Even if you do n’t drive a intercrossed - galvanising vehicle , if you own a railroad car at all , chances are it ’s equipped with a very significant piece of " green " equipment . That item would be the catalytic converter – a metal canister shot that scrub harmful emissions from your car locomotive engine ’s exhaust before they can escape into the atmosphere .
Buthow long do catalytic convertor lastand how can you recite if your vehicle ’s catalytic convertor is out of whack ? Let ’s find out !
The Average Lifespan of a New Catalytic Converter
The truth is , on New vehicle , the catalytic converter should last at least10 years . Some people may not need their catalytic convertor replace during the life history of their vehicle . Good thing , too , because this auto part uses rare , wanted and thereforeexpensive metalssuch as atomic number 79 , Pd , Pt or rhodium . They act as catalysts in chemical reactions that convert air - polluting oxides of nitrogen , unburned fuel and carbon monoxide into plain sometime atomic number 7 , atomic number 6 dioxide and water .
What Causes a Catalytic Converter to Fail?
Sometimes things do go wrong with catalytic converters prematurely . Asharp blowto the unit , after say , bottoming out the fomite , could damage the accelerator stuff or the metallic element lodging of the unit . This will forget the menstruation of exhaust gas out the back ( and hurt engine carrying out ) .
Anenginethat ’s burning excessive oil color could also don out a catalytic convertor before its clip . In plus , sure fuel additives can ( and do ) sabotage and untimely get on the accelerator .
Sometimes a gondola owner might smell foul odors emanating from the engine or exhaust fumes system . Armchair technicians often blame the funk on a failing catalytic converter – but it could be any number of things , so you ’re well advised to have an authorise automobile technician check it out .
Catalytic Converter Theft Is a Possibility
There is one instance in which you will know for sheer certainty that your catalytic convertor need replacing . And that is if it gets slip !
Yes , it ’s pitiful but dead on target : particularly in elusive economic fourth dimension , thief are doting of slip the catalytic converters from park vehicles to cash in on the expensive metals within . Any vehicle can fall quarry , though tidings accounting say that high - stancedtrucks and SUVsmake the juicy targets . A thief can well slip under a truck and use a reciprocate adage or wrench to remove the catalytic convertor from the exhaust scheme .
Do You Need To Replace a Catalytic Converter on Modern Cars?
The relatively safe news is that catalytic converter are gratis of move region and more or less sustainment - gratis . Unlike tyre , filter orbrakeparts , the catalytic converter on a modern vehicle should not require frequent substitute – if at all .
We update this article in junction with AI technology , then made certain it was fact - checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor .
