Nearly ever since I bought the xD, there has been a rattling sound underneath and slightly to the rear. I feared that the TRD rear sway bar was rubbing the axle. The rattle was only apparent on certain road surfaces... usually louder at moderate speeds (25-45 MPH). It sounded like it was beneath the rear seat.

Well, I finally got the car in the garage and put it up on the lift. I looked over the exhaust and the rear suspension, but couldn't find anything that looked like it was rubbing or loose. Then I noticed the heat shield under the fuel tank. It is large and unsupported on one side. I plucked it with my finger and it made the rattling sound!



Upon further inspection, I noticed a small (about 1"x1"¼") piece of foam stuck to it that is supposed to quiet it against the fuel tank. Well, there was about ½" between that thin foam and the tank itself, so it really wasn't doing anything. I cut a few inches of thick rubber fuel hose and used a small zip tie to secure it to an existing hole in the heat shield. This actually makes contact with the fuel tank and keeps it from rattling! In the next pic, you can see the foam square as well as the piece of rubber hose I added. I am pulling the heat shield down for the pic, but when I let go, it rests gently against the fuel tank above.



Just to be clear, the heat shield isn't rattling against anything, it is just shaking and reverberating. The noise comes from the heat shield alone. So, if anyone else has this rattle, maybe this little how-to can help you eliminate it.

 

Good find and fix! I love the simple solutions to annoying problems!

 

Well done...I also have a rattle / tinny sound from my tC.. I'll have to see if it's the same thing happening...

Thanks..
Keith.

 

did this happen when you shut the passenger side door?? Mine only rattles when that happens...

 

Mine didn't seem to rattle with any of the doors. I'm still working on some other rattles up front, too. Sounds almost like a suspension spring groaning in its seat.

 

found my solution, there is a piece of metal under the passenger side door right by the cat and the front screw is in but the back side screw is missing somehow lol..so once that bad boy gets screwed back in were golden..