Do you drive a Prius? Check this out

[14Accent]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but since it's general knowledge and could help many I figured here was fine.

I'm not sure if this issue has arisen all over the country, maybe my fellow auto tech's could chime in on that, but around the Twin Cities area catalytic converter theft has become RAMPANT. Easily the most common model affected are Toyota Prius', everything after the 1st gen. This is a $1,300 to $2,600 repair depending on which parts are used and what year it is. Just recently, we started offering a product at my shop to help prevent just such an occurrence.

A company called Cat Security has recently released their cat shield product, an aluminum/multiple aluminum plates that are riveted to the bottom of the car to prevent access to the cat itself. See: Cat Security: Toyota Prius catalytic converter shield

Author's note: I have absolutely no foot in this company. I just fix em' as I see em'. But given how many of these I've seen lately, this was one of those "Why didn't I think of that!?" moments. Sad that it's come to this, but it really is a nicely made piece and installs relatively easily.

Also, just for fun, the best (worst) vehicle I've had come through with stolen emissions equipment was a newer 6.7 Ford. They cut out the pressure sensors, DPF, cat, O2's, everything. Over $8k to repair!

 

[supton]

Rhetorical question: any chance they sharpen the edges to razor-sharp? You know, in areas where one might be tempted to grab and rip off...

I guess this is up there with locking gas caps and the like. Shame that some stoop this low. That's life I guess.

Maybe in the future this won't be a problem. When stealing things requires one to cut across wires with a few hundred volts it will become a self-correcting problem.

 

[spasm3]

Recyclers need to only accept cores from shops to stop this.

 

[Astro14]

Recyclers need to only accept cores from shops to stop this.

Thus ending DIY repair of exhaust systems?

Not sure I can support that, having replaced a cat this year on my wife’s car.

I did it for $400. Dealer/shop cost was $2,000.

 

[eljefino]

My prii are rolling on $100 ebay aftermarket cats. The OBD scan loves them just the same, everything clicks in within ~8 miles.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Recyclers need to only accept cores from shops to stop this.

Thus ending DIY repair of exhaust systems?

Not sure I can support that, having replaced a cat this year on my wife’s car.

I did it for $400. Dealer/shop cost was $2,000.

Doesn't necessarily have to end DIY repair.

In that case, you can return the old cat to the store you bought the replacement cat from. For Amazon, Rock Auto, and other online stores, you can ship it back to them (or in Amazon's case, take the old cat to Kohl's).

 

[JC1]

OEM cat prices are nuts. When I had my sienna the OEM pipes and cat were $1300. I used the cheap $200 aftermarket ones. Had to replace the cat twice since they are so cheap and don't last as long as OEM.

 

[SZR48207]

Funny enough my Tacoma has an aftermarket skid plate that I use to protect the ATF pan and to prevent cat theft. I guess Toyotas are an easy target for cat thieves because the cats are just bolted on for the most part, but lithium tools would make the job just as easy (if not a bit noisy) with a recip saw.

Copper and cat thieves are just scum.

 

[spasm3]

Thus ending DIY repair of exhaust systems?

Not sure I can support that, having replaced a cat this year on my wife’s car.

I did it for $400. Dealer/shop cost was $2,000.

Doesn't necessarily have to end DIY repair.

In that case, you can return the old cat to the store you bought the replacement cat from. For Amazon, Rock Auto, and other online stores, you can ship it back to them (or in Amazon's case, take the old cat to Kohl's).

Exactly, i would not want to prevent the diy either. I'm talking about the re-cycler not doing business with the crack-heads toting a pickup truck full of whacked off cats.

 

[nthach]

My cat got stolen. In CA, only OEM is acceptable to pass visual. I paid a $100 comprehensive deductible. I had AAA’s approved body shop do the repairs and told the shop to leave my car parked there overnight. Then I made a beeline to one of the more well known Toyota indies here for cables to be welded on for $250 - I wanted them to do the repairs but alas, this AAA rep was stalling my anti-steering attempts.

There’s a big problem with the homeless in CA, but I won’t go there for obvious reasons here.

Catalytic Converter Theft

People are stealing Prius converters like crazy lately. We've developed a theft deterant method to help prevent catalytic converter theft.

artsautomotive.com

 

[slacktide_bitog]

My cat got stolen. In CA, only OEM is acceptable to pass visual. I paid a $100 comprehensive deductible. I had AAA’s approved body shop do the repairs and told the shop to leave my car parked there overnight. Then I made a beeline to one of the more well known Toyota indies here for cables to be welded on for $250 - I wanted them to do the repairs but alas, this AAA rep was stalling my anti-steering attempts.

There’s a big problem with the homeless in CA, but I won’t go there for obvious reasons here.

Catalytic Converter Theft

People are stealing Prius converters like crazy lately. We've developed a theft deterant method to help prevent catalytic converter theft.

artsautomotive.com

Somebody needs to make a CARB-approved converter for these cars.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Rhetorical question: any chance they sharpen the edges to razor-sharp? You know, in areas where one might be tempted to grab and rip off...

I guess this is up there with locking gas caps and the like. Shame that some stoop this low. That's life I guess.

Maybe in the future this won't be a problem. When stealing things requires one to cut across wires with a few hundred volts it will become a self-correcting problem.

480 volt 3 phase. That was the nasty stuff .

 

[antonmnster]

480 volt 3 phase. That was the nasty stuff

When I worked on a ski hill with snowmaking equipment, I learned that while 110v might tickle, 480 shorted would create an explosive ball of plasma that would ruin your day.

 

[tbm5690]

Never even heard of this being a thing...the lengths people will go to. Straight pipe it is then!