Catalytic converters are important parts of a car, and you don’t want it not working. In fact, it’s one of the more expensive parts that can need replacing.
Summary
The most common symptoms of a bad or clogged catalytic converter are the P0420 engine code appearing, bad smells, and a check engine light. Knowing that a bad catalytic converter can also show signs by activating a p0300 code is important.
Here’s what we’ll be covering in this article:
10 Signs of a bad or clogged catalytic converter
When your car stops working effectively, it is the first sign that something is wrong with it. Detecting the reason is the more complicated task you will face afterward. If you are facing problems with acceleration, misfires, or poor fuel economy, that means your catalytic converter needs to be examined.
Other than low engine efficiency, you may spot:
- strange noises
- bad smells
- The P0420 code
- or even smoke coming from beneath your car.
This type of weird activity your car might be doing is a clear sign of a clogged catalytic converter.
1. Your car’s engine does not function well.
If you have recently observed that starting your car has become more difficult than it was, the clogged catalytic converter might be the cause. It is an integral part of a car’s emission system.
The engine fumes cannot exit the system properly when it gets clogged. As a result, the fuel gets less air than is needed for the engine to function properly. Your engine is at great risk of failing in the future with this improper balance of gases and additional pressure inside the emission system.
2. You see the P0420 code.
The P0420 code indicates the low efficiency of the component. In most cases, the reason why you see this code is a bad part. Sometimes it occurs because of misfires or defective oxygen sensors. In both scenarios, it is better to hurry up with the repair. Driving with this code will lead to further internal damage to your car.
3. The car’s fuel runs out faster.
Every driver’s nightmare is spending more money on fuel than they have in the past. With that regard, it is more likely that the moment you start filling your tank more often than usual will not pass unnoticed. The case is that a damaged catalytic converter causes the blockage of air supply to the engine.
When the oxygen does not dilute the fuel correctly, the engine faces difficulty with acceleration and consumes more fuel than usual for that task. In rare cases, a blockade leads to the opposite reaction of little fuel consumption. Maybe you have noticed that symptom. Do not try to make a profit from it because the damage to the engineis also inevitable, in that case.
4. Your car fails the emission test.
In some countries, drivers are obliged to do emission tests once in a while to check the serviceability of their vehicle’s emission system. You can also perform the test on your own whenever you feel the need.
This test is one of the best ways to clear up all doubts concerning your catalytic converter. Everything is simple. If the car fails the test, then the part is damaged.
5. Difficulty with acceleration
A clogged cat converter also prevents fuel from getting to an engine. For this reason, the car may jolt or shut down altogether when you stamp on a pedal. It becomes challenging to accelerate, which can signal a defect.
Nonetheless, you should also consider more than one symptom to diagnose a bad cat converter because acceleration difficulty can also be related to engine malfunction.
6. A bad smell coming from the engine.
One of the distinguishing signs of a failing catalytic converter is the smell of sulfur, which is somewhat similar to the rotten eggs odor. That happens when badly filtered exhaust fumes are pumped out of the engine.
The problem here is that your cat is clogged, and the fumes you may inhale while driving endanger your health and safety. Exhaust fumes are stuffed with carbon monoxide, making you lose consciousness while driving. That is why smelling a bad odor from the engine will not only point out a clog but also motivate you not to delay your vehicle’s repair.
7. Your car fails the temperature test.
This test you can easily perform on your own. The only thing you need is an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature. The trick is to drive the car for a short period of time so that it will reach its operating temperature.
The next step is to park it on a flat surface and turn on parking or neutral mode, depending on your car type. Finally, measure the temperature of the front and back pipes of the catalytic converter. If the results do not differ significantly, that is a symptom of damage in the filtration area.
8. You hear noise from underneath your car.
Any suspicious noise you hear from beneath your car is a sign of probable damage. Noise is usually caused by a piece of honeycomb that has become loose inside the catalytic converter.
If you put off the repair, it may become stuck in the exhaust pipes while driving and cause your car to stop in the middle of the road. You will need to spend extra money on car transportation in this critical situation.
9. The component is discolored.
A clogged catalytic converter creates excessive pressure inside the emission system. This pressure also increases the inner temperature, turning the housing blue or any other color.
The alternative reason for discoloration might also be the high temperature within the catalyst. The engine fails to burn fuel sufficiently when it’s clogged. That is when the housing surface turns an unnatural color and points out the issues within.
10. The lights on the car’s dashboard are on.
Most modern vehicles are designed to alert the owner of potential emission system problems. That is why cars are equipped with dashboards that monitor the level of oxygen mixed with the fuel. When there is an imbalance, the lights on the dashboard automatically switch on to draw your attention to the possible issue.
