subaru catalytic converter recallderrick waggoner the wire
He wasnt certain that this would fix the problem and warned us that we might need to replace the fuel pressure regulator, but suggested that we monitor the car for fuel leaks and bring it back to him if we smelled anymore fuel. Catalytic Converter (Front) I have taken my car to the dealer 3x and 2 x they reprogrammed it and the third time they blame it on needing a tune up. its taken care of and should last a long time. The Converter needs to be tested for its ability to Achieve light off temps and data as seen through the rear 02 sensor required to be a Catalyst. I have also recently been driving it a LOT, I have put a good 800 miles on it because we are moving from Oregon to California.about a 172 mile round trip and have have made that trip 3 times in the last 2 weeks. Any unburnt fuel in the engine that goes into the exhaust system will ignite in the catalytic converter. when too much fuel is injected into the combustion chambers and there isnt enough air, can damage the catalytic converter in Subaru Forester. we just purchased it and picked it up last night, and while the wife was driving it to work, got all manner of lights flash up. Subaru just like Toyota, Chevy, Ford etc uses the minimum amount of platinum, palladium and Rhodium to get the Job done, Google or Bing any car maker with the term P0420 after it, you will see what I mean. They reprogrammed the ECM. I checked the code and it was the P0420. I cant comment on what you should expect to pay other than at my shop, we charge $96.00 to perform a Catalyst function test in conjunction with graphing data from the 02 sensors. Also do Tribeca CCs cost that much in the USA i.e. Quote to replace both converters a staggering NZ $9000 (US$7500.00). after all of this the light did come back today. Any thoughts you have would be most appreciated. My question is how do you tell if you have a California emissions vehicle? My 06 outback kept tripping the 420 code off and on for a year. When I get it back, Ill get those front wheel bearings changed to OEM parts and I believe that should take care of the CEL and flashing cruise light. I thought I was being proactive in changing the oil frequently. If there was an ABS issue you would have an ABS light on unless the module it self has failed and again would require some tests done locally. Poor acceleration Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. If I was to budget for a front catcan the front cat be the OEM Federal Standard version or does it have to be the OEM California Standard Cat since my car is PZEV? pollutants to less harmful substances such as carbon dioxide, water. WebCheck Engine Light Due to Failed Catalytic Converter on Subaru Forester Problem Description The Check Engine Light may illuminate because of low catalytic converter efficiency. 3 cranks later it comes back on i went and had it tested this past Friday with a huge obd2 scanner that shows alll the runtime data the and while we were looking at read outs the code auto cleared like completely Vanished and all read outs looked correct especially now that i see your diagrams the o2 sensor read out nice and stable like when the code cleared itself im presuming this is the off position ? My thinking is that either the cat has fallen apart or faulty rear O2 sensor. Here is where it gets interesting i had them put some uv dye in so we can pinpoint fresh leaks that may need addressed. Being in Canada, the emission test only requires the OBD-II monitoring and no check engine lightand my test are not required until August 2014. 80k is still very low mileage for a Subaru and its got a lot of life left in it. They probably used non subaru gaskets and its possible they didnt do the whole tighten loosen step. They need to be welded into the system are attached by clamps and sleeves. I checked my gas cap but, have not driven it around to see if it resets. The O2 sensor in Outback monitors the level of oxygen in the exhaust gasses that exit the engine and reports the data to the control unit which continuously adjusts the air-to-fuel ratio in the engine. Any other thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Adobe Digital Marketing. Is that the next step prior to investing in a new CAT? Converter Configuration: Direct Fit. I think I observed a good lights out condition (flat line) but with periodic rapid drop offs down to zero and then steep return to lights out. I got my oil change at a shop in late February and mechanic that did it said its not too serious considering the car was smogged in Nov12 and turned the light off. May that be the problem? Yes the PZEV uses a different Catalyst Configuration. Learn about our recall process. at Subarus expense) but Im not so sure that its really necessary. Full 83000 miles on it and I get the dreaded P0420 code. I bought a 98 Subaru Legacy GT station wagon in Nov 2012. If replacement is $200-$300, probably not a high target. Campbell began his professional writing career in 2004 with the publication of his first book. Last fall, the car went through 90,000 mile maintenance OK at the dealer. Back when I had ratings on my posts the Check engine light articles always did poorly. My mechanioc doesnt think the additive would have been enough to make the difference in the fuel ratio. Thanks for your reply Justin. They said could come on in 2 days or 2 months, or longer. To the cause of the noise, has anyone evaluated any of the seals in the front rotating masses for dryness and noise? Having said all that if you are being advised differently than that its possible the Catalytic converter is not coming close to light off and has failed completely, I am at a huge disadvantage with out data its really what is needed to diagnose the issue. Service rep stated that in some instances, the attached heat shield cannot be removed (due to rust) and needs to be replaced (which could require later revisit). I cant tell why its giving this code. I would make the head gasket repairs, then budget for the Subaru convertor when you can and maybe replace the front air fuel sensor and rear oxygen sensor at that time as well. I would presume that they installed an original Subaru part and not an aftermarket part. