[RDISaab]

OK, here's the story. I'm repairing the rust on the right rear dogleg on my '08 9-5. To make it easier I removed the plastic sill cover - that's the long plastic part that runs underneath both doors on the passenger side.

So far so good. But I've been driving the car like that for a while and I noticed the wheel arch liner on the front passenger wheel was detached at the rear and some kind of black plastic part was hanging down at the rear of the wheel arch liner just in front of the front passenger door. The part looked triangular and three dimensional from what I can remember. If I had to guess it might be a vacuum tank or something like that.

Now the dumb part. I kept driving long enough for that part that was hanging down to disappear. It must have eventually fallen out.

So, to put it another way, what is behind the rear of the front passenger wheel arch liner?

What was it and do I need to replace it? Can anyone help me?

 

[steve12955]

As I recall there is a block of dark gray lightweight foam in the wheel well behind the splash guard, I suspect to help with sound deadening? (I know my 9-3 has it, but not sure about my 9-5.) It's formed to fit into the recess and has a coating on it so it won't disintegrate. It's just sort of stuffed in there. Could that be what you're referring to?

 

[rich1068]

I can confirm the material is there on my '05 9-5. If you lift the bonnet you can see it in the gap where the door, wing and windscreen all meet.

 

[RDISaab]

Yes, that's it! Thank you both. I've tracked down the part number - 4643094 - and will replace the part. I'm too OCD to just forget about it.