A heat shield on a car is a thermal barrier used to protect vehicle components and the cabin area from excessive heat emitted by the engine and exhaust system. Automotive engineers put every make and model through extensive testing to ensure a vehicle is safe and comfortable (some models more than others!). By deflecting heat away from sensitive components, bodywork, and the cabin - the components last longer and its easier to regulate temperature for the driver.

We do not recommend removing heat shields. They were put there for a reason, and are easy to fix. The easiest and cheapest fix is to clamp it back on tight with a hose clamp. They are cheap, and it's an easy DIY project. We included a video below by Eric the Car Guy if you need a visual.

If you do need to remove a heat shield, you should replace it with one of our spot heat shield treatments such as Radiant Shield, Thermal Block , or FireWall ceramic coating.

A rattling heat shield is often caused by hardware issues in securing the heat shield, or rust that has deteriorated the heat shield or the hardware securing it. Since it’s pretty quick to find and check under the vehicle, start there before getting into finding a rattle somewhere else.

How to Identify a Loose Heat Shield

1. Wait until the car cools off (you don’t want to be touching the exhaust while it’s still hot).
2. Jack the car up and slide yourself beneath the exhaust components.
3. Push the palm of your hand against the catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, and other exhaust components.
4. Try to get a feel for any loose elements. If nothing feels drastically loose, try knocking against them with your fist.
5. Listen for a distinct metallic rattle (it should sound similar to what you’re hearing while driving).
6. Once you find the loose component, note its size. A loose section of narrow pipe requires a different solution than an entire loose catalytic converter shield.

That’s it. You found your loose heat shield! If you find that no components of your car’s exhaust are loose, you might have a different issue on your hands.

Eric The Car Guy Does a Good Job Summarizing The Issue

You have several options to stop your heat shield from rattling, here are the options we recommend:

1. Remove the heat shield
2. Replace the heat shield
3. Use hose clamps

Option 1: Remove the Heat Shield Completely (Not Recommended)

Some vehicle owners are inclined to just throw away a heat shield once it gets loose or cracked. Although this technically may stop the rattle, we do not recommend this solution. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported 100 wildfires caused by vehicles in 2015 alone. Hot catalytic converters are the biggest culprit. When you park your car on grass, hot exhaust elements can cause fires. Heat shields help prevent those accidents from happening. A gas tank heat shield especially should not be removed permanently, car manufacturers put them on your vehicle for a reason.

The heat shield is there to protect your vehicle's underbody components and make the car comfortable and safe. Heat shields protect in both directions. We recommend replacing it or tightening the heat shield with hose clamps.

Option 2: Replace the Heat Shield

Another option you have is to completely replace your heat shields. This is doable, but can be tricky if you haven’t done it before. You’ll need to buy new heat shields ($40 or more per) and be prepared to remove the old parts and reinstall new ones. It’s just a couple bolts and some sheet metal, but can become a headache. If you take your car to the shop, the parts will be closer to $150 and it should take about an hour of labor. The total bill should be about $300.

Option 3: Use Hose Clamps

The simplest and least expensive solution is using stainless steel hose clamps (PAID LINK takes you to Amazon) to tighten any loose exhaust components. The hose clamp solution is pretty easy once you’ve identified the part that’s rattling. Simply open your steel hose clamp and wrap it completely around the heat shields surrounding your loose component, sandwiching it inside. Tighten the clamp until the component is locked in place. If the loose part is too wide for one hose clamp, use two. Simply thread one hose clamp into the other to make one large clamp. Folks often have to use two clamps when wrapping a catalytic converter. You can buy a ten pack of 3” hose clamps for around $10 — not bad at all considering how annoying that rattle can be.

Whatever you decide to do with your heat shields, at least you have options, and none of them are all that expensive. It's rare that there's such a cheap and effective solution, so take advantage!