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/7723638/Dioc%20Subaru.pdf. The why is learned data that has been lost typically with light of parameters, coolant temperature and maybe engine repairs that make changes in Combustion temperature such as replacing leaking head gaskets. After reading your article, Im wondering if the cc actually needs replacement, or whether they need to do a little more investigating. Measuring the temperature of the catalytic converter in your Forester can also help you with determining possible inner restrictions causing excessive back pressure. But after reaching a certain speed, the performance of the engine will drop due to blockage of increasing exhaust gases in the system. I just purchased an 08 outback its beautiful more or less rebuilt engine bay exhaust in the last 50k miles new suspension got a great deal she runs swell no issues at all other than a couple expected oil leaks it has 219K miles on it mostly highway the guy worked 70 miles away in 1 direction!!!! I have a 2008 Outback 2.5i Pzev with 85,000 miles (imported from NY State new) with a P0420. And since the Subaru employs multiple converters, everyone is at risk from the leading cause of the internal catalyst failure. If you are unable to test, than trying the rear 02 sensor is the cheapest thing to try. Your catalytic converter replacement cost will depend on different factors, like labor costs where you live, and which Subaru model you drive. EXHAUST, Engine, CP - OEM Subaru Part # 44620AA750. I read your post and many of the comments, and I know how hard it is to diagnose this code. Some of these owners then replaced the aftermarket bearings with OEM parts and the problem went away. I appreciate your input. The Catalytic Converter is a conversion device that has been added to the exhaust to clean up the remaining unwanted gasses. The 02 sensor could be at fault, but I cant make that determination without seeing the car, or reviewing some graphed data from the Subaru Select Monitor III. Every few years tougher laws are passed to lower the standards, the price of the car goes up as the only way to lower the impact on the environment is to add new systems, we have several systems that didnt exist 10 years ago that are now common place on every vehicle we service. I have a 99 outback with 144k miles. I did manage to speak directly to the technician and he seemed knowledgeable and thought that the front and rear sensors were ok, but that the catalyst needed to be replaced. Thanks once again so much for your wisdom! Ambient temp vs ECT temp at start up combined with drive time at certain speeds are what ultimately trigger the monitor, when we perform a drive cycle post code clear the catalyst and Evap monitors are the last two to come back online, and sometimes can take days or weeks. Hello Justin. Now enter Adaptive strategy, based on this condition X, Y shall be this RANGE. i go have the code cleared maybe it was just burning some stuff off. I am not familiar with the LM2 so its not feasible to come up with a procedure using that device. I need to know what I should do first. Hi, If just the boots are bad at least that I can see, is there any harm in changing just these and leaving the axles as is? I have a 2003 Subaru Forester with a P0420 trouble code. Price for sensor & labor $400.00. Is it possible the aftermarket muffler is leaking ? It has a HG leak, I lose coolant, not at a very high rate though. In order for the conversion towork efficiently it needs lots of oxygen. The point where therear oxygen sensor becomes a straight line iscalled the catalytic converter light off point. Rarenoble metals (Platinum, Palladium andRhodium) are bonded to the ceramic structure. I was able to graph the 2d O2 sensor. Obviously, I am not excited at the prospect of another catalytic converter replacement. I have a 2006 Subaru impreza and live in MA. Thanks so much! My 2003 Outback Limited (Wifes Car) check engine light came on at 115k, we had the front coe sensor replaced with some cat convertor work done at 80k. This direct-fit catalytic converter by Davico will be a great solution to replace your failed or damaged catalytic converter. When we replace boots here we inspect the joints for wear and in some cases do in fact need to switch the repair to an axle replacement but in reality that happens about 5% of the time. And so far $1400 in repairs and the check engine light is still coming on. I am in WY where it gets cold. My front CV Boots on both sides need replacing. A sulfur or "rotten egg" smell indicates the formation of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a likely sign of catalytic converter