Rattling Noise from the Heat Shield - Throw it away?

Never throw out anything. Just thank the automotive gods that it's at least still there. It does serve a purpose, best not to second guess it. Replacement cost for all these things is basically: take the most ridiculously exhorbitant cost you can dream up, then double it.

Figure out why it's rattling. Maybe a missing bolt? More likely the bolt is still there, but the shield snagged on something and tore off the bolt, enlarging the hole? Get it raised, DIY if you can safely, and see what's going on.

If it's a torn out hole, and the bolt is still there, at hardware stores you can pick up oversized washers: have larger outside diameter than usual, will span the torn hole. Bring in the bolt to check fit.

 

Temperatures in that area of the car are hot due to combustion. I would look for a salvage part if what remains will not work or cannot be cobbled together to work.

IMO, replace the shield.

 

If the tear is too big for over-sized washer, my next ploy would be a short piece of galvanized pipe hanger, again, just acting as a washer at the tear-out zone:

 

FWIW....mine did the same thing at about 100,000 mi. .......I repaired it just as Mendel described in post #2.....

 

see post 4.
I would attempt a repair with what ever product...hanger, washers, sheet metal, nuts and bolts
Good luck.

 

This looks like it would work...

 

Yep $200 including labor. That is what I paid the dealer last month when mine came loose.

 

I tried a few solutions. The easiest was to put two pairs of 2 Harbor Freight steel cable ties through the hole and around the bracket above the heat shield. I positioned one band going through the whole and to the right and the other band going through the whole and to the left to provide a counter pressure on each side.

Total Repair Cost: $6.99

 

Mine is now doing the same. I'm thinking I will just tear it off, assuming it's easier than reattachment. If you think about a Prius going down the road, there should be plenty of airflow. Sitting or slow traffic, the engine's not running.

 

Get some fender washers; make it last.

 

Currently experiencing the same rattling; based on what I was able to see with ramps, this is the culprit

I'm guessing the bolt hole is too big / ripped open to go the purely oversized washers route.

The galvanized pipe hanger seems like a good option, but I just wanted to clarify: are you saying to
1) remove nut and bolt;
2) loop a length of the pipe hanger around the top of the catalytic / exhaust assembly,
3) cinch pipe hanger tight, and
4) reattach nut and bolt, (perhaps with another big washer)?

or am I misunderstanding the approach?

**Also**: Are there are only two points of attachment for the heat shield? I didn't have time earlier to take more than a quick look with ramps, which were insufficient to see the entire shield / exhaust assembly. I know that the driver's side counterpart of the problem bolt hole is still securely attached, but could not really tell if there were more than two points of attachment.

Thanks very much in advance!