Rattling Diagnosis?

Hoping someone can help me diagnose a rattle under my 2020 Off Road KDSS before I start searching.

The rattle occurs while idling at a stop in drive or at a very low speed (under 10mph). It sounds like a loose piece of sheet metal and I’m pretty sure it’s on the drivers side around the front wheel. I’m guessing a loose heat shield of some sort?

If you’re aware of areas that could produce this rattle let me know as it would be great to narrow the search down.

 

Loose factory skid plate maybe? Hoping its something simple! Good luck

 

Maybe heat shield?

 

On a previously owned 4Runner, I had a similar noise that was the front skid plate. The shop left a couple loose bolts after an oil change. I would start there.

 

Sounds like loose heat shield or skid. Crawl under while cold and start tapping around and listen for resonance.

 

Definitely not the factory skids as I do my own oil changes and torque those down pretty well. Sounds like thinner sheet metal. Read on another forum it may be the heat shield(s) on the cat(s) or muffler? Anyone experience these coming loose early? Only occurs in drive. If I put it in neutral at a stop the rattle goes away.

 

Yup, my first thought would be heat shield as well. I've pulled two off mine so far. They corrode around the studs holding them on and get loose and eventually fall.

The big one over the muffler fell one day on the way home from work, 20 minutes of it rubbing on the driveshaft sounded great, lol.

 

Crawl under and check them. Won't take but a couple of minutes.

 

I had someone jump on my rock sliders while I was under when I had the same rattle (similar). It was my skid. Not mechanic's fault, my own lol.

 

Check your engine splash guards in your wheel wells. They are held on by metal clips that fit poorly. The slightest movement, will make these clips move and squeak and rattle.

I replaced my entire splash guards and clips because the sound was obnoxious enough I could hear it over my radio when parking in moderate winds.