Hi All, My daughter just called me to tell me her 2005 Prius now sounds like a race car. I immediately knew that the catalytic converter was stolen. She lives about 100 miles from my house and my first priority is to get the car back here so I can fix it. 1) Can I drive the car without the catalytic converter for ~100 miles. I know it will trip error codes, but other than that will it cause any damage to the car? 2) For a replacement catalytic converter, are there any suggestions? I did some quick research: - Toyota OEM: $1,677 - eBay ("new"): $175 to $257 - carparts.com: $257 - RockAuto: $331 - junkyard: not an option in my state Thanks so much, Mark
I was recently pricing out a new catalytic converter from Walker exhaust. The Walker part numbers and prices for my 2006 Prius were as follows: Walker P/N Description Rock Auto Price 31379 head pipe gasket $16.66 36454 bolt kit for head pipe 8.06 16337 catalytic converter* 300.79 35405 1 5/8" clamp 0.84 Subtotal (before sales tax and S&H) $326.35 Alternatively, Amazon has a generic catalyst with bolt kit, gasket and clamp for about $130 (plus sales tax and S&H). This item is pretty highly rated and is considered the Amazon Best Choice. See: *- not certified for use in CA, CO or NY.
Thank you for your response. I will check the Amazon listing. I just viewed a video that said it is OK to drive the car without the catalytic converter but it trips an error code since the down stream O2 sensor is gone. Here is the video:
I'd hesitate to drive any car more than a very short distance without the exhaust system intact. Without the exhaust gasses being safely led away from the floor of the car, something important could be melted or even set on fire. I don't know how the highly-tuned and computerized system will respond to the loss of the back-pressure that the converter and rest of the exhaust system provide. At the VERY least, you'd want to make sure that the exhaust was directed down and away from the underbody. I'd be willing to bet you'd be breaking at least a noise ordinance. Your insurance company probably wouldn't approve either. Probably better off buying the needed parts and fixing it there instead of driving it.
Wise advice. I will travel to my daughter's place tomorrow and fully evaluate the situation. The problem is she lives in an apartment and fixing the car in the parking lot will be very difficult.
Purchase the cat shown above. I've installed several of them. They fit very well and come with the correct fasteners. This will only work if the thieves left about 2 inches of pipe at the resonator. If they cut it right at the resonator, you'll need to remove it and get something weld to it. The OEM pipe size between resonator and bottom cat is 43 mm OD. This replacement cat utilizes 2" pipe that is crimped down for the last 4-5 inches to slip perfectly onto the 43mm OD pipe. typically the thieves unbolt the front flange and just leave the bolts/springs under the car. See if she can find them. The kit comes with new ones, but I prefer to use the OEM. You'll need: a set of ramps to drive the front of the car onto a floor jack to lift the back of the car (the higher the better) 2 jack stands or something else suitable to support the rear of the car after lifting. 14mm socket. I use an impact, but any 1/2" drive with at least 16" of extension should be suitable. If the bolts are still installed they can sometimes be pretty tight. If they cut the wires to the O2 sensor, you'll need a new one. and I'm drawing a blank on wrench size for the O2 sensor. It's either a 22 or 24mm (7/8 or 15/16 works) Also forgot to mention the clamp that's included is actually for 2" pipe, so swing by Oreillys Auto Parts and purchase a 1.75" heavy duty exhaust pipe clamp for about $4. It's a perfect fit and seals extremely well. Nickson #17122
You guys are making me very glad I live far enough away from a large Metro area where cats go missing.... If it ain't an F150, nobody around here cares.
Update: I was able to get my daughter's 05 Prius home. I had to drive 120 miles with nothing but a straight pipe and I sure did get some strange looks. The only error code tripped was the downstream O2 senor error (P0141) and the gas mileage did not seem impacted one way or another as far as I could tell. I'll order the Walker aftermarket catalytic converter from RockAuto today. The thieves left about 1" of pipe before the resonator and I hope that is enough so I don't have to have a short piece of pipe welded on. Our muffler shops around here don't do exhaust customizations for liability reasons so finding someone to weld the exhaust might be challenging. My daughter is keen on installing a shield and a tilt alarm to prevent future catalytic converter theft. For the tilt alarm I will most likely tap into the door switch as shown here: For the shield, my daughter would like to get this one: or this one: MILLERCAT 2004-2009 Prius Gen 2 Cat Shield™– MillerCAT Corp Does anyone have any other recommendations to deter future catalytic converter theft? Thanks all and have a great Sunday, Mark
The one quoted on Amazon is for a Gen 3 Prius. The 2004 is a Gen 2, This is the shield that you need. CAT DEFENDER™️ 2004-2009 Toyota Prius Catalytic Converter Security/ Protection | eBay The Miller Cat one will work. Glad you made it back safely.
Unfortunately, this is beginning to not matter. Columbia police recently arrested a group of guys who were driving down here from Charlotte (100 miles away), scouting cars and locations so they could come back at night and cut cats out. Becoming a mobile business. A bit like a part time weekend job.
Thanks Georgina and thanks for pointing out the incorrect link reference. I did some reading on this and I will need to upgrade to stainless rivets and rubber grommets to prevent rattling. It is unfortunate that the plate is made of aluminum, but it is just a deterrent and not a rock solid guarantee.
Aluminum is fine. It is harder to cut and loads up the abrasive cut off disc on a battery powered angle grinder. Steel (including stainless) clean cutoff discs are readily available at Lowe's and Home Depot. They will also find the tool handy for quickly cutting off the exhaust pipe. They will grind off the fasteners with the edge of the discs anyway.
Luckily, we don't have a large market around here for "exotic" things like "Catalytic Converters". That's not to say that stuff doesn't go missing with some regularity here. Generally it's tools, trailers, ATVs, generators, etc. Like most places, crooks around here are lazy and go for the low-hanging fruit. If you park a trailer with a nice generator or toolbox on it in sight of the road - you're asking to get robbed. (I think that) most of the thefts around here is by stoned/high people looking for $$$ for their next hit of Meth. On the theft-prevention side - out here in the rural area - getting caught on someone's property (or messing with someone's stuff) is very likely to get you shot. "We don't call 9-1-1" is pretty much the rule here. (And for good reason - the sheriff is unlikely to even bother returning your call.) That, and having acres and acres of property and a backhoe means that thieves caught in the act in this part of the country are unlikely to become repeat offenders....
