Protecting Your Prius From Catalytic Converter Theft

Catalytic Converter Theft

Catalytic converters play an important role towards cleaner air. So much so, that following California’s vanguard measures of requiring original equipment catalytic converters in order to pass emissions testing, other states are following with similar laws. As a result, there is an increased demand for catalytic converters that has spawned a black market trade by unsavory criminal types looking for an easy buck by stripping unprotected cars of their catalytic converters.

A particular angst of this type of thievery for the car owner/victim is that in order to comply with the law, is that the owner may have to replace the stolen component with the same one used by the manufacturer of the vehicle. And it will not come cheap. Especially if your auto insurer will not cover the loss---anywhere between $3,000 to $8,000---and you might also have to contend with additional damages to your car. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, thieves often do significant damage to other parts of the vehicle during the process of liberating a catalytic converter from a vehicle.

What You Can Do To Protect Yourself and Your Prius

Depending on the state you live in, you might not be able to buy and install an aftermarket catalytic converter to replace the one that is stolen. Therefore, some theft prevention makes sense, and cost-wise is a good investment.

While there is no surefire way to totally protect yourself without encouraging catastrophic damage from an overly ambitious car parts thief, law enforcement officials note that making a theft more difficult than is normally required is often deterrent enough for the criminally minded to pass on your vehicle and find a lower fruit to pick.

Another Great Toyota Maintenance You Tube Channel Video

That said, here is a very useful Toyota Maintenance You Tube channel video that shows how to install a Cat Shield on a Prius as a measure toward catalytic converter protection. What makes this video especially informative is that it shows how to adapt the shield to a Prius with the required hole drilling needed to successfully attach the shield to a Prius.

Prius Gen 2 Catalytic Converter Shield from CAT SHIELD

For more about care repair, maintenance and repair with a Prius or other models of cars, be sure to check our website for the latest, useful information for the car enthusiast.

For More DIY Type Articles: Here is a simple one on on how to remove a dent from your car's bumper.

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Timothy Boyer is Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily automotive repair and maintenance news.