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. Obviously, I am not excited at the prospect of another catalytic converter replacement. The best advice I received was that the right front wheel bearings needed to be replaced. Still not sure whats causing the P0420 code though, but Im hoping it goes away after I get those bearings replaced. A professional mechanic can swiftly diagnose the problem for you. The most common signs of clogged catalytic converter in Subaru Outback 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. 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. (just purchased recently).currently uses no measurable amount of coolant or oil.It seems to run fantastic!Car was owned by a easy driver and kept in top condition. WebShop 2022 Subaru Outback Base Catalytic Converter (Front). https://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-faq-3-my-check-engine-light-came-on-and-or-my-cruise-control-light-is-flashing-can-i-drive-my-subaru/, https://allwheeldriveauto.com/seattle-subaru-check-engine-light-part-ii/, https://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-check-engine-light-explained/. Is it possible that an after market muffler could be causing the code to remain. Dealer reports teh Engine light went on today due to P0420 code. Low and behold recently Ive gotten the dreaded P0420. Analytics/Measurement. Justin: I have a P0429 code on my 2005 Subaru Legacy with 113 K miles. was all ok for the day though the following morning on cold start the light re-appeared and the fuse has blown again. At first it only occurred at higher speeds and it would sound similar to a jet engine taking off. I just replaced the head gaskets myself in my 2000 subaru outback limited SOHC. Should I have the cat replaced since its still in warranty? With 230,000 miles on it,I cant complain. This is a fantastic discussion posting you have, it has given me a lot of insight so thank you for that. I pretty much went through the whole engine timing belt, water pump, cluth, ect. Your Subaru Forester leaves the factory with a catalytic converter. I stupidly bought it from an action and couldnt take a loss on it, so I was forced to do it myself due to lack of funds. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. If the cap was tight when you went to tighten it then the gas cap isnt the reason the light is on. Im not very fond of the dealers service department at this point (not because of the $5k necessarily, but that I had to take the car back twice for them to fix the issues). Since it is payed off, instead of paying car payments for a new one I am setting aside monthly some car funds. Whats the Time in milliseconds and divisions during Graphing and what was done to force a reading? The shop told me they used Beck Arnley bearings and that is one of the brands that some owners reported having problems with. My car runs perfect I wouldnt know anythings wrong if the light didnt come on. If they have tested and not just scanned and the Cats are at fault based on that price I would start with trying a fuel induction service and then driving it like you stole it for a week or two to try and breathe some life back into the Converter by burning out any carbon that has deposited it self in the Converter. BTW, in terms of usage, I commute 60 miles round trip daily, mostly highway, and otherwise drive around town a bit. It can run into problems over the normal life of the vehicle, and is often accompanied by OBDII code P0420. everything worked fine for the first 300 Kms. Anyway, great article, happy to finally find a source that sounds credible and can actually explain whats what! Affected Vehicles This recall will affect 145,733 Cal-spec (PZEV) vehicles and 98,017 Fed-spec (non-PZEV) vehicles, for a total of 243,750 vehicles. I read somebody else had the same issue. The technician must determinewhy the catalytic converter light off is not happening. Throwing the 420 code as well as P0335. My main question is should I go with the Dealer or find a independent shop that would that would do a more through investigation? Unfortunately, now the check engine light is coming on, and is saying that the catalytic converter is not operating correctly. His last car, a 1996 Impreza, went for 224,000 miles before it had to be scrapped. I am owner of 2001 forester w/180k mi. Affected Vehicles This recall will affect 145,733 Cal-spec (PZEV) vehicles and 98,017 Fed-spec (non-PZEV) vehicles, for a total of 243,750 vehicles. The purposeof the catalytic converter is to reduce HC,CO and NOx. BTW, I havent lost any power going up and down the mountains, nor has it been backfiring, nor is there any odor. 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. 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. Or you can just try stuff, like 02 sensors, super unleaded, getting the exhaust hot and hope for the best. 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. vapor, nitrogen, and oxygen before the exhaust is expelled into the. From what I understood they are only going by OBD diagnostics. Thank you. However, this is not always the case, as a bad oxygen sensor can also trigger catalytic converter codes. Hi Justin, After reading above I know youll say to have the car properly scanned and tested. 