Rattling from front of car when you shut the engine off
 

I have been noticing this issue since I bought the car. Majority of the times when I park my car and shut the car off, I hear a clanking sound from the front of the car for a couple of minutes. I mention it to the Scion dealership and they had no answer for me. Anyone else experiencing this same issue?

Like something dripping/crackling?

That's normal cool down if that's what your thinking, sure someone can chime in exactly what it is.

It's the heat shield. It's 100% normal. My honda accord did the same thing,

Every car with cats and heat shields make the same sounds as they cool down. Just wait till it goes into automatic purge mode (if you are there to hear it) and sounds like something left running in the car. Quite eerie until you realize what it is.

I spoke to Subaru and they said it was normal for the the engine to such.

This is without question the noisiest car post shutdown that I have ever owned. I think part of it is that all that shielding under the car makes the noise echo in the engine compartment, which makes it sound louder.

That and the thin aluminum hood with little to no sound deadening.

I think the engine being really long (from head to head) along with all the parts that need to span that distance - the header for example - expand and contract differently causing lots of popping/ticking as the engine cools. No big deal, all car do it, it's just very noticeable on this car.

Every car we've had with steel exhaust manifolds has made this same sound. My old TR6 would click and ping for several minutes after shutdown. I actually smiled when I heard this car do it the first time. It's the sound of a sports car catching its breath.