Catalytic converter theft prevention?

[smitcat]

Yes, keep your vehicle low, especially if it is a hybrid with tons of palladium in the cat.

Does this really help? I thought the bad actors bring a portable car lift with them to the shopping mall.

How much would it cost to lower your vehicle, anyway?

The cost on lowering springs varies - generally $150 on up. There are also coil-overs, where the amount of lowering is adjustable rather than a set height. With vehicle lowering comes some a lot of cons and some pros:

cons:
installation cost on each axle (plus an alignment)
potential for reduced ride quality (varies depending on lowering amount 10mm, 30mm, 40mm, etc.) and spring brand/quality
potential for scraping bumpers, underside of car on speed bumps, steep angles of driveways, etc.
potential for serious damage to oil pan/exhaust, etc.
potential for increased tire wear due to increased camber (unless this is corrected with additional parts)

pros:
lower center of gravity, better vehicle handling
lower to ground makes it potentially harder for a casual thief to steal the catalytic convertor
potential for increased efficiency (vehicle slightly lower to ground, more aerodynamic)
car generally looks better (subjective)

"lower to ground makes it potentially harder for a casual thief to steal the catalytic convertor"
The thieves in the tristate area of the Northeast have absolutely no problem jacking these lowered cars up - of course this often leads to more damage but they do not seem to mind.

[CorradoJr]

The big issue here for me is that this is totally preventable issue with proper design of the engine and components.

Catalytic convertors should generally be as close to the engine block as possible for best performance. The only reason they cannot be placed close to the engine is due to some type of vehicle design issue (flaw) that prevents this and therefore they have to be added downstream as somewhat of an afterthought. Realistically this might not be possible for a large truck or 18-wheeler but it should be for a passenger car.

If you notice, you'll see the same brands generally getting these stolen all the time; Toyota/Lexus and Honda. Look at the companies that make the shields to get an idea of how common it is in Toyota vehicles. Why?

[prd1982]

If you notice, you'll see the same brands generally getting these stolen all the time; Toyota/Lexus and Honda. … Why?

Couldn’t the explanation be as simple as market share of cars on the road?

[Stevenjohnson]

I’ve dodged this issue entirely by having an extremely difficult to access catalytic converter. It is located directly downstream of the turbo, almost still in the engine bay of my Passat and was hard to remove when I needed to for replacing other exhaust sections. Short of luck, I’ve heard good things about the cages installed properly, enough to deter a thief.

[gator15]

As I mentioned upthread, three vehicles in my neighborhood have had their CCs stolen. All three were Toyotas. The thieves had many cars to choose from but targeted those three.

[wolf359]

Except that only very specific vehicle models and years which are stored outdoors are targeted - most vehicles are not a target due to the converter type or accessibility.

This made me ask google "What cars are targeted most for catalytic convertor theft?"

Carfax had this article based on their repair data. Notably the full article also breaks it out by the 10 most targeted cars in each region of the country.
In that data you can see the impact of market share (certain cars are more popular in different regions of the country.)

https://www.carfax.com/blog/catalytic-converter-theft

Nationwide, the list is:

Rank Make Model Rank Change from 2021
1 FORD F SERIES TRUCK —
2 HONDA ACCORD —
3 TOYOTA PRIUS +4
4 HONDA CR-V +2
5 FORD EXPLORER +9
6 FORD ECONOLINE -2
7 CHEVROLET EQUINOX +1
8 CHEVROLET SILVERADO -3
9 TOYOTA TACOMA +15
10 CHEVROLET CRUZE +5

[CorradoJr]

If you notice, you'll see the same brands generally getting these stolen all the time; Toyota/Lexus and Honda. … Why?

Couldn’t the explanation be as simple as market share of cars on the road?

Possibly, but the issue is there are still manufacturers that have "exposed" catalytic convertors, even after decades of this going on.
Large trucks/SUVs aside, why are there never certain brands on this list? (BMW, Mercedes, VW/Audi, Hyundai/Kia, Jeep, etc?)

It's probably a combination of market share and manufacturing decisions/engineering/cost.