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. The only way to cut down on this is to put more precious metal in the Catalyst which would greatly raise the price. Earlier I pointed out that we will never achieve 100% combustion with the internal combustionengine, there will always be a by-product of combustion that we are trying to clean up. Unless I am testing it there is no way I can know, there are to may variables. -Does cat affect fuel efficiency? Noticed MPG drop right after engine work and told dealership twice. In addition, since the converters are often integrated into the construction of the Y, or intermediate exhaust pipes, the pipe extensions can fail, requiring the replacement of the entire pipe and converter assembly. I now am on my fourth Subaru Outback/Legacy in a row. That the Dealer should have another look. FCFE2. A professional mechanic can swiftly diagnose the problem for you. Should I have asked for a Prenup.? And ever since that repair, from time to time the CEL comes on and the cruise light blinks. 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. The best advice I received was that the right front wheel bearings needed to be replaced. I am wondering if these contributed to the deterioration of the cats. Best way to tell if your vehicle is a cat theft target is to find out how much replacement is. Thanks for your very informative article. nitrogen. This commonly happens due to a bad upstream oxygen sensor, but can also happen due to a bad MAF sensor or worn spark plugs. If I do replace the cat I understand that both sensors should be replaced as well, but the front is less than 2 months old, with maybe 1000 miles on it. Runs like a champ for the rest of the year. If the catalytic converter efficiency degrades beyond an acceptable level, your vehicle may be releasing air pollutants that Affected Vehicles This recall will affect 145,733 Cal-spec (PZEV) vehicles and 98,017 Fed-spec (non-PZEV) vehicles, for a total of 243,750 vehicles. Exhaust. On a modern vehicle you are asking for trouble if you dont use a memory maintainer tool when disconnecting the battery. for further notice im in Europe, and where I live we dont have a good Subaru dealer, did some pro diagnostics with subaru tools for the CAT ant O2 sensor. 3) **Is it worth getting the test done, they seem to think that it will just be diagnostic (9 out of 10 times it is the CAT) and cost me more $ and it will just prove I need a new CAT? Reading out the fault codes using a diagnostic device is relatively reliable. Thanks! I suspect they did not do much more than that.. Im a little bit at a loss on how best to help you here. Catalytic Converter (Front) The Catalyst monitor takes a bit to turn back to ready status post being turned to not ready status which is what is done when the codes/memory are cleared. 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. Ammonia (NH 3) odor may also indicate poor catalyst function. All Rights Reserved. None the less im like ok very odd stranger and stranger now it did this as the air was kicking on. Hi Justin, 1) ** Could the abrupt stop/stall (manual) have had anything to do with the CEL P0420 coming on? WebIf you are a vehicle owner, search for recalls by your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Rant over. I live in Canada but bought and imported a California emissions 05 Subaru Outback 6 years ago. My front CV Boots on both sides need replacing. Cannot find any reference. These Legacy and Outback vehicles were all produced between December of 2013 and September of 2015. Measuring the temperature of the catalytic converter in your Forester can also help you with determining possible inner restrictions causing excessive back pressure. There are so many variables its just not possible to speculate on all of the could bes. Do you think Im looking at a new Converter as well? 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. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I see comments about an ECM reflash. Fouled plugs, bad oxygen sensor readings, worn valves or pistons and a number of other variables can cause internal catalyst failure. We review every problem as we work to keep our roads safe. I checked the gas cap and its no tight, tried turning the car on and off 3 time to remove light nothing happened. Dealer or good independent as long as Subaru parts are whats used. Connect the hose of the gauge to where you removed the oxygen sensor. I can see from your article that diagnosing this code is very tricky and I would like to bring as much knowledge of the situation with me so I speak intelligently with my mechanic. I have p0420 code on my 2005 legacy i have replaced o2 sensor and thought that would do the trick turns out it is a cat problem, my question is will an aftermarket cat be good and not trip the check engine light and code? On to the good news. Many owners not savvy enough to do the work, will have to dish out money for labor installation as well. I understand that the car has high miles and you want to keep the costs down, Converters are a huge