Thank you for any information on this subject. 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. (he determined that it wasnt a o2 sensor problem), I dont know which one it wasbut it workedno P0420 code for the last 3 weeks.I was really stressed out after forking out 1700 for a HG change and some other sensors that were leaking oiland then a potential $1500 Cat change. Justin, thanks for sharing your expertise on this site. its taken care of and should last a long time. The OBDII connector is usually located under the dashboard. Opps, I forgot my third question. pollutants to less harmful substances such as carbon dioxide, water. If you notice higher than 3 psi (0.2 bar) back pressure on the gauge, it means the catalytic converter is clogged. exhaust cover '06my. If replacement is $200-$300, probably not a high target. May that be the problem? After driving the vehicle hard for a bit it may go away, but you most likely had a on its way out Catalyst and now that the ECM is merely looking at pass fail data in a narrow way its easy to spot the issue. Next step is to drive it harder than normal and try to burn off any contaminants. I understand trying to save money, but there is no solution other than back to factory parts. Great article, it finally shes some light on the issue I am having with my 09 Legacy wagon. Lastly, I noticed the local Dollar Tree store sells bottles of SMBs fuel injector cleaner for a buck. Catalytic Converter. . Ignition System malfunction With the tool connected, turn on the ignition. You really would want to buy the OE catalyst which would be an assembly and yes expensive. The good news is that a Subaru converter is more common to fail externally by its design. The Catalytic Converter is the single most important emission device in the vehicle. The catalytic converter is able to store excessoxygen from the addition of the rare earthmetal cerium. Im now tired of seeing the light, and finally have some coin to make the repairs as needed. We review every problem as we work to keep our roads safe. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20. Air bags. The failed convertor wont do anything to leave you stranded, or do damage by waiting to repair it other than the air quality which is why its there in the first place. That inspection indicated there were no concerns, other than a suggestion to replace the timing belt, which has been done. They re-set my CEL, so it is not on now. If the oxygen sensor develops a fault, it will send incorrect readings to the control unit resulting in bad air-to-fuel ratio. It is important that you enter this 100% correctly, otherwise the result of the search may be inaccurate. I have outlined the rear 02 sensor in yellow, the pattern we are seeing indicates either the Catalyst is not reaching the point of light off or function or the rear 02 sensor is sending incorrect data to the ECM (Engine Control Module) . Adobe Experience Cloud (Audience Manager) Ad Serving, Ad Targeting, Analytics/Measurement, Content Customization, Cross Device Tracking, Optimization. Last fall, the car went through 90,000 mile maintenance OK at the dealer. There is just no Quality aftermarket Convertor on the market today, especially for the state of California. 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. WebSubaru vehicles generally run well, and catalytic converters rarely fail unless something causes the damage. New or recent doesnt always mean its ok, it needs to be tested to know if its good. 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. But after reaching a certain speed, the performance of the engine will drop due to blockage of increasing exhaust gases in the system. 2022 Subaru Outback Base {{loadingIndicator}} Hamburger menu. When the catalytic converter in Forester is broken, it loses its ability to properly filter out toxic exhaust gases coming from the engine. EXHAUST, Engine, CP - OEM Subaru Part # 44620AA750. 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. Based on a H4 and no rust, $3800 is way out of line. Theconverter is made of a honeycomb ceramicstructure held in place with a Nickel supportshell, all contained in a metal housing. Ive just bought a used 2009 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Ammonia (NH 3) odor may also indicate poor catalyst function. This would be that based on this condition X, Y shall be this voltage. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-20. the lights came on again and I went ahead and had the new Cat installed.Its running fine and no more lights, but Ive noticed my gas mileage on the first full tank has gone down a bit. Now its permanently on. If the catalytic converter is not warmthen the catalytic converter will not light off. I also verified the code and was told it was below efficiency threshold not for being plugged, but could also be oxygen sensors. Campbell began his professional writing career in 2004 with the publication of his first book. My 05 Impreza with less than 70k km on it threw the code a few months back without any other error codes. Without data you dont know if the Catalyst function is improved or not. With the tool connected, turn on the ignition. Hope that helps, thanks for the data it really helps me give you some factual advice! When I test with an OBD reader, I get the P0420 code. Should I switch to 89 octane? Suffering the same problem with the P0420 code. 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. its always on country lanes or motorway, never in the city, always on light gasim out of ideas, please could you through some of them? Howdy Justin,Thanks in advance for reading and advice. I also noticed that my Coolant Reservoir was empty. Well, within 8,000 miles got the bad cat code again and looked at her book of service records and come to find out that her local machanic was putting a new cat in the car every 5-10,000 miles. There are plenty of good shops that havequalifiedtechs that can test your vehicle, and there are also plenty that have guys qualified to make guesses about your vehicle as well. If the temperature difference is higher than 10 degrees Celsius or 50 degrees Fahrenheit, then most likely the catalytic converter is clogged. BTW, there was no link in your reply. Its been happening for about 3 years. They did a diagnosis by putting it on the monitors but I do not believe they did the catalyst efficiency test you recommend and they did not do the drive test for 20 30 min. After reconnection, the CEL came on with P0420 code. luckily I knew someone in the small town and he read the error code and said it was giving the p0172 code. Ive been told by the dealer it is the CAT. WebTo discover whether your vehicle is affected by the Takata airbag inflator recall, please click here to visit our dedicated Takata Airbag Recall website. 