The heat shield is loose on my 2000 Outback and is rattling like crazy.Is it okay to cut it off and go without it.

better to put a scew in it to hold it. That could burn down a forest.

better to put a scew in it to hold it. That could burn down a forest.

It never sees anything but pavement.I was more worried about heat into passenger compartment.I think I have taken them off other vehicles.

But the next owner may take it off road. I would not be so picky but Subarus have been the culprit in a couple of forst fires. How about this, it's much easier to wedge in a sheet metal screw to stop rattling than to take them off.

I'll try that.

You can cut them off no problem. The main reason they install them is avoid panic in the cabin when you run over a plastic bag and it melts and smells like the car is on fire.

 

Parking in high dry grass is still dangerous even with heatshields on.

I'm new here, but he heat shields are to protect the interior. What causes the fires are usually the catalytic converters. They hold all the heat. They get worse as they age and increase exhaust restriction. We had a Passat with bad cats and the header pipes got so hot they actually caught fire to the insulation attached to the heat sheild. This was a very bad day. Everthing was very hot. The shields don't protect downwards.