Catalytic Converter Replacement in Walnut Creek, CA
Catalytic converter replacement used to be a rare event – catalytic converters have no moving parts, so they rarely fail. But within the last few years, catalytic converter theft has become rampant throughout the Bay Area, and catalytic converter replacement has become an almost every day occurrence.
At Diablo Auto Specialists we offer catalytic converter replacement in Walnut Creek – whether your Prius, or Honda Element, or Toyota Highlander had the catalytic converter stolen, our technicians can repair the damage ( thieves often damage other components while stealing the catalytic converter) and we can install a new one as well.
The reason for the catalytic converter theft remains unchanged – high prices of precious metals used to manufacture catalytic converters. Platinum, rhodium, and palladium are at high price points, and these prices are not coming down. So we expect catalytic converter theft to continue. In addition to high prices, stealing converters is an easy, and a relatively safe crime. It take a thief less than two minutes to do the deed. Done in the dark of the night, it’s unlikely they will face capture or prosecution, and typically there is around $250-$300 of precious metal content in each stolen catalytic converter.
As we mentioned before, when stealing catalytic converters, thieves tend damage other parts as well. When you bring your vehicle to our Walnut Creek auto care facility, our technicians will inspect your vehicle and advise you on the extent of the damage, as well as the cost of replacement. Please note, if you have comprehensive insurance, it typically covers catalytic converter theft.
In our experience the vehicles most targeted are Toyota Prius and Honda Element, but we have also seen other Honda and Toyota vehicles, Fords, Nissans, we have even heard of school buses being visited by thieves.
When a catalytic converter fails “naturally”, the repair is pretty straightforward. We find a matching catalytic converter that satisfies (stringent) California regulations, remove the old converter and install the new catalytic converter. When we replace a stolen one, there are usually additional repairs to be performed due to damage during the theft – fortunately our technicians are highly skilled, but unfortunately, they now have plenty of experience repairing damage done by thieves.
Symptoms that could indicate need for catalytic converter replacement:
- Loss of power
- Engine misfires could signify failed catalytic converter
- Illuminated check engine light
- Rough running engine
- If your car starts up really loud in the morning (this is the telltale sign that the converter has been stolen).
Fortunately these can be symptoms of other, less expensive to repair problems, so if you notice any of them, bring your vehicle to Diablo Auto Specialists in Walnut Creek and let our technicians perform a thorough inspection to find the root cause of the problem. Our friendly service advisors will welcome you, while our technicians carry our professional inspection. You can also anticipate:
- 36 months / 36,000 miles nationwide warranty on all repairs
- California legal replacement catalytic converter
- Digital Vehicle Inspection with pictures for your records and for your insurance company
- Free local Uber/Lyft
Diablo Auto Specialists is a full service Walnut Creek auto care facility that provides broad range of services and repairs for domestic, Asian and European automobiles. So whether you vehicle needs catalytic converter replacement, or just an oil change, we are happy to provide you and your vehicle with superior customer service, as well as technical excellence. We offer online appointment on our website, or simply call the shop and our service advisor will be happy to answer your questions, and to make an appointment for you.