Thank you for any information on this subject. Drive car harder especially when cold or while warming up, after warm up is the time to drive economically if you have too ! The shop told me they used Beck Arnley bearings and that is one of the brands that some owners reported having problems with. I would say yes its uncommon to need a second Catalyst at 50k after the first but I dont know if the front air fuel sensor was ever replaced or if there is something else going on? He was able to get a wrench on the hose clamp to tighten it down. Subaru has determined that the efficiency of your vehicles front catalytic converter may degrade over time. The car is now on its 5th cat. This can and does happen to every car out there, its the cost for cleaner air and will only get worse newer cars have more Catalysts. Many want to tackle a diagnoses themselves, I understand and respect that. FCFE2. Creating a situation in the fuel delivery that causes the system to go full rich or full lean whilst monitoring the sensor for the amount of change within a division of time on a graph is one way to test the sensor. Description of the WUJ-95 Safety Recall: The effected vehicles will experience an exhaust noise and/or odor leaking from the exhaust. An infrared thermometer can be used for this test. Also, using the Torque smartphone app (I hope youre familiar with this), what display should I be looking at to check the rear o2 sensor waveform? FCA03. Catalytic Converter Thefts Have Skyrocketed Since 2019 According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which tracks crimes reported to insurance companies, the number of reported catalytic converter thefts increased from roughly 1,300 in 2018 to more than 52,000 in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available. They are an independent mechanic (Friend). The gas odor is probably a fuel leak, use the search feature and type in fuel smell and have a read. so you think just go for a test will the cat light ofF? Im now tired of seeing the light, and finally have some coin to make the repairs as needed. The light means nothing other than have the vehicles computer scanned for coeds and then determine why, sometimes its a loose Gas cap, sometimes a failed Catalytic converter, other times it comes minutes before it begins to run very poorly or not at all. Short Term Fuel Trim in normal ranges during driving; however at idle hot spikes from -13.3 to +29.7 (normal ranges +/-10) Larry, https://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-check-engine-light-code-reader-suggestion/. After this switch the check engine light disappeared. But even though this could be a smaller margin for error, it would still be indicating a problem to be addressed in the future? However, this is not always the case, as a bad oxygen sensor can also trigger catalytic converter codes. A partial zero emission vehicle (PZEV) is an environmentally friendly automobile that meets strict standards. Hello, Justin, thank you for some terrific info you have provided on this site. I went to part source and had it scanned and a code came back as PO420.. I have a 2008 Outback with approx. Why Is The Power Steering Making Noise on My Subaru Outback? Also, is there another test the garage should be doing? If you have a Cal emissions car then yes it needs the Cal convertor. Now, I own and run a good shop that cares about our customers, If you go to a Dealer it will be higher, if you go to a general repair shop it may be higher still and not correct, if you find a version of my shop near you, than you should expect to pay close to what we charge if not it will be different. Toggle navigation. Many converters on Subarus begin at a front Y-pipe that bolts to both sides of the engine. Thank you. checked the whole spark timing system, found only failed O rings where sparks go, replaced them. Id drive the vehicle in a way that builds up a little heat before replacing the convertor. Ken. Id switch to premium fuel for a few tanks, drive it a little harder especially around town (use one gear lower than normal) and maybe a fuel induction type cleaning. Thats why no one really wants to tell you if you should drive it, a good idea is having your own code scanner and checking it your self here and there until you can budget for repairs if you choose to do them. Unfortunately this did not work either. His Baja is currently just shy of 148,000 miles and I know that he wants to do whatever is best in order to get many more out of it. Need to perform a Catalyst test and try to determine whats wrong. code of P0420. Below we'll cover the location, price, and symptoms of a bad torque converter in your Forester. If the catalytic converter efficiency degrades beyond an acceptable level, your vehicle may be releasing air pollutants that Hello, Next step is to drive it harder than normal and try to burn off any contaminants. Axles look fine on both sides. You could try using higher octane fuel and some spirited driving for a bit and see if that helps it. I only wish you were in New England instead of Seattle. These are obviously aftermarket and he only charged her for the 1st one, about $600. Really cant speculate on whats the matter, its possible the booster is failing but that would be very uncommon. Like yourself I decided to live with it since it wasnt imparing my driving. CEL has been off for about 2 weeks but came back on last night (no driveability problems). my CAT is good, Ive changed the secondary O2 sensor as well, searched for leaks before O2 sensors, did not find any. Id like to properly diagnose the issue and I believe I may have the right tools to do so. This same issue may cause the car to fail the State Smog Test if one is required. They reprogrammed the ECM. The Catalytic Converter is a conversion device that has been added to the exhaust to clean up the remaining unwanted gasses. The why is learned data that has been lost typically with light of parameters, coolanttemperatureand maybeenginerepairs that make changes inCombustion temperature such as replacing leaking head gaskets. My 06 outback kept tripping the 420 code off and on for a year. The point where