# Metal panel in the rear 2013 RS



## Patman (May 7, 2011)

There is metal paneling in the rear of my 2013 RS by the rear suspension, is this needed?(I am thinking of the under body panel put on the front back in 2011) I am hearing something in the rear when I turn up a curb into a parking lot/driveway. Everything back there appears to be very tight/close
I am not sure if something is hitting something or something is loose. I checked the connections by the wheels and they seem tight. Could it be loose shock on the top?


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

If the part in question is unpainted it likely is a heat shield to reduce heat transfer up into the floorboard.

Certainly would not hurt to remove it and road test to see if it is the noisemaker but remember......there are no parts on a vehicle that the manufacturer installed without determining it was absolutely necessary.

If it is the culprit, sometimes reforming it a bit so it under tension when installed does the trick.

Rob


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Thx Rob. It so rarely happens it is not to be worried about. This only came to my attention after my wife called bc she broke a similar paneling on her Honda Accord. Funny thing is when she told me about breaking the panel she likened it to my "rock incident" so I am looking at her car trying to find out what was wrong and only saw after laying on the ground. But could not drive without hearing the plastic dragging the ground quite noisily. Ended up fixing by reattaching to a bolt that it came loose from. All and all mine is not that bad I think I ultimately found the culprit as being my spare tire one way or another.


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