Exhaust heat shield flew off

So I'm a little annoyed about this... The rear most muffler heat shield on the '16 Sport corroded around the bolts enough for it to come flying off today driving down the road. Fortunately there wasn't anyone behind me.

The shield looks like it is meant to block heat from the muffler soaking into the cab underneath the back seat on the passenger side.

The bolts holding it on are pretty rusted so I'm not even sure I'll be able to replace the thing, but we'll see.

My question to the experts... Is there enough heat coming off that part of the muffler for me to even bother replacing that shield? Should I just leave it off and call it a day? Or should I just go get some heat shielding tape and go that route instead?

Thanks!

 

You'd probably be fine in the meantime but it probably isn't a great idea to leave it. I had mine come off of my Mustang in the same circumstance and drove with it like that for about a year without issues. Probably not a great idea though.

 

We all know the engineers and designers tend to add parts that are not needed or have no function.

Suggest to replace or reinstall it.

 

I'd have to take a look under the Tacoma to see exactly where you're talking about.

But I think my previous Nissan Frontier had that issue and I think it was a common occurrence with some Nissans for that generation. Where once it's loose it kind of makes a rattling noise. And I'd hear other Nissans, specifically Xterras, driving by with the same rattling noise and figured it was the same thing.

I initially tried to keep it on with clamps and wires. But the mechanic at the shop I take it to noted that the wire eventually rusted and just took the whole thing off.

I was kind of skeptical about it but didn't have any issues from it, with no offroading. I think over on the clubfrontier forum, others mentioned just taking it off as well. The shield I'm talking about is more towards the center of the truck though. Don't know if it makes a difference.

Like previous posters, I'd still look into replacing it if you can but it's probably not a big deal if you don't.

 

That’s nothing new.
Us 2nd Gen guys have been loosing them for years.
It’s usually the ones around the cats for us.

I’d grab some stainless hose clamps or zip-ties, and put it back on if I could.

 

You can buy fiberglass wrap (heat wrap) on ebay or something and wrap it with some stainless steel clamps. Considering your bolts are rusted, it’s be a pain to remove those broken studs (i asssume) and this would be the quickest fix!

 

They placed here WITH REASON.
Primary: To reduce thermal corrosion (corrosion of the body accelerates, if more heat in the area).
My experience and observations of many cars since 1988.
My advice - stainless steel clamps, spend some time, put them back!

 

Lost the shield under the cat on my '06 many years ago. It was there to protect the ground below the truck when parked. Never replaced it. No issues, no fires, no melted pavement.

 

I've actually been hearing some rattling whenever I'm parked, nothing crazy but it sounds like a old heat shield or something. I'll have to crawl underneath now and take a look.