Some cars have the catalytic convertor tucked up close to the firewall/fender behind the wheel.
Some Hondas have the catalytic convertor integrated into the exhaust manifold, it is literally inches from the engine block, hard to access.
Toyota seems to put theirs way downstream on most models, in an easy to access area.

[JAZZISCOOL]

My son had his catalytic converter stolen off his Toyota Tacoma last year while attending a night class at a local college. According to police its a a growing problem. With a battery powered reciprocating saw it takes less than 90 seconds to saw each end of the catalytic converter to free it. He bought a custom metal shield that covers the area and had it installed. If the thief really wanted it, they could cut through the shield but it would take much longer to cut through the shield and then the pipes on each side.
He ordered his through - https://www.talonsgarage.com/

Thanks.

[JAZZISCOOL]

Except that only very specific vehicle models and years which are stored outdoors are targeted - most vehicles are not a target due to the converter type or accessibility.

This made me ask google "What cars are targeted most for catalytic convertor theft?"

Carfax had this article based on their repair data. Notably the full article also breaks it out by the 10 most targeted cars in each region of the country.
In that data you can see the impact of market share (certain cars are more popular in different regions of the country.)

https://www.carfax.com/blog/catalytic-converter-theft

Nationwide, the list is:

Rank Make Model Rank Change from 2021
1 FORD F SERIES TRUCK —
2 HONDA ACCORD —
3 TOYOTA PRIUS +4
4 HONDA CR-V +2
5 FORD EXPLORER +9
6 FORD ECONOLINE -2
7 CHEVROLET EQUINOX +1
8 CHEVROLET SILVERADO -3
9 TOYOTA TACOMA +15
10 CHEVROLET CRUZE +5

Thanks. Interesting.

[thedaybeforetoday]

If you notice, you'll see the same brands generally getting these stolen all the time; Toyota/Lexus and Honda. Look at the companies that make the shields to get an idea of how common it is in Toyota vehicles. Why?

Due to the amount of precious/valuable metals in different catalytic converters used on different brands/models.

[wolf359]

If you notice, you'll see the same brands generally getting these stolen all the time; Toyota/Lexus and Honda. Look at the companies that make the shields to get an idea of how common it is in Toyota vehicles. Why?

Due to the amount of precious/valuable metals in different catalytic converters used on different brands/models.

Factors that have an impact:
- Trucks and SUVs are targeted because they're easier to get under.
- Specific models aren't on the list because they're designed in a way that you have to open the hood or remove too many components to reach them.
- Specific models are more susceptible to theft because they're designed in a way where the catalytic converter is easily accessible to a thief.
- Many luxury brands have additional road noise shielding that coincidentally requires additional steps to reach the catalytic converter. They also tend to use specialty screws for access because they don't want DIY owners to service the cars.
- Hybrids don't run their engines all the time, so they require more precious metals to operate correctly. This means hybrids tend to get targeted more.
- Some model cars are horribly inefficient and burn out their catalytic converters more frequently. Thieves avoid them because they have less material to salvage.
- Cars that are low to the ground tend to not be targeted just because it's easier to hit cars that you don't have to jack up. But if you're the only car around, a thief can still steal yours.
- The popularity of the car model will also impact the numbers. In California, the Prius is number one on the list because it's so popular there.

[Cheez-It Guy]

Do those claiming to live in a so-called "nice neighborhood" ever consider that this may in fact make you an increased target for such vandalism? Thieves have means to travel after all. A high density of moderately wealthy people with the stereotypical oversized-for-actual-use and elevated trucks and SUVs seems like an excellent target area with the additional benefits of a false sense of residential security and the thieves easily being able to justify their actions to themselves as a victimless crime against the affluent.

My strategy is to live out in the country and to drive such a low-end and crappy vehicle that I am never a target for much of anything. Make sure to never wash it and to never adequately repair any incidental cosmetic damage that occurs over the life of the vehicle. It's a win-win-win!

But then again my number could come up at any time.