contamination. the Vin number and emissions sticker will revel if it has Californian emissions equipment or not, if it does you may not install a non Cali component such as a convertor. I have changed both O2 sensors. As far as what the service writer told you there are some dealers that will scan a code and give you an estimate without doing any real type of diagnosis. Like you, they strongly suggest an OE Subaru part for it to last. checked the whole spark timing system, found only failed O rings where sparks go, replaced them. This commonly happens due to a bad upstream oxygen sensor, but can also happen due to a bad MAF sensor or worn spark plugs. FCFE2. I really appreciate your advice. To get an OE CAT do I get it from a subaru dealer or is there a place online I can go? Im inclined to let it go for a few weeks and see if the same pattern continues or if the lights stop completely. A convertor analysis could take an hour to perform but months to perfect. Cannot find any reference. Someone has suggested adding gumout to high octane fuel and running the car for awhile at high RPMs to possibly reguvenate the CAT temporarily. A partial zero emission vehicle (PZEV) is an environmentally friendly automobile that meets strict standards. Its not a fuel ratio thing, not sure why that would come up? It can run into problems over the normal life of the vehicle, and is often accompanied by OBDII code P0420. oops again. Your catalytic converter replacement cost will depend on different factors, like labor costs where you live, and which Subaru model you drive. Catalytic Converter (Front) In any case, it is advisable for laypersons to visit a workshop. Sometimes clearing the memory will cause the code to be set. Converter Configuration: Direct Fit. Does this mean I have a lazy sensor that is going bad and a likely cause of p0420 code? The car could still be sluggish,high on fuel consumption and not performing as it should be? They are a large and reputable dealership https://farmerautovillage.co.nz Anyway they cleared the codes and told me to monitor it. Closed Public Holidays) or email at feedback@subaru.com.au. (Suggestions I found on forums) Very good advice on P0420. WebCatalytic Converter Part Number: 44102FE040 Exhaust Pipe Center. 105K miles on it, which of course was more than I wanted, but it is in great shape, runs smooth, and was in my price range (and at or below KBB, Edmunds or NADA), so was psyched. Any chance you have that other article around? Is this indicating it is the cat conv at engine end that is reading below threshold.? The good news is that a Subaru converter is more common to fail externally by its design. Thanks, The purposeof the catalytic converter is to reduce HC,CO and NOx. I have an 05 Subaru Legacy Outback coming up with a P0420 code. Well, unfortunately the car died before I could even look at it:(. Its possible after some spirited driving the Catalyst function could improve and light goes out, but under stand its a warning of things to come. A professional mechanic can swiftly diagnose the problem for you. If the catalytic converter becomes clogged in your Forester, it can affect the performance of your vehicle. ANYWAY, over the weekend I was driving thru town, when I had to abruptly stop to avoid someone backing out of a parking spot on the main street and my CEL came on immediately after this. Huge appreciation for that! Without data you dont know if the Catalyst function is improved or not. I am taking a more technical approach than normal to describing what happens when the code is set, as it is a very technical process that needs to occur to get real results, we dont always replace converters, sometimes its just a small exhaust leak, or a failed sensor of in some cases a faulty fuel pressure regulator. Howdy Justin,Thanks in advance for reading and advice. Ill stay away from the additive I used and hope its back to normal now. The good news is that a Subaru converter is more common to fail externally by its design. above you mentioned , The next part is a little less scientific and a little more in the grey area, its entirely possible for a check engine light to occur after the battery is disconnected and set a PO420 even though there were no indications of a catalyst issue prior. Since some OBD codes are manufacturer-specific, the scanner will be able to give you more accurate information if you enter more details about your Forester. If I drive it until it gets to full temp and turn it off she wont start back up for 15-30 minutes, almost as if its flooded, turns over fine, just wont fire up. For this test, all you need is a pressure gauge with its hose fitting. Because of the integration of the pipe and converter assemblies, Subaru converters are very expensive. If replacement is $200-$300, probably not a high target. Love your site, and I too wish you were closer to Utah. A local garage said the c at is wearing out and has a rattle. You must know what is a normal reading however in order to know if the data shown is acceptable or not. Shouldnt they have thought of all that before recommending to replace? I spent 3 hours with a shop today who specializes in exhaust systems. 