Someone stealing your catalytic converter is something you can’t predict and it will negatively affect you. We just had to deal with this recently within our family with the catalytic converter of my mother-in-law’s Honda Civic being stolen and my close friend’s sister having hers stolen in front of her home.
If you have a converter, there are a few things you can do to reduce the chance of it being stolen. If it is already stolen, we have some suggestions on what you can do about that as well.
On average, the cost of a catalytic converter for your vehicle can be between £150 – £800. If you’re buying a used one, it may cost you around £250 – £350. Below we go into more detail about prevention and what you should do if the worst should happen.
Why are catalytic converters stolen?
- Why are catalytic converters stolen?
- What is a catalytic converter?
- What are car manufactures doing to stop catalytic converter theft?
- Catalytic Converter Theft Which Cars
- How To Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft
- Does Insurance Cover Catalytic Converter Theft
- Should You Report A Stolen Catalytic Converter?
- What Happens If Your Catalytic Converter Is Stolen?
- How Much Are The Metals In A Catalytic Converter Worth?
- Which Cars Have The Most Expensive Catalytic Converters?
- Final Thoughts
It’s not uncommon to hear about someone having their car broken into and the thieves taking off with all of the expensive things inside or stealing a car to order.
Some people are beginning to target something you may have never guessed-catalytic converters!
The catalytic converters are stolen because of their precious metals that are found within. Some metals that can be found in a converter include gold, palladium, and rhodium. There is also a demand for secondhand parts like whole exhaust systems ad they are not cheap to replace with a new one.
What is a catalytic converter?
A catalytic converter is a device that treats pollutants in an engine’s exhaust, reducing them before they are released into the atmosphere. They use platinum and palladium as their active ingredient, which oxidizes hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide with oxygen from the air. The downside of these devices is how expensive they can be because the metals quickly wear out; however, you’ll find it well worth your time if you live near areas like Beijing or London where harmful emissions have become a serious problem for those living nearby!
Depending on where your catalytic converter is fitted within your car it can be a simple matter of jacking up, unscrewing, and pulling the converter away that is then sold on the back market or chopped down for the metals within.
Check out how easy it is for thieves to steal a cat from this Toyota Prius.
What are car manufactures doing to stop catalytic converter theft?
In 2019, Toyota introduced the catalytic protective casing for their cars’ catalytic converters. The catalytic shield is not sold at a profit and owners can purchase it by paying £189 with second-generation Prius models and other vehicles.
For a cheaper option you could purchase a catalytic converter anti-theft protective cover from eBay for a little as £33 you will have to fit this yourself however you’re going to save a lot of money in doing so.
Catalytic Converter Theft Which Cars
Any car can be targeted. Thieves are after older models because they used more precise metals to filter the exhaust fumes.
The most common cars that catalytic converters are stolen from are listed below.
- Honda Jazz
- Toyota Prius
- Toyota Auris
- Lexus RX
As hybrids don’t work as hard, thieves love them because their converters will not corrode the precise metals within.
Honda Jazz
There are a few models that you need to be aware of that can have a catalytic converter stolen Honda Jazz MK1 2001-2008 & MK 2 2011-2015. From the 2015 models, the converter has been moved inside the engine at the front so it makes it almost impossible for them to be removed easily.
Toyota Prius
There are a few models that are easily targeted 2010 to 2015 and 2016-onwards models. You can take them into Toyota to have a reduced cost Catloc’ device but they won’t totally prevent theft. Their aim is to slow the thieves down make it more difficult for them to remove. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative then fitting a sheld that can be found on eBay is a good alternative.
Toyota Auris
Just like the big brother, the Toyota Auris has unfortunately been targeted the models that are most likely to be stolen for their catalytic converter are 2009 – 2019 and 2013 onwards. Again a simple sheld can be purchased and fitted reliability easily.
Lexus RX
The model year that is most effective by theft are RX400 RX300 2004-2010 or second-generation Lexus RX 400h models (2005-2008) and the Lexus CT 200h. You can also buy a sheld to bolt onto the undertray to make it more difficult to get hold of the converter. Check out what Lexus has to say about this issue.
How To Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft
Catalytic converter theft is a large problem in today’s society. This article will teach you how to prevent theft from happening, and what the consequences are if your catalytic converter does get stolen.
Catalytic converters often end up being targeted by thieves due to their metals inside; they can be sold on the black market or scrapped in for £300+. In order to help deter potential thieves, some people have gone so far as installing shields under their car to make it very difficult for crooks to steal the converter.
When thinking about prevention there are some simple measures we can take.
There are plenty of things you can do to help prevent your cat from being stolen always be aware of who is around and if people are under cars. Stay alert to changing situations and you should be ok.
Does Insurance Cover Catalytic Converter Theft
Your insurance should cover catalytic converter theft if have full comprehensive coverage on your policy. However, they will need details about what specifically happened in order to get a replacement.
Should You Report A Stolen Catalytic Converter?
Having your car’s catalytic converter stolen is not only upsetting, but it can also be costly too. If someone has left a dent in the back of your exhaust pipe or if something under the hood doesn’t look right contact police immediately and file a report for theft. Contacting the insurance company as soon as possible to see what type of coverage you have will allow them to best deal with this situation too.
It’s important that after any sign of damage on an automobile there are three steps taken: call the police to get a crime number, then notify your insurance company about filing claims against said incident so they know their liability, finally reaching out to repair shops who specialise in auto bodywork should be done promptly following all other actions being completed.
What Happens If Your Catalytic Converter Is Stolen?
Your car should run ok without a catalytic converter. This is just a filter that is fitted to remove emissions. It will sound really bad when you start it up for the first time however this shouldn’t affect the driveability. You do need to be aware of the environmental laws if you are pulled over without a cat fitted you could face fines.
How Much Are The Metals In A Catalytic Converter Worth?
A metal that is precious like platinum, palladium, rhodium, or gold is used to make converters. Thieves sell the converters to people who then extract the precious metal from them. They can then sell it for as much as £6,000 – £7000 an ounce.
Which Cars Have The Most Expensive Catalytic Converters?
The Ferrari F430 is the most expensive. It costs £3,770.00 and you need two of them, so a replacement would cost £7,540 before labor costs.
Final Thoughts
Every year, hundreds of thousands of vehicles are broken into and their catalytic converters are stolen. And that is just in the UK alone. Catalytic converters are a vital part of your vehicle because it takes away harmful toxins and gases from your exhaust system so they don’t harm you or the environment around you. We hope you have found the solution to your issues within this blog post. There are always additional security measures you can put into place please check out our alternative security ideas page.
