I'm not sure what I'm looking at in the middle picture. Is that the valve cover? If it is, that would appear to be a PCV hose to funnel vapors to be burned.
That hose might also be going to the air filter box. That is to clean the air that is being drawn in through that hose.
First look on the emissions sticker under the hood to see if they show that hose. If they do, it will label the components it's connected to. You can also visit a pick-your-own-parts salvage yard and look at a similar vehicle with the same size engine, and see where that hose goes. You can even pop it off and buy it, but it would be nice to know what it's for.
The dealer will have a diagram on their computers in the parts department that will show where it connects and what it's called. If it's a common failure item, they'll likely have a replacement in stock.
When there's no hose clamp on it, you can be pretty sure it's emissions-related. It will not be part of the cooling system, air conditioning system, power steering, or things like that. There may be engine performance problems but it's not likely to cause serious damage before it's replaced.
Saturday, April 7th, 2012 AT 7:52 PM