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. The light stayed off for a week or two but then came back on and now never stays off for long even when I have the code cleared. Faulty Catalytic Converter. Hi Justin. 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Also,should I be running hi octane fuel full time? I do not know if that has anything to do with it but, I did add some 50/50 coolant. Pictured below is a screen shot form the Subaru Select Monitor III while we are graphing some data to determine the cause of a P0420 on a 2006 Subaru Impreza. FCFE2. Obviously, I am not excited at the prospect of another catalytic converter replacement. At about 157K, I remember hearing a rattle from the bottom of the motor. Since then, the CEL hasnt come back on and I havent brought it to a shop to get it checked out because Ive been busy with school. When I drive the car for a week it will throw the code (spirited driving). Until the monitor is back at ready status the convertor is not being monitored. Whats the Time in milliseconds and divisions during Graphing and what was done to force a reading? A fuel mixture that is too rich, i.e. Try to create some Exhaust heat when driving it and that may help it light of. Do you think it is possible that in replacing the front sensor I managed to contaminate the cat somehow? Required fields are marked *. Hello, very informative site thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and answer questions. Like you, they strongly suggest an OE Subaru part for it to last. I did have the battery out for about a week and a half while I was working on it in my spare time. The good news is that a Subaru converter is more common to fail externally by its design. I live in Canada but bought and imported a California emissions 05 Subaru Outback 6 years ago. If you have a Cal emissions car then yes it needs the Cal convertor. I have no idea if any one sells a factory Subaru Convertor online. code of P0420. Shouldnt they have thought of all that before recommending to replace? They CEL is now off and has been for about 4500 miles. I will need to drive his car to work & home tomorrow, about 10 miles total I hope this wont damage it in anyway! 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. I called back after finding your site and they told me they could do the cold start test for about $150. Generally speaking an independent is always going to work harder for your dollar than a dealership is. Is that accurate and if it is a new ECM should I ask if it has been calibrated? 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 Outback. Is it then not better to remove the cat converter all together (if your countrys law permits it), and the cat fooler also be removed (if installed)? Ive got a 2008 Outback that had a new engine block put in at 77k because the dealership snapped the head bolts off when trying to replace a cracked head gasket. 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. -Is diagnostic conclusive that I need a new cat? I have just had this code come up on my 2007 Tribeca. 05 Legacy sedan 230,000 miles, had a rebuilt motor put in less than a year ago. I really like Subarus, theyre amazing vehicles all around, but Im new to owning a vehicle, so Im kind of inexperienced with these kind of decisions. I have not posted another article about OBD II, they just are to technically difficult for the average non car person to get their heads around and overall not well recieved. All catalytic converters fail eventually since its a wearing part. 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. Does this help determine if its the cat or something less expensive to fix (rear O2 sensor)? vapor, nitrogen, and oxygen before the exhaust is expelled into the. On a modern vehicle you are asking for trouble if you dont use a memory maintainer tool when disconnecting the battery. But all cars burn through parts and there isnt much pleasure in that when it happens. The industry or the market place rather does not allow for scientifically approaching the issue with a prove good or prove failed circumstance, instead its not an exact science unless you have the ability or the inclination to go one or several steps further in your diagnoses. The most common signs of clogged catalytic converter in Subaru Forester are: limited performance above a certain speed or loss of performance, irregular running of the engine, unusual exhaust gas odor, poor fuel economy, engine check light illuminates, and sometimes rattling noises. Unless the Catalyst is getting no where near the light off point? We recently had our 2006 subaru outback in for inspection/emissions. Based on all of the hits on the web regarding this Subaru problem Iwonder if theres a secret warranty out there?. Do you think Im looking at a new Converter as well? I would start with the higher octane fuel, some driving at higher RPMs at lower speeds and see if you can breath a little more life out of your Catalyst. But its not so good for the environment. Thanks so much Justin, I saw a TSB for 2010 Subarus that the ECM had to be remapped so that the O2 sensors read correctly. Here is a link to a basic code scanner you should consider purchasing if you want to be involved in some of the aspects of your car needs, any one with a 1996 and newer vehicle should own one. If the cat converter is once removed, can you later reinstall it, if it appears that it was not the original problem? 2)**What is the life expectancy on the genuine Subaru part? Converter Configuration: Direct Fit. The 2000 outback has 107k and is running very well so I hope to keep it for a long time. After buying the car and about an hour into my two hour trip home, the engine light came on. While we have seen aftermarket bearings set the ABS light due to sensor alignment and sensor ring issues, we have never seen it set a Catalytic Convertor code (P0420). throttle position, coolant temp, air flow in relation to one or another.). Ken. Full Subaru has determined that the efficiency of your vehicles front catalytic converter may degrade over time. Thanks for your help, and your great site. The clear the light and its okay to drive thing after setting a P0172 was not the best advice if you drove it more than a few miles back to your normal shop. Great set of articles. Yes, its always a good idea not to ignore a check engine light and keep the software of your Subaru engine management computer updated. Thanks for reading. 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