think if I just find where that plug is suppose to go, I can solve this.

[DUSlider]

Fans move fine. Don't think I broke the rad support. Just some plastic that attaches to it (as shown in the picture).

Pretty sure my problem is electrical. I think if I just find where that plug is suppose to go, I can solve this.

Oh, you DEFINITELY broke your RAD support.

Look at your picture



Then this picture.



The RAD support is one piece. You broke/ripped the entire bottom off... I'd be concerned that any electrical lines/plugs/sensors attached were damaged/severed. You need to replace the RAD support and reconnect everything. It securely holds your Radiator/hoses and fans amongst other stuff to your car. If any of the other mount points were damaged , you may risk further damage by driving it around (think fan blade severs coolant hose).

[nitroscope8]

Stop driving and call your insurance company. You are looking at over a grand to fix everything back to new. That piece is often called a radiator support, but the technical term is "lock carrier." The lock carrier holds everything up front together. It's the part that holds your radiator, fans, condenser for the AC, front bumper, headlights, CRASH SENSORS FOR AIRBAGS, hood latch, etc.... Don't fool around.

[Yakooza]

Alright then. Can you elaborate on the 1 grand plus figure? A new radiator support should be ~$300, and if I get a new bumper it should be another ~$300. What else?

But do you think I can fix the thermostat/fan issue before ordering all the parts?

[AF-Wabbit]

Alright then. Can you elaborate on the 1 grand plus figure? A new radiator support should be ~$300, and if I get a new bumper it should be another ~$300. What else?

You may not need a new bumper cover unless its damaged/creased or you don't like the paint scratches, but the lock carrier should be around $300-$400, plus labor unless you replace it yourself. That support holds so much stuff together that to replace it means a lot of time spent taking the entire front end of your car apart then replacing the support, then putting it all back together again. That time is going to cost you a lot, depending on shop labor rates in your area. So the $1000 repair figure sounds about right. Remember, next to nothing on european cars is cheap to repair/replace, VW is no different.