Catalytic Converter Stolen, What Should I Do?

Have you noticed more noisy cars than usual when out driving lately? It may not be due to drivers opting for a loud, racy exhaust system. It could be that they just had their catalytic converter stolen.

Catalytic Converters are devices in the exhaust system of every gas vehicle. They have a material inside that heats up to an extremely high temperature which burns unburnt fuel exiting your engine. This aids in emissions reduction (the bad stuff).

Thieves are getting under cars and cutting catalytic converters out of vehicles due to their valuable scrap value. The rare earth materials within them are worth a considerable amount on the scrap market and it only takes a thief a few minutes to remove them.

We, Elite Auto Repair, have replaced 8 of these this week alone and have replaced dozens of them over that last few months. They are getting stolen at an alarming rate and its somewhat difficult to protect these exhaust devices from getting stolen.

If you have had your catalytic converter stolen you should consider a few things.

• This is a covered loss if you have comprehensive insurance on your vehicle (subject to your deductible of course).
• Catalytic converters are available from your vehicle manufacturer and many aftermarket sources which are generally less expensive.
• The parts you need may depend on how and what was cut out of your vehicle. May times we find that thieves do not take the time to disconnect wires, sensors and mounting flanges that are attached to catalytic converters. Consequently, these times will need to be purchased as well, which drives up repair cost.

We recommend going to your local independent mechanic shop for repairs. They should give you several repair options that your insurance company and dealership won’t provide. Local independent repair shops can work with your insurance company if you are fortunate enough to have this coverage.

Give us a call if you live within the general Tempe, Chandler or greater Phoenix area and we can surely guide you through this repair process.