We hate to say it here at Righter’s Auto Repair, but if your vehicle’s engine is extremely loud when you first fire it up, it’s probable that someone has stolen the catalytic converter for its precious metals. We will talk more about the roaring engine below as well as the additional signs that the catalytic converter is missing. This is a common form of theft from automobiles. While your vehicle is parked in a public place, someone may crawl under it and remove the catalytic converter using a metal saw.
Roaring Engine
You will know right away that something isn’t right because, as we mentioned above, your engine will roar loudly when you fire it up. Even while it is idling, the sound of the engine will be much louder than normal. In addition, it will get even louder when you press down on the accelerator. Unfortunately, the only way to reduce the engine’s noise is to replace the catalytic converter.
CEL Warning
You will also see that the check engine light on your vehicle’s dashboard turns on and remains on. As you can imagine, the exhaust system will malfunction without the catalytic converter. Consequently, the engine control unit cannot replace the converter, so it will turn on the check engine light to let you know there is a serious problem. In this case, the catalytic converter has been stolen.
Jerky Acceleration
Putting your car into gear is going to leave you to discover that your acceleration is extremely jerky now that the catalytic converter is gone. This can make controlling your automobile difficult as you try to drive it. Every time you press down on the accelerator, the vehicle will lurch forward.
Slow-Speed Lagging
You are also going to discover that your car, SUV, or truck has a difficult time maintaining power when you are driving at slow speeds. Unfortunately, the missing catalytic converter is the cause of this problem, as it helps the engine produce low-end torque. Consequently, without this torque production, the engine will have a difficult time operating at slow speeds.
Strong Exhaust Odors
Finally, rather than drive your automobile to our shop, we recommend that you have it towed because the exhaust can make its way into the passenger cabin when the catalytic converter is missing. Naturally, you will inhale the exhaust and this can make you sick.
Righter’s Auto Repair in Grand Ledge and Lansing, MI, is here to help, so give us a call today to let us know that you need a new catalytic converter installed in your automobile.
