An enormous rise can be seen in the catalytic converter theft lately. As the catalytic converter price is rising, it is no surprise that the risk of getting your car converter stolen is higher than before. The cost of its repairing and replacement is much more than it used to be, becoming a concern for motorists. Along with the worry, it is possible to prevent the incident and save your vehicle’s valuable components.
Why Is Catalytic Converter Theft Becoming Inordinate?
Maybe, several people are not fully aware of the catalytic converter’s purpose and significance; that is why the attention on securing the vehicle’s outer components is quite low. Car owner locks their cars and goes to work without a second thought about catalytic converter theft because they aren’t conscious of its price. A catalytic converter’s function is to reduce harmful gasses emission. It holds all the hazardous gasses, performs reactions, and safely releases them. It has various types which perform different tasks depending on the size.
Types of Catalytic Converters and Why It Is Valuable.
A catalytic converter is made up of various precious materials like platinum, rhodium, and palladium. It is also a huge reason why people steal them because of the catalytic converter price. It holds costly metals inside. The two kinds of converter that is also called the exhaust system, helps in reducing harmful gasses are listed below:
- 2-way catalytic converter
- 3-way catalytic converter
The 2-way converter, also called a silencer, deals with two harmful gasses like Hydrocarbon (HC) and Carbon Monoxide (CO). It contains a ceramic block, also referred to as an oxidizing block made up of Platinum and Palladium. Its structure is almost like a honeycomb which is responsible for filtering. When the engine emits exhausting gasses, it goes through a two-way converter. The two reactions happen during the process. First, carbon monoxide reacts with oxygen which converts it into carbon dioxide, a much safer gas. Secondly, Hydrocarbon (HC) reacts with Oxygen (O2) which converts it into water vapor or CO2.
The 3-way converter deals with three harmful gasses, Hydrocarbon (HC), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Nitrogen Oxide (NOX). It contains a reducing block along oxidizing block made up of Platinum and Rhodium. Its purpose is to cleanse nitrogen oxide and convert it into Nitrogen (N2) and Oxygen (O2).
How to Prevent Your Car’s Catalytic Converters from Being Stolen?
The average price of a catalytic converter is around $1000, but it also varies with the model. So, knowing how valuable it is, the 5 ways to prevent catalytic converter theft are mentioned here below:
- Always park your car in a safe or well-populated space. It would be better if you could find a locked garage to assure the safety of your car.
- To prevent Catalytic converter theft, use censor devices that are available to attach with your converter. It will sense any suspicious activity and alarms you on time.
- To secure the converter, you can also buy a cage clamp that locks the converter, making it hard to remove.
- You should always report to the police if you notice any doubtful situation in the parking lot.
- Mark the converter; if it goes missing, it will be easier to find and match.
- Monitor your driveway if the situation around your home seems risky.
How Much Does A Catalytic Converter Cost?
Since there are expensive metals like platinum, palladium, or rhodium used in manufacturing a converter, it is expensive. The average replacement in the exhaust system is not cheap at all. A new catalytic converter price is about $2250. Repairing can cost you around $900 to $2000 and more than that, depending on the material and labor. The average labor will cost around $70 to $130 per hour. The idea of removing the catalytic converter from your vehicle sounds adjustable because you can drive without it too. But it will ruin your car efficiency.
But catalytic converter insurance can still save you. It is always recommended to get a new converter as soon as possible.
Catalytic Converter Insurance
According to National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), it is not usual that insurance will cover any anti-theft device installation. However, it can earn you a discount on overall insurance. But since the converter is a part of the car which is permanently installed, the insurance does cover stolen catalytic converter under the comprehensive vehicle coverage. But if it doesn’t have comprehensive insurance, theft won’t be covered. Catalytic converter insurance is feasible depending on the insurance package you have. For example, the average rate for comprehensive car insurance costs $148 per year. It is worthy of the price to protect your converter.
Usually, comprehensive insurance is the cheapest to take unless your vehicle is not worth repairing. For a vehicle like Honda or SUVs, it is always recommended to take catalytic converter insurance if an incident happens. These are the models frequently targeted in catalytic converter theft.
Role of An Exhaust System and How Does It Work?
The exhaust system in your vehicles consists of an exhaust and a muffler. Both have different tasks to execute; for example, an exhaust collects the gas; it holds the harmful gasses and goes through the catalytic converter, making harmful gasses less dangerous by breaking into a compound. After that, it sends the gasses to the muffler, which is responsible for the noise reduction. The muffler works as a silencer during gasses emission, suppressing the loud noise through its chambers and tubes. After the noise is absorbed, it releases outside the vehicle. Both of the processes play an important role in assuring efficient and safe driving.
Can We Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft?
The Catalytic Converter Price is on the mount, so it’s thievery. Seeing that simple question, the answer remains easy too. Yes, prevention is possible by taking care of your vehicle and carrying catalytic converter insurance. The exhaust system is made up of expensive material, which is a well-known reason it is always getting stolen. We can prevent this from happening by paying attention actively. Thanks for reading our article! Please subscribe to our newsletter for free.