370 people reported this problem 140 comments Subaru Forester Vehicles With This -Is diagnostic conclusive that I need a new cat? BTW, in terms of usage, I commute 60 miles round trip daily, mostly highway, and otherwise drive around town a bit. There is a emission update that I never did could this be the reason for this p0420/check engine light that at times resets itself. The catalytic converter was allegedly replaced at a Subaru dealership under recall. I suspect they did not do much more than that. When I test with an OBD reader, I get the P0420 code. Theconverter is made of a honeycomb ceramicstructure held in place with a Nickel supportshell, all contained in a metal housing. Learn More. Unfortunately this did not work either. and suspected a one time voltage surge. The aftermarket cats just dont last very long and the slightest amount of carbon prevents function. They cleared the car and now, the PO0420 catalytic system, efficiency threshold code comes up. Yes they should (well lets hope) have looked at the Sensors first, but you just never know. Since you may have more familiarity with dealing with my exhaust system, here are the notes from today after a bunch of diagnostics: I have a 2001 Subaru Impreza and I got a P0420 code. Webexhaust pipe containing the catalytic converter. If the catalytic converter efficiency degrades beyond an acceptable level, your vehicle may be releasing air pollutants that When I bought this car from the original owner, my sister (2002 Legacy wagon with 150,000 miles) she just had another cat replacment a her local shop. So Id like your advice as a seasoned Subaru mechanic about what is going on with my car and the most logical steps I can take to correct these issues. When the car is warming up in the morning, I smell gas odor, but it goes away when I begin driving. Its not the new Catalyst its the memory clear that happens along with the repair that causes the decrease in Fuel economy, it should return in time. FCA03. The car is now on its 5th cat. I have not used the Torque app as I have the factory Scan tool but the pictures in the article do show what you need to be looking for when graphing data from the rear 02 sensor when trying to determine if the converter is reaching light off. 400kms of mainly open road driving and the CEL light is back on again. What fuel additive would you suggest, if any? I drove the car in second/third gear on a local 14 mile roundtrip Monday night. Last week I finally had the time and money to have my friend who is a former head mechanic at ford (and also owns and works on subarus) change the head gaskets, exhaust gaskets, timing belt, water pump, etc. It took me about 5 years post education to be a good enough technician to really be able to accurately diagnose these type of conditions and even then sometimes more experience may generate even better results such as a better understanding of cause and effect which can lead to fault prevention. If its not affecting the performance, you can put it off until you need to test for emissions if you live in an area that tests. For $6.00 its worth a try.. Have a 420 code.Mech says to replace cat.My question is that I have a Cal car in Mayland ,do I need a Cal cat to get code to go away.Thanks. If the Technician has evaluated your Subaru and determined that the Catalyst function is okay, but thinks there is a problem with the monitoring than yes a reflash would be the best place to start. Prior to I put cleaner is a full take of gas when I bought the car, still running in that same tank of gas with cleaner. Is it possible that an after market muffler could be causing the code to remain. You really just need to research this out in your part of town. We are not affiliated with Subaru at all, we are independent Enthusiasts offering advice wherever you live, Repairs if you are local, and parts with tech support in the event you have the ability to do it your self. Is the Catalytic Convertor a Factory Subaru Part as well? Are you also using non OE 02 sensors? Sorry I dont understand this question. Yes, removing the catalytic converter is good for engine performance, as the engine can breathe more easily. P0420 code was detected, and Subaru dealer eventually performed catalytic converter replacement under warranty. Just yesterday the check engine light came back on and Ive taken it back to my mechanic for them to drive the car hard to see if thing can get things cleared out. Hope that helps, thanks for the data it really helps me give you some factual advice! Later it starting changing in tone and frequency to a variety of sounds including a scraping type of sound. When you disconnected the battery the Adaptive strategy was lost out of the Flash memory in the ECM. With 230,000 miles on it,I cant complain. I have just had this code come up on my 2007 Tribeca. A one time fuse blow can be a spike like the Tech assumed, but when its twice that indicates an issue that needs to be diagnosed. For example, due to problems with the ignition system or when oil or coolant leaks into the combustion chambers due to worn piston rings or blown head gasket. Kind regards, There are many factors that affect its service life, but typically catalytic converters last for around 100,000 miles or 10 years in Forester. Thanks for all of this information, it is really helpful. Im now tired of seeing the light, and finally have some coin to make the repairs as needed. 