NHTSA Complaint #10303200 — 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

MY VEHICLE SEEMED TO BECOME LOUDER WHEN IDLING OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS THAT I'VE OWNED IT. A COUPLE MONTHS AGO I NOTICED IT BEING NOTICEABLY MUCH LOUDER. THE NOISE COULD BE HEARD WHILE IDLING (RED LIGHT, DRIVE THRUS...) AND WOULD BECOME LOUDER WITH ACCELERATION UP TO ABOUT 40MPH. THIS WAS A RATTLING NOISE LOCATED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE UNDERBODY, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S AND THE PASSENGER'S SEATS. IT SOUNDED LIKE LOUD HEAVY VIBRATIONS, METAL ON METAL. I ASKED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO CHECK OUT AND THEY FOUND THAT THE HEATSHIELD WAS SERIOUSLY RUSTED. THEY HAD TO ORDER THE PART IN ORDER TO REPLACE IT BUT SAID IT WAS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT THEY HAD TO REMOVE WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE ORIGINAL HEATSHIELD TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS. ONCE THE NEW PART WAS RECEIVED THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT ON THE NEW HEATSHIELD. *TR