Catalytic Converters — What They Do and Why They are Stolen
Why are catalytic converters targets for theft? We explain it all here.
What are Catalytic Converters?
In the simplest terms, your catalytic converter transforms potentially harmful pollutants and emissions into safe gasses.
Your car produces three dangerous compounds: hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide. Your catalytic converter lives in the exhaust system between the engine and the muffler, and it uses precious metals — “catalysts” — to incite chemical reactions that convert these harmful toxins into harmless substances.
Why Do People Steal Them?
People steal catalytic converters for one simple reason — money.
There are two main markets that purchase stolen catalytic converters. The first is shady, untrustworthy auto shops. Replacing a broken catalytic converter can be expensive for a customer, and if their vehicle is older, they may not want to invest in a new one since their car has low resale value. If an auto shop can get catalytic converters for older car models on the cheap — say, because they buy stolen ones — then they can offer them to customers at a discount.
More often, catalytic converters are stolen for the precious metals they are made from. These metals (palladium, rhodium, and platinum) are in limited supply and have high demand, so they sell for very high prices. Most people who steal catalytic converters are selling them to metal dealers.
Catalytic Converter Replacements
If your catalytic converter is stolen, you’ll obviously need to get it replaced. Thankfully, when theft is involved your insurance company will usually cover the costs.
We would love to help you with your catalytic converter replacement at Auto Correct — and we promise we aren’t one of those shady auto shops mentioned above. Our technicians are ASE-certified and we offer a 5-year/50,000 mile warranty on all repairs. Contact us today to get your car back up and running.
