Heat shield rusted out and rattling on my 2002 Chevrolet Tracker. We took it off. Can I safely drive without it?
yes it’s safe to drive without it, but a muffler shop can usually reattach or replace a heat shield for very cheap
I highly doubt you can find a replacement heat shield for this vehicle.
Don’t worry about it.
Tester
Sometimes they can be held on with long hose clamps, or new screws, or some combination. The longer you can keep them in place, the less time you are exposed to the risks of not having them.
Around year 19 my 1999 Honda’s cat heat shield was reduced to a rattling rusty scrap and I finally removed what remained of it. I’ll be extra careful now if I idle it on tall dry grass - but dry grass is rare nowadays, too.