Bad Catalytic Converter - 2012 Prius v (lowercase v for Prius v) Three

If you get no help from Toyota, try an independent mechanic, cost should be much less.....

 

Used unit, from a crashed V is probably much cheaper. Any muffler shop should be able to weld it in

- Alex

 

My experience on other cars is most often a cat readout is the sensor and not the converter itself and about your mileage is where the sensors start to fail. My last car I had a sensor go at 65k and after replacement all was normal. They just age because they sit in the stream of exhaust gasses.

I don't know how Toyota does it but I've seen setups where there are pre and post converter sensors or just one.

So I'd ask what was the exact code and could it be just the sensor.

Converters go bad early most often because something unusual was dumped into them that they couldn't cope with. Some magic gas additive or even unburned gas from and engine valve system failure. I know of folks with 250k on their converters.

A normal muffler shop can handle either a sensor or a cat at a lot less cost than a dealer. A sensor takes 15 minutes, most waiting for the exhaust system to cool down once the car is driven onto the lift.

And I don't know who makes the sensors for Toyota but on my non-Toyota brand car I did find out who made em before the car manufacturer stenciled their logo onto them and repackaged them. Saved 50% in parts.

 

I thought the emissions system had a longer warranty?