What is this thing? It looks like it's just a cover for something. It fell off the right rear undercarriage of the car. There's another loose one in the front and I'm not sure what to do about them. They came loose when I was on a trail yesterday, looks like the holes where the bolts go just rusted loose. What are these called and can I replace them myself? Don't want to pay Toyota a fortune to fix them when they look easy to fix.
Rusty cover looking thing fell off undercarriage
- Thread starter brown dog
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nb rob
New member
it's a heat shield. It goes between your exhaust and the undercarriage of the vehicle. This one looks like it's at the Y pipe. IT could be reattached with larger washers by the looks of things
I had most of them fall off my Nissan titan, and it didn't catch fire. I'd probably put it back on my toyota though. (I wanted that POS to catch fire)
I had most of them fall off my Nissan titan, and it didn't catch fire. I'd probably put it back on my toyota though. (I wanted that POS to catch fire)
97BlackAckCL
Elite Member
Heat shield
Exhaust Heat Shield
That appears to be one of the exhaust shields, probably up towards the front where the exhaust pipe curves over to one side. Should be mounted to the underside of the floor pan. Looks like yours either vibrated the holes larger, or was otherwise ripped off.
Hopefully you'll be able to see the three mounting bolts, otherwise they rattled out.
You could leave it off, but you'll probably end up with a very warm/hot spot on your floorboard after extended driving. :flame:
Narat
That appears to be one of the exhaust shields, probably up towards the front where the exhaust pipe curves over to one side. Should be mounted to the underside of the floor pan. Looks like yours either vibrated the holes larger, or was otherwise ripped off.
Hopefully you'll be able to see the three mounting bolts, otherwise they rattled out.
You could leave it off, but you'll probably end up with a very warm/hot spot on your floorboard after extended driving. :flame:
Narat
Bossman
Senior Member
Just starting to happen on the older 5th Gens I guess.
Heat shields falling off
Heat Shield fell off - Need replacement qucik
Those of us who have/had 4th Gens know all about this.
Heat Shield
Heat shield
Heat shields falling off
Heat Shield fell off - Need replacement qucik
Those of us who have/had 4th Gens know all about this.
Heat Shield
Heat shield
nowherefast
New member
Mine are starting to fall off now too. Just heard the rattling today. It's a 2014. Also had every single shield fall off of my 2005 many years ago.
ProfessorP
New member
The heat shields failing is what happens when manufacturers attach aluminum with steel fasteners. Galvanic corrosion is the issue not rust. When two dissimilar metals come into contact in a corrosive(wet) environment, one metal undergoes galvanic corrosion while the other one maintains galvanic protection.
I had a very thick crossmember on an aluminum boat trailer fully corrode through and fail where one of the steel "U" bolts wrapped around it. All of the spots with steel fasteners touching the aluminum frame were near the failure point after six years. Scrapped the trailer and started over only this time I used an isolation material (roofing tar paper) under all the fasteners. That was a lot of work! 9 years later and there's no galvanic corrosion. Probably wouldn't work on exhaust heat shields because of the high temperature destroying the isolation material anyway. and probably not worth the trouble.
I had a very thick crossmember on an aluminum boat trailer fully corrode through and fail where one of the steel "U" bolts wrapped around it. All of the spots with steel fasteners touching the aluminum frame were near the failure point after six years. Scrapped the trailer and started over only this time I used an isolation material (roofing tar paper) under all the fasteners. That was a lot of work! 9 years later and there's no galvanic corrosion. Probably wouldn't work on exhaust heat shields because of the high temperature destroying the isolation material anyway. and probably not worth the trouble.
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genec
New member
Mine are starting to fall off now too. It's a 2014. As suggested by others on this or other threads, I used fender washers to reattach this one. But now, the one over the muffler is off and wedged in. I have to bend it to remove it and will do that tomorrow, but what a PITA these things are. Do they put them on just to pass some safety reg or something? Is there any way to get Toyota to take care of them?
Thanks.
gene
Thanks.
gene
kenwilliams0803
New member
That one over the muffler bit me today. The wife and I were coming home from a show at the shore. Which entails picking up one of the kids and the dog and is a 3-hour trip all said and done.
As we were crossing over the Driscoll Bridge, I start hearing this scraping, dragging sound. I figure my tailpipe fell off or something. Pulled over on an offramp, looked underneath and saw nothing out of place. Jumped back in the car to see if it would continue, and as soon as I started it I heard a faint rattle, once, real quick. So I climbed back underneath and start whacking the hot exhaust with my hand. Rattle rattle. I trace it to the big giant heatshield which has now come completely loose and the corner of it is literally sitting on my driveshaft. Scraping noise found.
But, the thing is so big it didn't look like I could get it out there and with the exhaust hot and being on the offramp from the GSP to 287N, I just slide it over away from the driveshaft and hope for the best.
5 minutes later it's back. Pulled into a parking lot and went at it. I was able to pry the thing out towards the drivers side with my bare hands and the exhaust still hot. Only got like 1 small burn LOL.
Only set me back 15 min in all but I was worried there for a second. Because we weren't close to home and didn't have child or dog yet.
Moral of the story? I hate those damn things.
kenwilliams0803
New member
MeefZah
New member
Haha, **** YOU, heat shield!
