Toyota Prius Owners Are Asking To Have Their Cars Recalled Due To Theft Of Catalytic Converters

"The catalytic converter just got stolen from my '07 Prius for the second time in two months — and it took nearly three weeks to get the part in to fix it the first time because this is happening to so many people."

Imagine you as a Prius owner having your catalytic converter stolen not once but twice. Now imagine you have shelled out over $5,000 to get your car back on the road. Now ask yourself, does this seem okay? Your answer is more than likely going to be no. Sadly, this is not the first time, and it will not be the last time we hear this scenario.

Time and again, people all over the world driving Toyota Prius' are being robbed, and getting angry. The issue is now where Prius owners ask for Toyota to do something about it.

Prius Owners Are Asking Toyota To Recall And Repair The Vehicles
"Is there any chance Toyota will confess they screwed up, order a recall and install that $300 protective metal plate that should have been there in the first place? How on earth did they not stamp the VIN on the most valuable and easy-to-steal part in the car?"

Those are strong words from a Prius owner who had her converter stolen twice. She is furious with the scenario that allows low life thieves to profit off of hard-working people. Now, she and others like her are asking Toyota to do something about it. Their reply? You guessed it; they want what is working, what is working is Cat Security™.

Cat Security Is In Demand By Prius Owners
I have followed this story since the inception of it back in October of 2019. They have done nothing but try to get people to understand the issue at hand and then do something about it.

Now people are taking note of what is working, and they are asking for the product by name. "There is a $225 product called Cat Security. It is a shield that bolts to the bottom of a Prius, which blocks access to the car." writes one Prius owner to another who is seeking to protect their vehicle from theft.

What is interesting is this. Prius owners are asking Toyota to take the Cat Security protective shield and install it on their cars. Following the story like I have, I find this bit of information amazing. People do not want a Toyota repair; they want a repair that they know is working.

What People Are Saying About Cat Security
I own two Gen 2 Toyota Prius personally, so you can imagine that when I heard my car was at risk and what the repair bill could be, I lost my cool.

If I had to shell out thousands of dollars to repair my car because someone wanted a quick buck, I would want to hold the manufacturer responsible. That is a cost that should not have to be incurred unless the converter did fail.

When I learned, I could protect my Prius; I bought shields for both of my cars. I am not the only one that thinks Cat Security™ is a great idea, though. I went and pulled some reviews to see what other people were saying about them too.

One product user writes, "After the cat on our Prius was stolen, we were looking to help secure it. Insurance said to build a garage for the car (we live on a steep slope, a garage would be costly). One of the cops who came out said there were plates available that would help secure the unit. I ordered this device and had our mechanic install it. If someone wants to steal the cat, they'll have to drill out the rivets and somehow undo the security screws."

How about that insurance company telling owners to build an entire garage for their car? That is ludicrous.

Conclusion
I think Toyota Motor Corp does need to step in and help out their owners. This is a raging problem that is impacting people everywhere in the world. The fact that Prius owners are calling on Toyota to make it right is not surprising to me in the least. The most surprising thing is that they are asking for a non-Toyota repair.

My question to Toyota is this: What are you going to do to help these owners, and when are you going to do it? Maybe it is time to start a petition to get the attention of Toyota Motor.

Thank you all for reading. I hope you have a fantastic Monday and your Prius is safe. Until next time! 3 Ways To Help Increase Acceleration On Your Toyota Prius

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Peter Neilson is an automotive consultant specializing in electric cars and hybrid battery technologies. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Service Technology from Weber State University. Peter is also an Instructor of Automotive Technology at Columbia Basin College. Peter can be reached on Linkedin and you can tweet him at The_hybrid_guy on Twitter. Find his page on Facebook at Certified Auto Consulting. Read more of Peter's stories at Toyota news coverage on Torque News. Search Toyota Prius Torque News for more in depth Prius coverage from our reporters.