What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

Darren Nemeth · Oct 20, 2009

Last night I and a few other drivers hit a very large object on the freeway.

I was going about 65 mph and it tore open the bottom of my front bumper.

Thankfully, nothing else happened to the car and I made it home.

However, this round thing broke loose from its mount and is attached to a small tube. Can anyone tell me what it is?

It is round and when I unplugged the tube a hiss of air came out. I assume it has something to do with air pressure.

I have a 96 Chevy Lumina.

justchange · Oct 20, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

I'm not sure of the name, but it has to do with emissions. You could take it to or call your chevy dealer and inquire further. You could perhaps helps the attatchment with wire ties or wire [duct tape]

Rickairmedic · Oct 20, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

Thats part of the evaporative system for the fuel/vacuum system on the car I would try to remount it and hook the hose back up to it personally . I will add if the mount broke you should be able to get another one as well as a bumber from a local pull a part type junkyard.

Rick

Knightgang · Oct 20, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

That is the vacuum container. Propably not a hiss of air comming out, but rather air going in. I know I have a 97 Olds Cutlass and when the vacuum line that runs to that was broken, I coul dnot get airflow through my A/C vents, only came through defrost. Just make sure it is not damaged, resecure it and you shoudl be ok...

Darren Nemeth · Oct 20, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

okay. thanks

Mark42 · Oct 20, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

Government mandated surveillance device. Tells a main computer where you go, how fast you drive, how many times you honk your horn, if youre wearing a seatbelt, and if you listen to conservative radio broadcasts.

Bob_VT · Oct 20, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

Mark42 said:
Government mandated surveillance device. Tells a main computer where you go, how fast you drive, how many times you honk your horn, if youre wearing a seatbelt, and if you listen to conservative radio broadcasts.

You sure it's from the government

I would have thought with Darren being a fan of the caped crusader ........ that device may have been installed by the Joker or the Penguin

Bob_VT · Oct 20, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

Or may the Joker or the Penguin planted a .........

Darren glad you were not hurt

thefairlaneman · Oct 20, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

If you torn open a vac line on the emmision system look for the check engine light to come on shortly...Oh yea that object you ran over was a state road repairman pushing a wheelborrow.

fat fanny · Oct 21, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

I believe that is the vacum assist canister for storing vacum created from the manifold pressure to assist in the a/c,heater vents and cruise control operations. If it were emissions you would be recieving a check engine light almost immediately. You gotta love GM engineers and thier placement of such objects.

gonefishie · Oct 21, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

Could it be a raccoon you hit? I hit one at 80mph once, broke the fog light and put a hole the size of my fist on the front bumper/ground spoiler.

v1_0 · Oct 21, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

Mark42 said:
Government mandated surveillance device. Tells a main computer where you go, how fast you drive, how many times you honk your horn, if youre wearing a seatbelt, and if you listen to conservative radio broadcasts.

Ahhh... you have only peeled back one layer of the onion. This is a device that the Aliens have duped our Government to mandate! In addition to surveillance, it secretly uses car exhaust to convert our atmosphere into something that they can breath..

TilliamWe · Oct 21, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

fat fanny said:
You gotta love GM engineers and thier placement of such objects.

Oh yeah, it's a $20 part, that doesn't do much. How about it was a Chrysler Cirrus and that's where the $90 battery is located? Or how about a Honda, with no screen over the lower air intake, so that rocks bust holes in the A/C condenser tubes?? I'll take that GM design any day over those.

(P.S. How is Mount Union doing this year?)

If the vacuum canister is not broken, wire/tape/glue it in place and keep driving it!

gonefishie · Oct 21, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

v1_0 said:
Ahhh... you have only peeled back one layer of the onion. This is a device that the Aliens have duped our Government to mandate! In addition to surveillance, it secretly uses car exhaust to convert our atmosphere into something that they can breath..

Holy crapola! I knew it all along. It's not green house gas. It is alien farts, I mean respiratory by-products.

Splat · Oct 22, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

Mark42 said:
Government mandated surveillance device. Tells a main computer where you go, how fast you drive, how many times you honk your horn, if youre wearing a seatbelt, and if you listen to conservative radio broadcasts.

Isn't that called On-Star now?

Bill

dr_bowtie · Oct 24, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

fat fanny said:
I believe that is the vacum assist canister for storing vacum created from the manifold pressure to assist in the a/c,heater vents and cruise control operations. If it were emissions you would be recieving a check engine light almost immediately. You gotta love GM engineers and thier placement of such objects.

this is the correct answer...vacuum ball for the AC/Heater system...without it hooked up the heater doors will not work as they should...or will do weird things like move on their own...

Knightgang · Oct 24, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

Vacuum Ball...........WHy didn't I think of that... Man, that was complicated...

BobsGlasstream · Nov 24, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

that object you ran over was a state road repairman pushing a wheelborrow.

Could not have been a road repairman, They don't actually fix roads in Mich. They just keep moving those orange cones around.

bkwapisz · Nov 26, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

BobsGlasstream said:
Could not have been a road repairman, They don't actually fix roads in Mich. They just keep moving those orange cones around.

Yes but only on heavily-travelled holiday weekends....

And yes, that is indeed a vacuum reserve canister. If it hissed it's ok, re-hookup the hose and fix the bumper fascia.

jay_merrill · Nov 30, 2009

Re: What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

I believe that my Chevy Astro has one also - its part of the vacuum system.

???

What is this in my car? I hit a very large object on the freeway!

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