Catalytic Converter

[espnfreak]

Well i just found out today that i needed a new catalytic converter for my '96 xlt, the dealer said they would replace it for free since i bought the car. Anyone know how much those normally cost to replace? Also my radiator seal/cap is busted and they are charging me $35 bucks for that ( why not free? since the converter is free) Packey Webb is a very peculiar dealership that you should watch very carefully when buying a car. This dealership is in Wheaton, IL

 

[Ray Lobato]

Well I'm sure if you had to pay for the cat you would be paying alot, but did they say why it went bad? I have over 120K on my 97 and the cat is still good. I would be asking them why it went bad.

 

[Robert]

They are replacing the catalytic converter since it has an 8 year/80K mile extended emissions warranty. The radiator cap only carries the standard 3 year/36K warranty and that is if they don't try and call it a maintenance item.

 

[espnfreak]

yes they are replacing it on that 80k 8 year warranty, thank god it will be free, cuz the dealership charged ford 800 bucks to replace this. i heard it went bad because the o2 sensors in my car were also bad, is this true?

 

[Robert]

Well if the O2 sensors were bad, it would have set off your Check Engine light. Maybe whoever traded it in before you bought it had the codes reset, however if it was driven more than a couple of times since the light would have came back on. Was the light on when you bought it? Bad O2 sensors could probably make the converter go bad, however you would get a notification of the bad O2 sensors long before that happened. There are other things that can make it go bad. Heavy offroading that causes the insides to come loose, plugging it up comes to mind.

 

[isuballr]

I just bought a '97 eddie bauer 3 weeks ago. already the AC went out ($990 to fix), the CD changer burnt up, and i just found out the Cat is bad. the dealer, Elmhurst Toyota, refuses to fix any of it, which i think is crap. the check engine light went on the day after i bought it. how do i know if there is the 8 year 80k emmissions warranty? i'm already sick of this vehicle. my last Ex had no problems at all.

 

[Ford_Racing_Guy]

sometimes when sensors go, some fuel passes through the engine without getting fully ignited, this unburned fuel goes into the cats and causes them to go bad aka get plugged and whatnot