The Nissan Path

Is it just my luck or do the welds/straps on Nissan's heat shields suck??

We've had 3 Nissans, all different vehicles and generations and everyone had horrible heatshields.

After 70k they begin to rust off, rattle, the straps fall apart, etc...

My wife's Odyssey has 90k and I checked her's and they were all tight as a drum and there were no signs of rust AT ALL.

I am either pulling them off or using stainless hose clamps to tighten them back down and the rattling is annoying and extremely embarrassing!!

You all finding the same thing?

This happened on:
2001 Xterra
2005 Pathfinder
2007 Pathfinder

It's not you, they do indeed suck

I put stainless steel bands over all of the original bands on mine when it seemed like one was breaking every few weeks...

You are in Cali too.

I figured the salt brine and salt they put down for snow causes the rapid rusting but I guess its any kind of moisture eats the welds and bands.

I am doing what I did with my other vehicles and thats either use stainless steel hose clamps or complete removal of the heat shield.

I never had a problem with a fire before so if it burns up I will sue Nissan. LOL

Well, my truck started in Virginia/DC where there's a lot of salt on the roads. It's only been in California since last August. Mine rusted out quite a bit faster because of that.

My car sounds like a rattletrap every couple months. The exhaust is litterally rusting away. I have replaced all the bands with stainless hose clamps. No more rattle but worried im going to need a new exhaust system soon.

Mine just started rattling as well about a month ago...seems like it's right around the 1300-1400 RPM range. Annoying as heck!

I am in PA.

Sorry, I forgot I posted basically the same exact question a while ago.

Reason I am on here is I just cut away another stock exhaust clamp and used a stainless hose clamp to replace it.

I NEVER HEAR OF ANYONE ELSE COMPLAINING ABOUT RATTLING AND RUSTING EXHAUST SYSTEMS (Ford, Honda, Chevy, etc...)

I had a Chevy truck with over 200k and never had a rattle

The exhaust system itself seems to be fine, just the heat shield clamps. I too have replaced them with stainless and everything is quiet at 120k. Why they use pot-metal grade straps on stainless exhaust baffles me.