[Marseille07]

The cost on lowering springs varies - generally $150 on up. There are also coil-overs, where the amount of lowering is adjustable rather than a set height. With vehicle lowering comes some a lot of cons and some pros:

cons:
installation cost on each axle (plus an alignment)
potential for reduced ride quality (varies depending on lowering amount 10mm, 30mm, 40mm, etc.) and spring brand/quality
potential for scraping bumpers, underside of car on speed bumps, steep angles of driveways, etc.
potential for serious damage to oil pan/exhaust, etc.
potential for increased tire wear due to increased camber (unless this is corrected with additional parts)

pros:
lower center of gravity, better vehicle handling
lower to ground makes it potentially harder for a casual thief to steal the catalytic convertor
potential for increased efficiency (vehicle slightly lower to ground, more aerodynamic)
car generally looks better (subjective)

$150 on up doesn't seem too bad.

I think one huge downside is scraping underside of car. I've gone to non-paved road when I went for a hike or something during a trip. Such trips might not be tolerable once lowered.

Also, I believe those thieves bring a car lift with them so I don't think lowering would deter them. I mean, we're talking about people who don't mind bringing a battery-powered reciprocating saw to the scene.

[thedaybeforetoday]

If you notice, you'll see the same brands generally getting these stolen all the time; Toyota/Lexus and Honda. Look at the companies that make the shields to get an idea of how common it is in Toyota vehicles. Why?

Due to the amount of precious/valuable metals in different catalytic converters used on different brands/models.

- The popularity of the car model will also impact the numbers. In California, the Prius is number one on the list because it's so popular there.

https://www.way.com/blog/know-about-pri ... ter-theft/

[smitcat]

If you notice, you'll see the same brands generally getting these stolen all the time; Toyota/Lexus and Honda. … Why?

Couldn’t the explanation be as simple as market share of cars on the road?

No - it's based on the type and content of the metals in the converters.
Some converters on the market are worth less than 50 while others approach $1,000

[smitcat]

Except that only very specific vehicle models and years which are stored outdoors are targeted - most vehicles are not a target due to the converter type or accessibility.

This made me ask google "What cars are targeted most for catalytic convertor theft?"

Carfax had this article based on their repair data. Notably the full article also breaks it out by the 10 most targeted cars in each region of the country.
In that data you can see the impact of market share (certain cars are more popular in different regions of the country.)

https://www.carfax.com/blog/catalytic-converter-theft

Nationwide, the list is:

Rank Make Model Rank Change from 2021
1 FORD F SERIES TRUCK —
2 HONDA ACCORD —
3 TOYOTA PRIUS +4
4 HONDA CR-V +2
5 FORD EXPLORER +9
6 FORD ECONOLINE -2
7 CHEVROLET EQUINOX +1
8 CHEVROLET SILVERADO -3
9 TOYOTA TACOMA +15
10 CHEVROLET CRUZE +5

Exactly - your local LEO's will know which vehicles they are targeting as the list is not that long. That is where I got the information from when we heard about these thefts.

[RudyS]

This is actionable for potential converter thieves: Just read in the paper that someone was crushed to death when the car he was trying to steal a converter from fell off the jack. It's a dangerous occupation.

[SimonJester]

Ive seen a youtube video where a thief mistook the drive shaft for the exhaust pipe, cut the drive shaft in 1/2 then went for the catalytic converter. Talk about a double whammy repair bill!

We used to have a huge problem with thieves stealing copper wire from live street light poles in our city. A couple of times the thief paid the ultimate price for that copper wire...

[JDave]

If you can't find an anti-theft shield or "cage" for your make and model of car, they are easy to make for anyone with a welder. Really, the manufacturers should be offering them on high risk vehicles.

[MadHungarian]

You could do it the further areas of a grocery store parking lot in broad daylight these days, and no one will even pay attention. If you're reasonably quick. And if someone does notice, the police won't even respond.
Bother, now you're all starting to worry me...

"And if someone does notice, the police won't even respond."
That depends upon the location you are speaking about.

I'm talking about my location of course. But i can't say more about it or i'll be censored.

[smitcat]

You could do it the further areas of a grocery store parking lot in broad daylight these days, and no one will even pay attention. If you're reasonably quick. And if someone does notice, the police won't even respond.
Bother, now you're all starting to worry me...

"And if someone does notice, the police won't even respond."
That depends upon the location you are speaking about.

I'm talking about my location of course. But i can't say more about it or i'll be censored.

