The exhaust system plays a number of important roles in your vehicle, from quieting engine noise to cleaning harmful compounds from the fumes. That’s why hearing an unusual noise coming from your exhaust can be worrying, especially when that noise can be hard to differentiate from engine problems.
In this article, we’ll cover why exhaust rattles can occur, how they develop over time, and what effect it could have on your vehicle.
Causes of Exhaust Rattle
Loose Heat Shield
One of the most common yet most minor sources of a rattling exhaust is a loose heatshield, which occurs when the metal plate covering hot exhaust components such as the catalytic converters become loose, either due to failed hardware or impacts. As the heat shield is able to shift around, it can vibrate against other metal components causing that rattle sound you hear when accelerating.
Blown Catalytic Converter
The catalytic converters are the component that removes harmful fumes from your exhaust, keeping you safe and the environment cleaner. Over time, however, the precious metal honeycomb material inside the catalytic converter can be jarred loose due to impacts or improper air-fuel ratio. This allows the metal honeycomb pieces to rattle within the walls of the catalytic converter, which causes a rattle sound that’s quite close to that of a loose heat shield.
Faulty Exhaust Hanger
The exhaust hangers are small hardware components that keep the exhaust system in place. Like any hardware, these hangers can experience wear and damage that causes them to fail and allows the exhaust to rattle against other metal components.
Luckily, hangers are quite inexpensive to replace and can be swapped out quickly by a trusted professional.
Broken Muffler Baffle
The baffle is the interior component of a muffler that absorbs much of the engine’s noise and prevents your vehicle from being too loud. However, this metal baffle can experience damage or corrosion, which may allow small pieces of metal to bounce around within the muffler, causing a rattling noise.
Exhaust System Service & Repair in Whitestone, NY
If you’re experiencing a rattle sound from your exhaust system, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Parkway Service Center in Whitestone! Our team has the equipment and expertise needed to provide your vehicle with high-quality service and repair no matter what you drive.
Don’t let exhaust issues linger and make driving a chore, give us a call or schedule online today to secure your appointment with Whitestone’s exhaust experts!