Heat Shield Rattle - Separated at Bolt, $300 to fix?

Fender washer.

 

Found your problem.

It is super high at the dealer. They only have brand new parts and they charge the highest rates for their labor.

But there's nothing special about an exhaust heat shield, any mechanic can address that. You'll still be stuck paying for a half hour, maybe an hour at their rate, but it'll be lower.

 

You'll want one with about a 3/8" hole, maybe 1-1/4" diameter. (I don't think I've ever encountered a metric fender washer!)

 

3/6 inch is too large. The fastening stud and matching nut is M6x1.0. That works out to 1/4 inch.

These would be ideal.

MECCANIXITY Bonded Sealing Washers 25x6.3x2.8mm Stainless Steel EPDM Rubber Backed Screw Gasket


The neoprene washer would firmly grip the partial surround of the thin aluminum shield and fully eliminate any rattling.

 

Be careful backing out that bolt; maybe apply some penetrating solvent first, let it soak.

 

I removed all mine haven't a problem since on a10 and a 13

 

They did put that heat shield there for a reason though. A blown fastener or two is easy to fix.

 

I used aluminum flashing cut in squares with scissors (about 2.5" x 2.5") (made the hole with a drill) as washers to fix multiple rusted out heat shield connections about 4 or 5 years ago. They are still fine to this day. I spray them with fluid film once in a while.

 

If you depend on a Toyota Stealership for trivial things like this, the cost of operation of your vehicle over a lifetime will be outrageous. Find yourself a friend or family member that you can rely on in situations like this. You just put a big washer there and problem is solved... The stealership on the other hand are warranty specialist who sell massively overpriced parts and will always repair to a brand new condition at the maximum price possible.

 

The bonded neoprene to stainless steel washers are great to prevent "saw through" with movement of the soft plastic panel mounting holes bu the steel mounting bolts, even those with "keps" washered heads.

The neoprene washers have close the same durometer hardness as the polyethylene panels and will be less likely to "saw through" them. If one would remove one of the panel bolts of a car with miles on it and examine the panel under the head, the owner would notice that the indentation and "saw through" process has already begun. Given time, the washered head of the bolt would eventually be cut out like a cookie cutter.

The larger fender washer can even be used, if the hole had been cut out and hanging loose under the car.