I have a few Questions to help educate myself of the safest rout to go. If you have a Cal emissions car then yes it needs the Cal convertor. Catalytic Converter. So any advice would be much appreciated. Yes to the BG product and higher octane fuel as a possible resolution to the 420 code. I though great! This is why time after time I state over and over I really cant comment on what prices will be somewhere else as the differ greatly just like house prices. I cant think of any other I would rather be in if I was ever in a Head on accident or out in the snow. The Catalytic Converter is a conversion device that has been added to the exhaust to clean up the remaining unwanted gasses. All Wheel Drive Auto, LLC is an Independent Subaru Service and Repair Facility. It my be time for a new car. Also the HG failure could have degraded the Catalyst as well, but the most common reason they fail is they get all choked up with carbon and crud and no longer reach the light off point. Subaru Forester 2009, Catalytic Converter and Pipe Assembly by Davico. And since the Subaru employs multiple converters, everyone is at risk from the leading cause of the internal catalyst failure. A sulfur or "rotten egg" smell indicates the formation of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a likely sign of catalytic converter contamination. Takata Airbag Inflator Recall. Hello, Justin, thank you for some terrific info you have provided on this site. Your article says a possible cause is sometimes its just a small exhaust leak. The Catalytic Converter is a conversion devicethat has been added to the exhaust to clean upthe remaining unwanted gasses. Yes the PZEV uses a different Catalyst Configuration. Converter etc. A local garage said the c at is wearing out and has a rattle. Should I have the cat replaced since its still in warranty? Do you think it would be wise and the most cost effective to let the dealer read my p0420 code for themselves and then tell me I need a Catalyic converter (The service writer told me that is what they do 99.9% of the time with the p0420 code). I called the dealer, and they say the car has already had the ECU update. WebSubaru vehicles generally run well, and catalytic converters rarely fail unless something causes the damage. Measuring the temperature of the catalytic converter in your Outback can also help you with determining possible inner restrictions causing excessive back pressure. Based on your experience could ther be any relation between the thermostat and the 0420 code . Thanks in advance for your response. It is a PZEV vehicle sold and driven in Pennsylvania. I have a 2008 Outback with approx. This same issue may cause the car to fail the State Smog Test if one is required. Always. The light off will be shown by data from the rear o2 sensor. I have a 2005 Subaru Legacy with 112,000 miles and recently my check engine light came on. The point I am trying to drive home is its not simple, its not possible to diagnose without testing, its instead at that point called guessing. Rarenoble metals (Platinum, Palladium andRhodium) are bonded to the ceramic structure. I have changed both O2 sensors. 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. Yep, need to get that code read! I dont want to put over $1,000 into a $2,500 car. EXHAUST & MUFFLER '04MY-'05MY. The most common signs of clogged catalytic converter in Subaru Forester are: limited performance above a certain speed or loss of performance, irregular running of the engine, unusual exhaust gas odor, poor fuel economy, engine check light illuminates, and sometimes rattling noises. at Subarus expense) but Im not so sure that its really necessary. I had the c converter replaced about 2 years ago. Diagnosis by the local dealer P0420. Catalytic Converter (Front) Webexhaust pipe containing the catalytic converter. Hi Justin, I would appeciate your comment on my 2010 Outback. Because the engine compartments are small and since the catalysts need heat to operate effectively, Subaru designed smaller converters and integrated them into the exhaust pipes--rather then employ a single, larger converter as most cars did at one time. The light stayed off for a week or two but then came back on and now never stays off for long even when I have the code cleared. Do you know of any independent subaru qualified mechanics in my area? Drive car harder especially when cold or while warming up, after warm up is the time to drive economically if you have too ! They also swapped O2 sensors from LHS to RHS and still got the same reading. The first time this happened, I took it back to the shop that replaced the wheel bearings and they found that the speed sensor on one of the wheels had been damaged during wheel bearing installation and they replaced that speed sensor. nitrogen. I too have an intermittent CEL on my 2006 Outback, 148k miles.I had the code checked,P0420. Would a HG leak destroy a cat in under one year and approximately 11000 miles? It also started occurring at slow speeds (driving around a parking lot). Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20. Great to find this information here. We review every problem as we work to keep our roads safe. These are Subarus sold in the lower 48 states and Alaska. Jody L. Campbell spent over 15 years as both a manager and an under-car specialist in the automotive repair industry. Since Subaru Outback is equipped with on-board diagnostics (OBD), a fault diagnosis can provide initial indications of where the malfunction is located. Any chance a remaining leak could be the root cause of this code? You wont find any answers until the code is read and a plan made form there. Probable causes One year life span for the aftermarket convertors is very typical and very unfortunate which is why we wont use them. On the way home from work it had some hesitation that at first I thought was caused by me not shifting correctly however a few miles down the freeway while going 75 the car started losing power and surging. At 75,000 mile maintenance, Dealer replaced head gasket under warranty. Any help or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Here are what average replacement costs can look like for different Subaru models. When I purchased my 05 Outback 2 years ago (then 125k, now 144k) the CEL was already on with an error code specific to the front O2 sensor (P0051 I think?). However, my cruise control isnt working. There is no more external oil or coolant leaks at the head anymore. Id like to get the issue diagnosed properly and was wondering what it would cost for the initial check by AWD Service? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. He wasnt sure why the check engine light was coming on and suggested I contact subaru. Clare. Ive just bought a used 2009 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Hello Justin. everything was fine for about 200 miles was all ok for the day though the following morning on cold start the light re-appeared and the fuse has blown again. brakes work ok when applied normally. Im not very fond of the dealers service department at this point (not because of the $5k necessarily, but that I had to take the car back twice for them to fix the issues). 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. Shouldnt they have thought of all that before recommending to replace? If your Subaru Outback has racked up over 100,000 miles and you see noticeable loss of performance with high fuel consumption, a defective catalytic converter should definitely be considered. Ive learned more here in the last 20 minutes, not just about emissions, but servicing and testing in general. Not psyched to pay 950 to replace the convertor. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20. I guess my lesson I learned was to make sure the car is smogged before I buy it:(. Sorry I dont understand this question. Or do you not have info info to make an educated guess (I wont hold you to any answer you give me as I understand there are a ton of variables)? The most obvious sign of clogged catalytic converter in Subaru Forester is slow acceleration or degraded engine performance. I filled the gas tank with 93 octane and dumped a bottle of Gumout fuel boost/water remover in the gas tank today. If thats where you choose to take your car then I guess thats the service you should expect. 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. Later that day, the light no longer appeared. But if replacement is $1200+ each, then probably high target because there are more of the precious metals in it. I replaced plugs, wires, and eventually the ignition coil when too much fuel is injected into the combustion chambers and there isnt enough air, can damage the catalytic converter in Subaru Outback. Low and behold recently Ive gotten the dreaded P0420. They need to be welded into the system are attached by clamps and sleeves. With so many converters, one of them is bound to need replacement at some point. Huge appreciation for that! Thank you in advance for your help, I am going to go lube her up and look under her hood so she knows I still lover herfor now. It has a HG leak, I lose coolant, not at a very high rate though. Hi Justin My car is a 2.5 06 Outback with 85,000 miles. P0420 code when I looked it up is bank 1. Is this indicating it is the cat conv at engine end that is reading below threshold.? From what I understood they are only going by OBD diagnostics. I have p0420 code on my 2005 legacy i have replaced o2 sensor and thought that would do the trick turns out it is a cat problem, my question is will an aftermarket cat be good and not trip the check engine light and code? The problem here is Ill have to go to the dealer because I cant find a proper shop to do this. Aftermarket Catalytic convertors are worth $ZERO. I objected by saying that it could be running rich for two reasons: Thanks for reading. it could be worth importing them myself from what Ive read online most Subaru ones appear to only be around the $1000 each mark. My car is still within the Cat warranty at 76K, but I have a rebuilt title and Im not sure they will honor it. 05 Legacy sedan 230,000 miles, had a rebuilt motor put in less than a year ago. Connect the hose of the gauge to where you removed the oxygen sensor. Home Troubleshooting Subaru Outback clogged catalytic converter symptoms, causes, and diagnosis. For $6.00 its worth a try.. Have a 420 code.Mech says to replace cat.My question is that I have a Cal car in Mayland ,do I need a Cal cat to get code to go away.Thanks. Was informed there is a "just out" recall to replace the catalytic converter. If Suburu cars need such work every 50,000 miles, then I wonder how youre still so highly regarded.. Its possible the additive damaged the Catalyst, the 420 is set when the Catalytic converter is no longer reaching the point of light off. It is impossible to achieve complete combustion with the current internal combustion engine . The catalytic converter aids the conversion of these. Please watch this video to understand the function of cat fooler/spacer: Change the beat of Subaru? Which of these am I looking for if it is the cat that needs replacing?? Im off to see a very