Front Wheel Air Directors

[SCOOTERSD]

Small question. I’m having my car ceramic coated today. During that process we noted that the small front rubber ”air dams“ (which I believe are to direct the air downward in front of the tires) on both sides of the car were just dangling by the front rubber tabs but the side tabs weren’t in their slots and there was no fastener through the holes at the back of the rubber dams to attach them to the metal bracket (see photos- first photo shows holes aligning with the back metal bracket. Second photo show the dams after I put the side tabs back into place). It appeared like they could have easily detached at any time. Does anyone know whether there is supposed to be a fastener plug through those rear holes to keep them in place?

 

[SDHacker]

Yes, there are supposed to be fasteners. They get detached when the dams run over a curb or other object

 

[borski]

Service can replace these for you. They aren’t very expensive, luckily.

 

[wcpopi]

I hadn't seen this thread and had the same problem. When I brought the car into the Millbrae service center, Christopher (he's terrific--every CSC needs someone like him!)--told me that the part is there to help the car achieve it 0.2 coefficient of drag. Beyond that, it isn't necessary and the easiest "fix" is to ultimately remove it.

 

[scal_air]

I'm guessing they are car fastener clips that look something like this...

Once you find the correct size, it's handy to have a few extras for when they break off

 

[dscafetta]

This happened to me too. As a known defect, I would expect that Lucid should provide an upgraded fix at no charge...

 

[quantum]

Yep, I got the fasteners replaced at the service center. Happens when the peice gets bent over speedbumps and driveway curbs.

 

[hmp10]

This happened to me too. As a known defect, I would expect that Lucid should provide an upgraded fix at no charge...

I've lost three of these and now keep a spare pair in the garage, as they're relatively easy to replace. (I've had the spares on hand for over a year now, as I finally got the knack of using the surround view to gauge distance to a parking bump stop.)

I would not call their design a defect. They're an element of the car's extremely low drag coefficient which, of necessity, is placed where it is to deflect airflow around the front tires. However, that necessary placement very low to the ground (3 1/8" ground clearance) makes them susceptible to damage from things such as parking curbs. I think Lucid designed them as breakaway pieces of a soft material with plastic pop fasteners to ensure they do not damage other components if they are struck and that they can be replaced easily and inexpensively. As wcpopi noted, you can dispense with them if you wish at probably a fairly minimal loss of highway range.

 

[dscafetta]

We can talk semantics about what the issue is (I call it a defect, but perhaps it is just a design flaw), but Lucid needs to come up with a new design that accomplishes what needs to be done to minimize drag (if that is the real purpose) and not break off at the slightest bump (and of course not damage any other components).

Constantly replacing the parts is not the right answer! But... if that's the best they can do, they need to send me a dozen new rubber wedges and 100 fasteners!

 

[Bobby]

We can talk semantics about what the issue is (I call it a defect, but perhaps it is just a design flaw), but Lucid needs to come up with a new design that accomplishes what needs to be done to minimize drag (if that is the real purpose) and not break off at the slightest bump (and of course not damage any other components).

Constantly replacing the parts is not the right answer! But... if that's the best they can do, they need to send me a dozen new rubber wedges and 100 fasteners!

My car has 15,000 miles and they haven’t broken off despite several bumps.

 

[Adnillien]

I am at 13,000 miles with zero broken off. As @hmp10 says, by using the 360 degree cameras, I don’t understand the issue. It is easy to avoid anything that may knock them off.

 

[borski]

We can talk semantics about what the issue is (I call it a defect, but perhaps it is just a design flaw), but Lucid needs to come up with a new design that accomplishes what needs to be done to minimize drag (if that is the real purpose) and not break off at the slightest bump (and of course not damage any other components).

Constantly replacing the parts is not the right answer! But... if that's the best they can do, they need to send me a dozen new rubber wedges and 100 fasteners!

Don’t take your low car over high curbs or bumps and no need to replace the new parts.

It’s there for efficiency. If it isn’t there, your car won’t explode.

Hey guess what, the plastic cover under the car’s front also scrapes when you take this low car over a driveway or curb that is too high. Is that a design defect?

 

[borski]

I am at 13,000 miles with zero broken off. As @hmp10 says, by using the 360 degree cameras, I don’t understand the issue. It is easy to avoid anything that may knock them off.

Tell that to the grade of my driveway

I haven’t lost any in a while because I added tiny ramps and got better at it, but it isn’t exactly easy.

 

[DeaneG]

I'd better check to see if mine are still attached. We seem to find a lot of roads that would be better handled in an SUV.

 

[Adnillien]

Tell that to the grade of my driveway

I haven’t lost any in a while because I added tiny ramps and got better at it, but it isn’t exactly easy.

That one I can understand.

 

[Lucken]

I just took a look and noticed I’m missing the passenger side deflector. Looks like a very easy thing to attach. Can you just go over to Lucid service and buy one and the two fasteners (I’m assuming it’s two from what I see)? With a lifetime 4.3 mi/kWh, I can’t imagine these severely impact range & efficiency.

 

[hmp10]

I just took a look and noticed I’m missing the passenger side deflector. Looks like a very easy thing to attach. Can you just go over to Lucid service and buy one and the two fasteners (I’m assuming it’s two from what I see)? With a lifetime 4.3 mi/kWh, I can’t imagine these severely impact range & efficiency.

Lucid mailed mine to me. They are asymmetrical, so the left is different from the right. They have tabs that fit into slots at the rear and two plastic press pins that attach them at the front. (They seem designed for easy breakaway if they encounter something hard.). Other than having to work very close to the ground, it's an easy job.

 

[hmp10]

, , , Lucid needs to come up with a new design that accomplishes what needs to be done to minimize drag (if that is the real purpose) and not break off at the slightest bump (and of course not damage any other components).

The crux of the matter lies in "what need to be done". The only means to deflect airflow around the front tires would be something that extends very low to the ground ahead of the tires. Instead of molding the front fascia or attaching a rigid deflector to accomplish the purpose, Lucid chose -- wisely, in my view -- to use an inexpensive, soft, breakaway part.

However, there is the question of whether they are really needed, i. e., of how much difference dispensing with airflow deflectors in that location would make in range. I doubt if any of us here can answer that. It may be that the deflectors are there to chase that last hundredth in the drag coefficient largely for marketing purposes, or it may be that they yield a small but possibly meaningful increase in range for some drivers. As drag increases exponentially with speed, my guess is that they are only relevant to prolonged high-speed driving, and then perhaps marginally.

 

[Lucken]

Lucid mailed mine to me. They are asymmetrical, so the left is different from the right. They have tabs that fit into slots at the rear and two plastic press pins that attach them at the front. (They seem designed for easy breakaway if they encounter something hard.). Other than having to work very close to the ground, it's an easy job.

Did you get them by calling the main customer service number or by calling your local service center?

 

[DeaneG]

...However, there is the question of whether they are really needed, i. e., of how much difference dispensing with airflow deflectors in that location would make in range.

Even gas cars have had these for years. I suspect they are more helpful than they look.