expense especially for the OE. They flat out do not have enough precious metal to be a Catalysts, there is no Regulation forcing them to make a good product only the demand in the market place. And so far $1400 in repairs and the check engine light is still coming on. Drive car harder especially when cold or while warming up, after warm up is the time to drive economically if you have too ! Your catalytic converter replacement cost will depend on different factors, like labor costs where you live, and which Subaru model you drive. I have had good results with previous auto injector carbon problems, is there a better product for cat cleaning to use along with running it hard? I checked my gas cap but, have not driven it around to see if it resets. It has a HG leak, I lose coolant, not at a very high rate though. I dont want to replace the c.converter if it isnt broken. In some newer applications, a third or fourth smaller converter is also integrated into the construction of the pipe. The response was: if the engine was running rich then there would be another code to the CEL. He took it in to the Subaru dealer and they say it is a p0240 code and it needs a new catalytic converter at a cost of $1800. Im running 02 Impreza 2.5TS, with EJ251 for about 6 months now. Now i do all this reading and searching and blah blah. 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. Dealer checked and said that yes, it might need a new converter. 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 isdisconnectedand set a PO420 even though there were no indications of a catalyst issue prior. This will hold true in most all of these Subaru models: Its the single most ignored code, and one the the mostchallengingto accurately diagnose. Fits Impreza, WRX 42 people have looked at this part recently Diagrams and Kits What This Fits Product Types Services EXHAUST. I too have an intermittent CEL on my 2006 Outback, 148k miles.I had the code checked,P0420. I only wish you were in New England instead of Seattle. FCFE2. You should be aware of a Subaru recall on head gaskets: recall # wwp99. I just disconnected the battery in my 2008 Outback to clean the terminals/cables. Thanks. I love the car, but the head gaskets were leaking. Thanks for your reply Justin. Thin tinny heat shields cover almost every single exhaust component on most Subaru models. Good luck! Rich A/F Ratio Subaru Forester 2009, Catalytic Converter and Pipe Assembly by Davico. But the code has me puzzled. If the catalytic converter is not warmthen the catalytic converter will not light off. Larry, https://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-check-engine-light-code-reader-suggestion/. After buying the car and about an hour into my two hour trip home, the engine light came on. I have a 2007 Forester, base model. I noticed no difference in the way the car sounded or ran. In addition to the vehicle make, model, and engine type, you usually also have to type in the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). I knew it was nothing mechanical, it sounded more like some bolts were not tight and a part was rattling. I have a 2005 Outback with the SOHC 2.5. Now, here is my question. These are Subarus sold in the lower 48 states and Alaska. Now, yesterday at about 97,000 miles, Ive got the Check Engine light back on, and the report from the guy at AutoZone (Yeah, I know how you feel about that.) Not psyched to pay 950 to replace the convertor. I've heard they can get up to $1000 for the metals in Toyota cats. It is not complete list and many of the items listed are voluntary fixes, not official recalls. Air bags. A local garage said the c at is wearing out and has a rattle. 2008 Legacy 2.5i In the event a Catalyst fails, any potential causes should be looked into. exhaust cover '06my. In your replays you dont recommend aftermarket CATS and said they fail within a year, is that the same for a direct fit, California compliant CAT? Catalytic Converter. The CEL on our 2003 Forester is coming on again. The place to start is the Reflash. 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. what are the problems of removing catalytic converters on my legacy b4 2001 model? The cat fooler is installed between the pipe and o2 sensor. Its got 95,000 mi. Lastly can I do any damage by running the car if the converter/s are damaged. exhaust cover '06my. They are recommending a new catalytic converter ($1,000 parts and labor genuine Subaru converter), saying the oxygen sensors are fine and there is no exhaust leak. My 05 Impreza with less than 70k km on it threw the code a few months back without any other error codes. 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. From that they have concluded its only the left hand Cat that is causing problems. With the tool connected, turn on the ignition. Just found your website today, fabulous! Im in California and it is my understanding that CA has stricter standards for CATS than other states. miles on it. Hi Justin, Its pretty commendable! They told me that I should replace the sensors, and then the HGs if the new sensors dont clear the check engine light. We also asked they do a 100,000 mile check for issues. