Heat Shield & Catalytic Converter! Help!

[uneek78]

I own a 2003 Lexus GS 300. I recently went to the Lexus dealership about a rattling noise under my car. $55.05 laters they tell me all kinds of interesting stuff. They said in their words off of the invoice "heat shield and cat making a rattling noise/need to replace catalytic converter/do not recommend removing heat shield because of fire danger/exhaust system rusted may need to replace". Now, the price that was quoted after this was so ungodly that I need not repeat in the event that I suffer from cardiac arrest. How important is it to get these things fixed? Is there any other cheaper options? Has anyone suffered from this and did you pony up the money or tuck your tail and run? Need advice. :(

[2JayZ]

This is why most of us call the "Dealership" the "Stealership." Simply go to your local trusted muffler shop and have them tack weld the heat shield back to the cat where it has come loose in order to stop the rattling. Don't you dare replace the entire cat (like the Stealership says) just because the outside shield rattles. Someone should fire the Service Manager at your Lexus store. That's some genuine rip-off advice they gave you!

[heydoug1987]

I own a 2003 Lexus GS 300. I recently went to the Lexus dealership about a rattling noise under my car. $55.05 laters they tell me all kinds of interesting stuff. They said in their words off of the invoice "heat shield and cat making a rattling noise/need to replace catalytic converter/do not recommend removing heat shield because of fire danger/exhaust system rusted may need to replace". Now, the price that was quoted after this was so ungodly that I need not repeat in the event that I suffer from cardiac arrest. How important is it to get these things fixed? Is there any other cheaper options? Has anyone suffered from this and did you pony up the money or tuck your tail and run? Need advice. :(

Good advice on the aftermarket muffler shop or just duck under the bar with a rubber mallet and isolate the rattle. Then drive a couple of self tapping sheet metal screws through the heat shield until they touch the cat/exhaust and problem is solved. -0- cost!!!!!!

[uneek78]

This is why most of us call the "Dealership" the "Stealership." Simply go to your local trusted muffler shop and have them tack weld the heat shield back to the cat where it has come loose in order to stop the rattling. Don't you dare replace the entire cat (like the Stealership says) just because the outside shield rattles. Someone should fire the Service Manager at your Lexus store. That's some genuine rip-off advice they gave you!

Sniff**Sniff** I love you guys! You all just made my world so much better. I will get that done next week. I have been walkin' around :( for the past 2 weeks when I heard this. What's your charge for the diagnosis!?!! Lol!! Thx again!

[lancesavage]

Dont worry. lost my shield about six months ago and no problems. Just dont park it in a pile of leaves and you should be ok.

Strange thing. unfortunately, Lexus makes this shield out of carbon steel and uses a carbon steel hose clamp on the front end of the converter to hold it. Once the clamp rusts through, it falls off. After I noticed a rattling and found the clamp broken, the rest fell off on my way to buy a new hose clamp. I'll be damned if I am going to replace a perfectly good converter due to a missing converter shield.