What do you suppose this bolt might be from?

I went to get in my truck and saw this bolt sitting there. I've looked as best I can but I don't see any empty spot or even a similar bolt under the drivers area? Anybody know what this might be from? I checked everything I thought critical (seat mounts, steering wheel, pedals).

I took a picture exactly how I found it. I don't remember hearing or feeling anything fall out in the last week of driving in the area. I am stumped as to what happened.

 

looks like a trim fastner .

look at the section under the steering wheel for missing hardware

 

I just found a retainer nut on my floor board after a 70 mile off road trip…no idea where it came from either lmao

 

Prob blower/heater core mount bolt. To the duct.

 

With the short length, big washer and super course thread pitch, I would think that it is holding together some type of trim under the dash. It's odd that it fell out like that.

 

I usually see that on plastic to metal, like mud guards and fender liners.

 

I was checking again and the only thing that is loose is the duct to the footwell. It shakes and moves a bit, but I couldn't see any mounting points on it to anything nearby, so I assume it is supposed to be "free floating".

 

I checked all the trim under the drivers side and couldn't find any open spots. As long as it is not something to be too worried about I guess I am ok, but totally odd that it just fell out.

 

Could it have been picked up by your shoe or boot tread while walking to your truck?

 

This seems to be an outside screw/bolt. The head is dirty and seems to be something like a mud flap bolt or fender liner bolt, maybe even a bumper bolt.
Interior bolts don’t usually have a thread pitch like that. That thread pitch is something that screws into plastic, not metal.

 

This was my first thought as well. Looks exactly like a mud flap screw.

 

I don't have shoes that could do that. But weirder things have happened.

 

@Martian__ Well that looks to be exactly what it is. Went and checked all the body panels and all the screws are there. I removed my mudguards the day after I bought my truck 11 years ago, and it was too clean for me to think it was from outside. I checked and they are all still there. But will have to look around some more on the exterior for a missing screw.

 

Toss it into your ash tray or cup holder for when you finally find where it goes.