The heat shield fell off my muffler. Is that dangerous?
If you are just driving home a short distance, it’s not dangerous. However the shield protects you car’s floor from overheating and the carpets from catching fire; the exact thing that happened to my brother in law a few years ago. All the carpeting had to be replaced and an insurance company could claim negligenmce on your part in not maintaoning the car and reject your claim.
So…get it fixed ASAP and live happily ever after.
The same repair on my Toyota cost $95 so this is not a catastrophic outlay.
I agree with the brothers.
I live in Minnesota. And I can’t tell you how many rusted heat shields I’ve removed and not replaced.
No fires yet.
If the missing heat shield is between an exhaust component and say the floor or another important component of the vehicle, then it may be required.
Tester
Thank you! Happy New Year!
If you replace that muffler with an aftermarket unit it may not come with a “heat shield”, that shows the critical importance of that shield.
Unless you are pulling a heavy trailer up a mountain grade it is unlikely that the carpet in your trunk will melt because of that missing shield.
What mufflers come with heat shields? On all my cars, the heat shield is separate and bolted to the body underside or some other structure. I’ve had clamshells on cats but not a muffler. Which do?
Thank you. I was worried. I have bronchitis and didnt fix it today. I have to go to work in the morning and now Im not worried. Thanks again and Happy New Year!