In the two locations (2 different states) where our cars mostly reside I can assure you that police will respond and are currently active in their pursuit of CC thieves.

[snackdog]

Yes, keep your vehicle low, especially if it is a hybrid with tons of palladium in the cat.

Does this really help? I thought the bad actors bring a portable car lift with them to the shopping mall.

How much would it cost to lower your vehicle, anyway?

The cost on lowering springs varies - generally $150 on up. There are also coil-overs, where the amount of lowering is adjustable rather than a set height. With vehicle lowering comes some a lot of cons and some pros:

cons:
installation cost on each axle (plus an alignment)
potential for reduced ride quality (varies depending on lowering amount 10mm, 30mm, 40mm, etc.) and spring brand/quality
potential for scraping bumpers, underside of car on speed bumps, steep angles of driveways, etc.
potential for serious damage to oil pan/exhaust, etc.
potential for increased tire wear due to increased camber (unless this is corrected with additional parts)

pros:
lower center of gravity, better vehicle handling
lower to ground makes it potentially harder for a casual thief to steal the catalytic convertor
potential for increased efficiency (vehicle slightly lower to ground, more aerodynamic)
car generally looks better (subjective)

"lower to ground makes it potentially harder for a casual thief to steal the catalytic convertor"
The thieves in the tristate area of the Northeast have absolutely no problem jacking these lowered cars up - of course this often leads to more damage but they do not seem to mind.

Plenty of non-lowered Prius around, so no reason to choose a lowered one which requires a jack. Thus, the jack option is definitely harder to steal. The faster rolling floor jacks are quite heavy and cumbersome, at times taking two people to lift. The car shown would be hard to get a normal jack under from the side. All jacks take time and are a lot more obvious to any witnesses vs just jumping under the vehicle with a saw.

[dknightd]

Lets pretend my Catalytic convertor got stolen. Lets pretend my car is fully insured. I assume this would fall under comprehensive coverage. Not accident, and not liability (unless the thief was perhaps hit by a falling catalytic converter, or car.)
I do not believe this is big problem. Despite what the news says. I would not spend money to protect my catalytic convertor. I guess I might change my mind if this was prevalent where I lived.

I know new ones cost a lot of money, probably becuase they are becoming vehicle specific. I have no idea what one is worth as scrap. Probably not much.

If I lived in an area of high theft I'd probably put a six pack of beer near the potential target. That might distract them, and give them something easy to steal.

[smitcat]

Yes, keep your vehicle low, especially if it is a hybrid with tons of palladium in the cat.

Does this really help? I thought the bad actors bring a portable car lift with them to the shopping mall.

How much would it cost to lower your vehicle, anyway?

The cost on lowering springs varies - generally $150 on up. There are also coil-overs, where the amount of lowering is adjustable rather than a set height. With vehicle lowering comes some a lot of cons and some pros:

cons:
installation cost on each axle (plus an alignment)
potential for reduced ride quality (varies depending on lowering amount 10mm, 30mm, 40mm, etc.) and spring brand/quality
potential for scraping bumpers, underside of car on speed bumps, steep angles of driveways, etc.
potential for serious damage to oil pan/exhaust, etc.
potential for increased tire wear due to increased camber (unless this is corrected with additional parts)

pros:
lower center of gravity, better vehicle handling
lower to ground makes it potentially harder for a casual thief to steal the catalytic convertor
potential for increased efficiency (vehicle slightly lower to ground, more aerodynamic)
car generally looks better (subjective)

"lower to ground makes it potentially harder for a casual thief to steal the catalytic convertor"
The thieves in the tristate area of the Northeast have absolutely no problem jacking these lowered cars up - of course this often leads to more damage but they do not seem to mind.

Plenty of non-lowered Prius around, so no reason to choose a lowered one which requires a jack. Thus, the jack option is definitely harder to steal. The faster rolling floor jacks are quite heavy and cumbersome, at times taking two people to lift. The car shown would be hard to get a normal jack under from the side. All jacks take time and are a lot more obvious to any witnesses vs just jumping under the vehicle with a saw.

From direct reports of folks investigating 100's of these they always carry a jack - they can jack that car from a number of spots not worrying or caring whether the jacking process causes damage.

