Exhaust Heat Shield - how safe to remove for a short while?

[MouthBoy]

I have an Audi S5 2010 3ltr V6 Sportback. I noticed a rattle a few weeks ago from the rear of the car but couldn't place it, but now I have discovered that my nearside exhaust heat shield has come loose and it is only being held on by the exhaust hanger arm. The shield has broken around all the bolts that hold it in place, and it is currently just bouncing up and down on the top of the exhaust.

I will obviously get it replaced, but for the interim, how dangerous is it to remove this (it will have to be tin snipped off due to all the bolts not having ANY grip on them) and run for a few hundred miles without it?

When driving right now it sounds awful, properly awful and makes it sound like the car is a wreck!

Opinions?

 

[radderfire]

It's there for a reason so that's your answer.

 

[JonRGV250]

I have an Audi S5 2010 3ltr V6 Sportback. I noticed a rattle a few weeks ago from the rear of the car but couldn't place it, but now I have discovered that my nearside exhaust heat shield has come loose and it is only being held on by the exhaust hanger arm. The shield has broken around all the bolts that hold it in place, and it is currently just bouncing up and down on the top of the exhaust.

I will obviously get it replaced, but for the interim, how dangerous is it to remove this (it will have to be tin snipped off due to all the bolts not having ANY grip on them) and run for a few hundred miles without it?

When driving right now it sounds awful, properly awful and makes it sound like the car is a wreck!

Opinions?

It’ll be fine.
I see god knows how many (including my own car) with some removed for the same reason you’ve given.
However, it is a MOT fail if the tester deems “a risk of fire with other fuel components” which won’t apply if it’s just the rear silencer shield.

 

[MouthBoy]

Current plan is to take it to the local garage and see if they can do anything to save it. Annoyingly, I find so many garages don't want to touch the car for some reason as it "can be complicated" to work on...

 

[JonRGV250]

I just use a large repair washer with a nyloc nut to hold them up again if it’s going to fail the MOT, which saves the customer a few quid and takes a couple of minutes.

 

[MouthBoy]

I just use a large repair washer with a nyloc nut to hold them up again if it’s going to fail the MOT, which saves the customer a few quid and takes a couple of minutes.

I hope this can be the way I go. I did try and remove the existing nuts but they are just rounded off and the 10mm doesn't grip anything.

 

[BUDFORCE]

I took it off the Mrs Fiesta years ago, it's not blown up or failed an MOT yet.

 

[MouthBoy]

I took it off the Mrs Fiesta years ago, it's not blown up or failed an MOT yet.

I genuinely don't know this, but wouldn't there be a potential difference in heat from mine and your Mrs car?

 

[BUDFORCE]

I genuinely don't know this, but wouldn't there be a potential difference in heat from mine and your Mrs car?

Yea possibly.

 

[JonRGV250]

It’ll only fail the MOT if it’s a shield covering the fuel tank, fuel lines, filter etc etc.
I’ve never seen a rear silencer shield removal cause any problems at all.

 

[Dup]

It'll likely be fine to remove, but you might get away with using some big washers to reattach (I assume the fixings are still in the car and the shield has rotten around them).

 

[MouthBoy]

It'll likely be fine to remove, but you might get away with using some big washers to reattach (I assume the fixings are still in the car and the shield has rotten around them).

Exactly this. Hoping the garage has some to do this with.

 

[Nasher]

It's likely there to stop it heating up the interior tbh.

 

[JonRGV250]

It's likely there to stop it heating up the interior tbh.

*palms face furiously

 

[sovietspybob]

One came off my car about 7 years ago, i took it off and put it to one side to attach with some big washers the next day..

Never got round to it and the cars been fine for 7 years without it.

 

[gc123]

if its on a silencer or pipe i use large jubilee clips you can link a few together for extreme diameters even at risk of crimping the edge of the heat shield. if its large flat shields then either as said large washers and nuts or drill out and bolt.
works for me in the past.

 

[jeffspuds]

fine to remove done the same around 12 months ago on my car, annoying rattle took into garage he fetched in back in minutes ragged it off no charge.

 

[Jonnycoupe]

Most people dont drive their cars hard enough for it to be an issue. Diesel with regen is where the most concern is on heatshields missing, melted carpet and blistered paint on the body are likely issues.

 

[MouthBoy]

Most people dont drive their cars hard enough for it to be an issue. Diesel with regen is where the most concern is on heatshields missing, melted carpet and blistered paint on the body are likely issues.

I generally drive sensible and just potter around, enjoying the car at slower speeds - but - I do get spirited on occasion of course.

I hope to get a call later today to bring the car in to the garage.

 

[Fr0dders]

Current plan is to take it to the local garage and see if they can do anything to save it. Annoyingly, I find so many garages don't want to touch the car for some reason as it "can be complicated" to work on...

This is garage speak for we don't really want to work on anything nice, people who come here bring their old bangers where we can bodge the job for cheap and people don't care. You've got a nice car that's not a skip, please take your business elsewhere.

If you do want it fixed for piece of mind - take it somewhere else. Either to a good VW Audi Group independent specialist that is comfortable working on nice Audis - or just take it to the main dealer. Yes it will cost more - but if you're paying money just for piece of mind - may as well just swallow the hard pill and pay whatever large bill they'll give you and enjoy the free coffee and book a courtesy car etc... to make it as smooth and nice an experience as possible.