Our 2008 Vibe's heat shield (the one between the exhaust and the fuel tank) has detached at the rear where a bolt originally screwed into a plastic piece that is attached to the fuel tank strap. I could not see this clearly until I raised the back of the car as much as I could and was able to crawl under it -- yes, it IS on jack stands. I could see that there was something between the fuel tank strap and the heat shield, but I could not make out what.
When I looked online, on GM parts sites I could see that the fuel tank strap is shown with a protrusion -- and it is the same part# (88973477) for both 2007 and 2008 models. But the aftermarket sites (e.g., Dorman, Spectra) show different part numbers and different drawings for the two model years: for 2007 they show a strap with an integral attachment point for the heat shield, whereas for 2008 they show just a strap with a hole, and none of the vendors could tell me how this was supposed to work.
I bought the strap for a 2007 model (which I still have time to return) but have not been able to install it because I have not yet managed to remove the heat shield. The center bolt at the front -- close to the exhaust pipe -- is rusted in place, and no amount of PB Blaster has enabled me to loosen it. A bolt extractor simply ground away the head, and now the bracket into which the bolt screws is loose but not yet completely detached; it looks as though it is riveted to the body. And if I cannot remove the heat shield I cannot replace the existing fuel tank strap with the new one.
Perhaps the simplest method would be to get a replacement for that plastic part if one is available that could simply be slid onto the existing strap, but I cannot find such a thing listed anywhere. Is it available?
Suggestions, please?