good local independent Subaru service guy, and well see what happens. And ever since that repair, from time to time the CEL comes on and the cruise light blinks. Axles look fine on both sides. Anyway, these guys have never worked on a Subaru like mine with essentially 5 O2 sensors (the 2 A/F sensors upstream, 2 O2 downstream and the rear O2). Tim. Is that the next step prior to investing in a new CAT? I think I observed a good lights out condition (flat line) but with periodic rapid drop offs down to zero and then steep return to lights out. Im still getting the same gas mileage. Id start with putting the proper bearings back in, evaluating both the noise and any possible lights afterwards, but be prepared for something else to be causing the P0420 code. He examined the car and found a loose hose to (I think) the fuel pressure regulator or at least something that sounds like that. This was a pretty good chunk of change, so Im sure he was hoping it was good to go for awhile, but now this morning the Check Engine Light came on. Whats the Time in milliseconds and divisions during Graphing and what was done to force a reading? P0420 returned, and I tried CatClean in the gas tank The check-engine light on my 05 Outback came on two days ago. I am always vigilant about tightening the gas cap for several clicks. These heat shields are susceptible to exposure and can break loose from connections and create annoying rattles while driving. been maintained. FCA03. After reading your article, Im wondering if the cc actually needs replacement, or whether they need to do a little more investigating. This causes the vehicle to fail an emissions test. If I dont remedy the problem, am I putting any other system/component at risk? WebShop 2022 Subaru Outback Base Catalytic Converter (Front). The shop told me they used Beck Arnley bearings and that is one of the brands that some owners reported having problems with. Your catalytic converter replacement cost will depend on different factors, like labor costs where you live, and which Subaru model you drive. Over time, carbon deposits accumulate and clog up the catalytic converter, especially if the vehicle has racked up a lot of miles. I dont dispute that the catalytic converter probably needs replaced. Exhaust. It can run into problems over the normal life of the vehicle, and is often accompanied by OBDII code P0420. Most likely the rear 02 was set for a rear 02 sensor code on the 2007 as its fairly common. My dad recommends that I just sell the car, in fear that it may cost us much more than we bargained for. The Cerium acts like a spongeand soaks up the oxygen when the system islean and releases the oxygen when the mixtureis rich. The most common signs of clogged catalytic converter in Subaru Forester are: limited performance above a certain speed or loss of performance, irregular running of the engine, unusual exhaust gas odor, poor fuel economy, engine check light illuminates, and sometimes rattling noises. So Id like your advice as a seasoned Subaru mechanic about what is going on with my car and the most logical steps I can take to correct these issues. Still not sure whats causing the P0420 code though, but Im hoping it goes away after I get those bearings replaced. The thermostat being stuck open could affect the catalyst function but not the temperature gauge function, it could cause the gauge to read a lower temperature than normal but not cease to function. 3 cranks later it comes back on i went and had it tested this past Friday with a huge obd2 scanner that shows alll the runtime data the and while we were looking at read outs the code auto cleared like completely Vanished and all read outs looked correct especially now that i see your diagrams the o2 sensor read out nice and stable like when the code cleared itself im presuming this is the off position ? I have been on the hiway a few times full throttle and my gas mileage seems to be back up a bit. Rant over. The next part is a little less scientific and a little more in the grey area, its entirely possible for a check engine light to occur after the battery isdisconnectedand set a PO420 even though there were no indications of a catalyst issue prior. Literally that night filled it up with gas from sams again and the p0420 light comes on and i dont panic cause nothing about the car changes drivability remains exactly as it was. Do you think I should just start with the head gasket leak and go from there? We do not have an extended emmisons system warrenty here as it seems you do in the USA. View details Hide details. Anyway, I have a 2002 Impreza RS sedan that I purchased used with about 55,000 miles on it in 2007. Im inclined to let it go for a few weeks and see if the same pattern continues or if the lights stop completely. Subaru Head Gasket Problems Explained pt 2. You must know what is a normal reading however in order to know if the data shown is acceptable or not. I've heard they can get up to $1000 for the metals in Toyota cats. I have a 06 Legacy with 130,000 miles. At the next stop I popped the hood and noticed a severely leaking battery. Catalytic Converters are recyclable and just like any other recyclable material including engine oil and coolant is only hazardous if not handled properly. vapor, nitrogen, and oxygen before the exhaust is expelled into the. The P0420 may be related to what ever is causing the P0172, but I cant know that until I diagnosed. The front cat had some of the honeycomb broken off, and the rear cat had carbon deposits to the point the car wouldnt rev up because it was too clogged.