Garaging the vehicle is a known deterrent, owning a vehicle with a less desirable converter is a known deterrent.

[smitcat]

Lets pretend my Catalytic convertor got stolen. Lets pretend my car is fully insured. I assume this would fall under comprehensive coverage. Not accident, and not liability (unless the thief was perhaps hit by a falling catalytic converter, or car.)
I do not believe this is big problem. Despite what the news says. I would not spend money to protect my catalytic convertor. I guess I might change my mind if this was prevalent where I lived.

I know new ones cost a lot of money, probably becuase they are becoming vehicle specific. I have no idea what one is worth as scrap. Probably not much.

If I lived in an area of high theft I'd probably put a six pack of beer near the potential target. That might distract them, and give them something easy to steal.

What is your insurance deductible?
Used converters sell for about $50 to 8X that dependent upon the vehicle. That is the reason why some cars are targeted and others are left mostly alone.

[dknightd]

What is your insurance deductible?

$500

What is your deductible. I doubt the theifs care.

[smitcat]

What is your insurance deductible?

$500

What is your deductible. I doubt the theifs care.

That is what your costs will be in a converter theft - ours is $1,000.

[dknightd]

What is your insurance deductible?

$500

What is your deductible. I doubt the theifs care.

That is what your costs will be in a converter theft - ours is $1,000.

The direct cost would be $500 for me, or $1000 for you. The indirect costs would be higher.

[Raybo]

A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle pointed out that there is a several month wait to get a new catalytic converter for a Prius. In the meantime, the car might not work properly.

So, in addition the costs of replacement, you might have to add the cost of storage of a non-working car and a rental, if needed.

We keep our Prius in a garage, but I worry about it when it is parked in a lot when we drive it somewhere.

[neowiser]

This topic appears frequently on Nextdoor, and several people have recommended just driving without the CC after having an extension placed on the pipe to reduce noise. Of course it would not be possible to pass the smog check and register the car.

We have a 2004 Prius with only 70,000 miles. I read that the CC in older models have higher amounts of precious metal and are therefore more desirable to thieves, but I've also been told that older converters are less desirable because of wear and tear.

[neilpilot]

This topic appears frequently on Nextdoor, and several people have recommended just driving without the CC after having an extension placed on the pipe to reduce noise. Of course it would not be possible to pass the smog check and register the car.

We have a 2004 Prius with only 70,000 miles. I read that the CC in older models have higher amounts of precious metal and are therefore more desirable to thieves, but I've also been told that older converters are less desirable because of wear and tear.

I suspect that many locations do not require a smog test, so those without a CC would have no problem with registration renewal. Where I live there hasn't been a vehicle inspection requirement for at least a decade.

[smitcat]

What is your insurance deductible?

$500

What is your deductible. I doubt the theifs care.

That is what your costs will be in a converter theft - ours is $1,000.

The direct cost would be $500 for me, or $1000 for you. The indirect costs would be higher.

Absolutely.

[OldSport]

On our block alone which consists of about 20 homes, we’ve had three CCs stolen in the last six months including my neighbor. I’d like to think we stay in a nice neighborhood, but it doesn’t matter. I tried to have my mechanic add a cage to my CC but he doesn’t think my CC will be targeted due to its location. I walk out to my car each morning expecting the worse. Only time will tell.

If the vehicle must be parked outside, anyway to activate motion alarm if the vehiclen is distributed and/or have video camera record the crime and have automatic motion lights in the location. , or other deterrents?

[OldSport]

This topic appears frequently on Nextdoor, and several people have recommended just driving without the CC after having an extension placed on the pipe to reduce noise. Of course it would not be possible to pass the smog check and register the car.

We have a 2004 Prius with only 70,000 miles. I read that the CC in older models have higher amounts of precious metal and are therefore more desirable to thieves, but I've also been told that older converters are less desirable because of wear and tear.

I suspect that many locations do not require a smog test, so those without a CC would have no problem with registration renewal. Where I live there hasn't been a vehicle inspection requirement for at least a decade.

It seems this is a really bad problem in California, especially the SF bay area. In general it seems so much "harder" to live a normal life in that area these days than before the pandemic.