So, here's he deal - I am located in Pennsylvania, which, like all of the Norheast, suffered record-breaking rain over the last 24 hours.

During a break in the rain this afternoon, I was out on a local 2-lane road, when I hit a patch of standing water at about 50mph. The water was several inches deep, and it hit the underside of the car real hard. But, everything seemed OK, so I kept going.

About an hour later, I started hearing a strange noise - it sounded like something dragging under the car. So, I pull off of the road, get out of the car and look underneath.

Since I am 66 years old and it was pouring rain (again), there was no way I could get under the car - but, from getting down on the ground and looking, there is something hanging from the underside.

It looks like it is about 6-8-10 inches wide and a few feet long. Almost definitely plastic, in the center of the underside, starting around the firewall and extending back a few feet. It looks like a plastic shroud that should be covering something in the area of where the driveshaft would be if it was a rear-wheel drive car. It came loose at the front but is still attached at the back end, so when you are moving forward, the air flow gets in there and pushes it down toward the road.

I wound up driving home, since it didn't seem to be any kind of emergency and I will take it to my dealer in a day or two, but I am trying to figure out what it is that's hanging down.

Can anyone give me a suggestion?

If it appears to be along the drivers half of the car I would think it's the plastic cover for your steel fuel/brakes lines. Any automotive shop should be able to re-secure it.
If you have a person able to "slid" under the car, they could re-secure the trim.

A couple days after a visit to Town Fair Tire for new tires I was driving down the highway and heard the same noise you did.
Got out of the car and saw a plastic guard hanging down. I did not want it to get hung up on anything on the road so I ripped it off the car.
When I got home I looked at the front part of the shield. That's when I realized that Town Fair Tire had probably hooked the shield when they put the car on the lift, but I had no way to prove it.
I took the Azzy to the dealer and he replaced the undercover guard free of charge.
Part # 1 84226-3L000 U/COVER-CT. The part listed for $18.35
Good luck.

A correction/update:

Today, I went out into my garage and looked under the car from both sides. Whatever it is, it is NOT in the center of the underside - it is more on the passenger side. It is definitely black plastic, though. Maybe 6-8 inches wide and the part that is hanging down is maybe 2 feet long.

Take it to the dealer, it's covered.

David <><

Did you read my posting? It's all there.

An update on my original question:

rodneya has it right - all the way down to the part number.

My local service department fixed it at no charge. And yes, the number on my invoice is "#84226-3L000, Description: u/cover-ctr flr I" The list price is shown as $17.50, but that's probably just a difference in dealer zones.

Thanks again to everyone who answered.

Neil

Those plastic panels are there to help keep our Azeras so quiet. And they help with aerodynamics.

Don't get back to this forum much, but I knew this topic would come up. I lost my passenger-side panel a year ago. Same way. Yes - in a rainstorm, but was on a trip and it had to go so tore it loose. I was soaking wet for the next few hours of the trip.
Driver's side wasn't so dramatic. It dropped...uh...going through a drive-thru at a McDs. Tore it loose too.

I DO enjoy my Azera, but I've never had pieces of ANY of my previous cars fall off before. I'd like to be assured the new panels are of better quality so they never fall off again. Somewhat of an embarrassment since they tend to make a racket when they go.

"HEY!!! Nice car!!!!"
"Thanks."
"I might get me one. Any problems with yours?"
"Well, other than a few undercarriage body panels that eventually fall off and drag the ground, it's been a pretty good car."