2022 Subaru Outback Base {{loadingIndicator}} Hamburger menu. All catalytic converters fail eventually since its a wearing part. Cannot find any reference. Thats the only next step. Once its set to ready status before the convertor is monitored it has to be up to op temp and driven at speed for a length of time, its not minutes its frames of time for which conditions are present. Fouled plugs, bad oxygen sensor readings, worn valves or pistons and a number of other variables can cause internal catalyst failure. From there use the graph as a example of what to look for. My question is, would checking the CC, 02 sensors, etc. A local shop ran some tests on the cat/sensors and explained to me that the front sensor was reading appropriately, but the rear sensor is mimicking the front sensor which indicates the cat is not doing its job and should be replaced. Is a turbo timer really necessary for the same vehicle? Today they did not do the test for the emissions (only read the code) which I was unaware that reading the code and the test you mentioned were 2 different things of until reading your site. Tightening the gas cap if its loose may correct the light , but more importantly why would you keep leaving the cap loose? I replaced it when I got home and the CEL went away. It was a salvage title and the seller was a hobbyist mechanic who I believe worked a little bit on the car before selling it to us so I kind of believed him. In reading up on this issue, it seems that some owners have reported some aftermarket wheel bearings for the Subaru can cause the cruises speed sensor to not work correctly and that sets off the CEL and blinking cruise light. I drive about 60 miles round trip to work, mostly highway, and change the oil every 3k by the book. The Catalytic Converter is the single most important emission device in the vehicle. Thinks this is a great vehcile, but is it reasonable for the converter to fail after this kind of mileage? He looked at the sensors and thought the crank shaft sensor was loose but the code came back. Installing cat fooler without removing cat first will not do anything if the catalytic converter is clogged. Hi Justin, i really like the help you offer above and i need your opinion and advise on the below questions. This should work: Tightened cap againlight went off after three short trips. View details Hide details. Youre doing a great service to the Subaru owner community. Are there some other signs that the CAT has failed? Rich A/F Ratio If the cat is tested and fails the test than it needs to be replaced, if how ever it reaches light off and still sets the code maybe its a candidate for the re programming as a first step. The catalytic converter aids the conversion of these. SOA has already declined my warranty on the cat even though my warranty specifically reads PZEV warranty on 150,000 miles that are distributed to NY, and say that its not longer warranted since I am registered in Canada. Driving at a high speed. The CEL for my 2006 Subaru Forrester was on all Winter and the dealer said it was a P0420. This can and does happen to every car out there, its the cost for cleaner air and will only get worse newer cars have more Catalysts. The vehicle identification number tells you if your car is affected. I have been doing a good deal of research on the internet on the code with the hope that I might be able to avoid replacing the CAT. Thank you. I like to have a frame of reference before going in blind. I see comments about an ECM reflash. I just purchased a used 2000 forester with 240k miles, the PO said the head gasket was changed as well as other maintenance but they didnt have any paper work. Catalytic Converter. The engine will die if I dont put it in neutral and give it gas.Any ideas on what is going on? I also hear a rattle up front when starting up the car and at high revs. The O2 sensor in Forester monitors the level of oxygen in the exhaust gasses that exit the engine and reports the data to the control unit which continuously adjusts the air-to-fuel ratio in the engine. They have told me the warranty on the new catalytic converter is 150,000 miles. Had a local garage check it out and they could not find any issues. A fuel mixture that is too rich, i.e. Second, we also have a 2007 Outback wagon, and earlier this year, had the head gaskets replaced (under drive train warranty, yay!). My 2015 only has 110,000 Kms (80,000 miles) and I have only ever put in premium gas and always do premium oil changes every 5000 Kms. Ammonia (NH 3) odor may also indicate poor catalyst function. You are still replying to people and seem like a genuine person. We recently had our 2006 subaru outback in for inspection/emissions. Given the rattling, gas odor, CC inoperable, and the PO420, is it reasonable to assume the CAT needs replacing? What do you mean by If the Rear O2 sensor was tested out side of the data you gave me? Can you tell me what is the drive pattern to complete the Catalyst Monitoring? Even with the check engine it was running perfect until it didnt. Its a week later, and all is still good! Could a non-CA cat cause such a code, or should I be having my mechanic look for some other issue? The catalytic converter aids the conversion of these. Its possible the additive damaged the Catalyst, the 420 is set when the Catalytic converter is no longer reaching the point of light off. Jody L. Campbell spent over 15 years as both a manager and an under-car specialist in the automotive repair industry. I just read your article. THANKS. The mechanic told me I needed a new catalytic converter, because a friend suggested I try using a spark plug non fouler on my rear O2 sensor to clear the code Didnt work.
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