Catalytic Converter

Catalytic Converters work like an air filter in your exhaust system, only this “filtering” is done chemically by taking advantage of the extremely high exhaust temperatures. These can go “bad” if your air-fuel mixture gets way out of whack, acting like a cork in the exhaust. Like so many other automotive parts, catalytic converters are really only noticeable when they stop working properly.

So how do you tell if your vehicle’s catalytic converter is out of wack? And when should you count on having to replace it? The truth is, on modern vehicles, the catalytic converter should last the life of the car or truck, given an “average” life of about 100,000 miles (160,934 kilometers). Good thing, too, because this auto part uses rare, precious and therefore expensive metals such as gold, palladium or rhodium. They act as catalysts in chemical reactions that convert air-polluting oxides of nitrogen, unburned fuel and carbon monoxide into plain old nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water.

So how long does a catalytic converter last? That said, things sometimes do go wrong with catalytic converters prematurely. A sharp blow to the unit, after say, bottoming out the vehicle, could damage the catalyst material or the metal housing of the unit, blocking the flow of exhaust gases out the back (and hurting engine performance). An engine that’s burning excessive oil could also wear out a catalytic converter before its time. In addition, certain fuel additives can (and do) counteract and prematurely age the catalysts.

Sometimes a car owner might smell foul odors emanating from the engine or exhaust system. There is one instance in which you will know for absolute certain that your catalytic converter needs replacing, when it gets stolen! Yes, it’s sad but true: particularly in tough economic times, thieves are fond of stealing the catalytic converters from parked vehicles to cash in on the expensive metals within. Any vehicle can fall prey, though news accounts say that high-stanced trucks and SUVs make the juiciest targets. A thief can easily slip under a truck and use a reciprocating saw or wrench to remove the catalytic converter from the exhaust system.

The relatively good news is that catalytic converters are free of moving parts and more or less maintenance free. Unlike tires, filters or brake parts, the catalytic converter on a modern vehicle should not require frequent replacement.

Disclaimer Information: The above listed information is based on the average vehicle on the road today is 11.7 years; experiencing sever weather climate, and extreme driving conditions and driving habits. This is the opinion of Total Car Care Guaranteed For Life, Inc and you should always refer to your vehicle owner manual. Price estimation includes parts and labor cost to replace original replacement part.