therear oxygen sensor becomes a straight line iscalled the catalytic converter light off point. A clogged catalytic converter essentially "suffocates" the engine, preventing it from "exhaling" the exhaust. Will this not let to increased fuel consumption? Thanks in advance for your response. Start the engine of your Subaru Forester and wait until it is at the right operational temperature level. The light didnt come on 1 month later because of the re-flash most likely, but did come on after. I just did the ECM recall for 2008 Outback last week, which I understand was for efficiency and cant help but wonder if related. I have an innovate LM2 wideband sensor, can I use it to get the information necessary to better know whether or not I need a new CAT or O2 sensors? It is a 2010 Forester none turbo. I love the advice you give. Full I called back after finding your site and they told me they could do the cold start test for about $150. Buying and replacing the converters will be expensive enough. Converter Configuration: Direct Fit. But its back on, triggered by, seemingly, making a simple right turn. Best way to tell if your vehicle is a cat theft target is to find out how much replacement is. Is it possible the aftermarket muffler is leaking ? 2022 Subaru Outback Base {{loadingIndicator}} Hamburger menu. My independent Subie guy has access to some used Cats for about $500 installed, but Im concerned thats not the only issue. If you see any fault code from P0420 to P0424 or from P0430 to P0434 in the OBD2 scanner, it indicates a problem with the catalytic converter. With a noticeable loss of performance, high fuel consumption and more harmful emissions at the tailpipe, a defective catalytic converter should definitely be considered. nitrogen. Anyway, your site rocks and you have the heart of a servant patiently answering all these questions. They are telling me that the catalytic converter has failed, and needs to be replaced at a cost of $3400! A sulfur or "rotten egg" smell indicates the formation of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a likely sign of catalytic converter contamination. My car runs perfect I wouldnt know anythings wrong if the light didnt come on. Catalytic Converter (Front) The best advice I received was that the right front wheel bearings needed to be replaced. If its over 80,000 miles than you should budget for a Catalytic converter Replacement in the Future. Recall date. I know thats confusing at times but Welcome to the US government. Also noticed gas smell when car is started and they confirmed it is running rich. Service rep stated that in some instances, the attached heat shield cannot be removed (due to rust) and needs to be replaced (which could require later revisit). Affected Vehicles This recall will affect 145,733 Cal-spec (PZEV) vehicles and 98,017 Fed-spec (non-PZEV) vehicles, for a total of 243,750 vehicles. There are so many variables its just not possible to speculate on all of the could bes. Campbell began his professional writing career in 2004 with the publication of his first book. Then the car will sit in my driveway until he gets back from his trip and he decides on how to proceed. My biggest confusion is which cat conv is the problem. This is to get your attention as the public tends to ignore the check engine light or think they just have a loose gas cap, then the next day they are stranded. If you dont have any good advice I have a 2000 subaru outback for sale. It is not uncommon to see yet another converter downstream integrated in the construction of an intermediate pipe. Thanks. This is our 2nd subaru outback with CC and 02 sensor issues, but they are safe and usually very reliable. The cat fooler is installed between the pipe and o2 sensor. Model Year Carline Affected Production Dates 2015-2016 Legacy 12/16/2013 9/30/2015 2016-2016 Outback 12/9/2013 9/30/2015 You have a very expensive system, that over the course of time will most likely have most if not all of the components replace minus the ECM, it doesnt sound like its still had a real diagnoses, I am not seeing Exhaust gas information, heat readings and graphed data. What fuel additive would you suggest, if any? The check-engine light on my 05 Outback came on two days ago. What gives? was not on b4 now. It my be time for a new car. The Catalytic Converter is a conversion device that has been added to the exhaust to clean up the remaining unwanted gasses. Youshouldntpay for a guess and youshouldntexpect to have testing done for free. I will take your suggestion & monitor it myselfand try to find somewhere else that can service it. Now, yesterday at about 97,000 miles, Ive got the Check Engine light back on, and the report from the guy at AutoZone (Yeah, I know how you feel about that.) Prior to that, he managed two different restaurants for over 15 years. Any advice is appreciated. Reading out the fault codes using a diagnostic device is relatively reliable. reads: P0420 Catalyst Information Below Threshold Home Troubleshooting Subaru Forester clogged catalytic converter symptoms, causes, and diagnosis. HGs replaced at 140K by Subaru. I have not used the Torque app as I have the factory Scan tool but the pictures in the article do show what you need to be looking for when graphing data from the rear 02 sensor when trying to determine if the converter is reaching light off. At the time of purchase we took it to a Subaru dealership of our own choosing and paid for a multi-point inspection (the same one they do for certified pre-owned cars). Helps your vehicle emit harmless gases Direct OEM replacement. Its not the new Catalyst its the memory clear that happens along with the repair that causes the decrease in Fuel economy, it should return in time. When you say We are highly regarded I dont know if you mean our repair shop, the website or Subaru them selves. View details Hide details. P0420 returned, and I tried CatClean in the gas tank Also the 2007 should have an applicable software update for some that just need to have parameters tweaked. Also, thanks for taking the time to help out fellow Subaru drivers. 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