Modern exhaust systems
are usually made of aluminized steel or stainless steel, but that doesn't mean
they or the parts that hold the exhaust components in place last forever. Heat,
debris, road salt and moisture can all cause rust in the exhaust system.
Though a muffler rattle
might be fixed simply by tightening a couple of bolts or replacing a broken
hanger, the corrosion might be bad enough on the muffler or neighboring parts
that they will have to be replaced.
A rattle or banging
noise from the exhaust system might not be an external problem. Baffles or
other components inside of mufflers can come loose and cause internal rattles.
In addition, the
muffler may not be the only cause or even the culprit. Brackets and bolts
securing tailpipes, heat shields above catalytic converters and other
components can come loose, and catalytic converters can develop internal
rattles when they go bad.
