I learned something about Prius catalytic converters today...

My mom's catalytic converter was stolen, 4 months ago in Santa Cruz! 2009 Prius, that I helped her buy 3 years ago. She didn't think she needed comprehensive insurance because of being on a low fixed income from retirement. I wish I had known better! Now the car is not drivable, and every estimate we have gotten is close to 3k for a car we bought for 6k. We don't know how much damage the thieves incurred on the car, either... plus it definitely needs a new 12 v... PLUS mice got into the engine compartment while it was sitting outside in the apartment parking lot. Mom feels like repairing the car would be easier than buying a new used car (used cars are INSANELY expensive right now).... it's hard on her to not have a running car. I'm so confused about how to proceed! I worry that spending thousands to replace unimportant parts could be so costly on a 2009, the car ran well before all this... but what if other expensive parts go out like the Prius battery? I'd buy her a used Corolla in a heartbeat, but 2013s are going for 11k locally.

 

Meth and crack heads increase the likelihood of removal

Apparently 2006 OEM CATS are discontinued
If you can get evidence you can’t locate one you can apply for an exemption to put in an aftermarket

 

The most important advice I can give : the hybrid battery itself needs to be used, to stay healthy. It should be good on your car; *but* attach a charger to the 12volt battery, or jump start it (you can use any jump starter..... just........ be careful to put red/positive to red/ positive, and black/negative to black / negative.) it may well charge up the 12v enough to keep it alive.

This will let the engine charge the battery, and keep it more balanced - which is vital.

Two issues; 1. It will be noisy. So that may make this impossible (unless you can shift the car to another location without breaking too many laws). Depends on the apartment parking lot - you may need help from someone on here...

2. Without a catalytic converter, it will put out carbon monoxide. Deadly in confined spaces, harmless otherwise.

Can you see if anyone here is local to help? I would except I’m in New Zealand so :/ (also be careful of covid-19 - there is a reason China *still* won’t let it spread freely in their country).

I hope you can get it fixed!

 

New Zealand doesn’t need catalytic convertors*

My 2003 has a straight pipe instead of a cat. Totally legal. If someone takes my 2008 cat, again straight pipe is legal.

I wish other governments could allow limited exemptions (eg in areas with better air quality, and provisos (it passes the standard fuel-injection smog tests, which it would do easily). It is a shame to throw away a whole Prius, due to the catalytic converters which remove the tiny amount of pollution it would make otherwise.

 

A simple exception to use federalize aftermarket is all that is needed to “mostly “ solve this issue

 

An alleged cat thief was captured at gunpoint in Bremerton this morning. But after putting their guns away while waiting for police to arrive, the perp pulled out a knife and stabbed his captors. He didn't get away.

Two stabbed after confronting a man allegedly trying to steal catalytic converter

Yesterday, a different local TV station had a cat theft story:
Six stolen every day in Seattle: Everything you wanted to know about the astronomical spike in catalytic converter thefts

Some figures are shown in the story, additional year-by-year figures for four counties shown in a linked tweet. (And I don't believe she actually meant "radium" as one of the precious metals.)

 

As I commented in the other thread, it’s unclear whether that’s true, or if they just can’t be ordered online.

CO is not the only pollutant targeted by the catalytic converters in Prius cars. As on most modern vehicles, these are three-way catalysts, which oxidize CO, oxidize hydrocarbons (HC), and reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx).

NZTA’s Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Exhaust Emissions 2007, as amended, provides (at clause 3.2) that “A vehicle’s exhaust emissions system or exhaust control equipment must not be modified so as to prevent the vehicle being able to pass the metered test,” which includes CO and HC limits.

I think that depends on when the car was first registered in New Zealand. If it was on or after May 1, 2010, and the car “has a catalytic converter [ . . . ] removed where there is evidence that one was originally fitted, and there is no written evidence issued by an entry certifier that the vehicle passed a prescribed metered emissions test in this condition” (NZTA Vehicle Inspection Requirements Manual, 11-2 Exhaust emissions), shouldn’t the car fail a warrant of fitness inspection, and thus be unlawful to operate?

 

That was why the * My NWH11 was imported before 2010; my NWH20 was new to the country, so was before 2010 also by definition. My NWH11 can have a tow bar fitted, as Japanese import, my NWH20 can’t as NZ new!

 

It's all well and good to put an asterisk, but if you don't include the footnote to explain why you put it, well then it is still just bad and misleading information.

 

And I don't believe she actually meant "radium" as one of the precious metals.

rhodium ....radium ....

it's all the same, lol

Rhodium ~$30k per ounce
Radium ~a million or so? and so hard to carry in your pocket...just ask the Curie family..

 

Off-topic, but this seems to be the NORM in a lot of ads. There’s an asterisk (or similar symbol), and no repeat with explanation, anywhere.

 

At worst, get the $110 amazon/ebay cat and an o2 sensor extension. No CEL, and less than $130 all in.

 

Probably meant rhodium- google says it goes for almost $22k per ounce.
oops- just like TMR-JWAP posted.

Don't know if the O2 sensor extension would work with the type of cat test used on the Prius.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

The extensions would keep the car from tripping a CEL with an aftermarket cat. I would be willing to bet a prius with a $100 cat would easily pass any CA tailpipe sniffer test.

 

In Cali, they're supposed to check for this during the SMOG test.

 

The past test was recent for us just plug OBDII connector that's all...

moto g(7) power ?

 

There’s a Cali approved aftermarket cat now? Maybe hard to find, and/or more expensive though?

 

I only checked for our v, the direct fit doesn't seem to be available. The front $1981and the rear $590 are available, but are universal type, per MagnaFlow website.

moto g(7) power ?

 

Have you tried any engine cleaning measures to reduce oil consumption?

This can range from just adding an engine cleaner to the oil at oil change time and running at idle for 10 - 15 min right up to adding a very potent solvent to each cylinder and letting it soak overnight. I believe the term used in the latter procedure is called a piston soak. There are more detailed threads here in the Gen 2 forums if you think you might like to try that. I have only done (and now do at each oil change) the former procedure and I did make a post detailing the types of products have or intend to use. The ones I prefer are Australian made so might not be available in the USA.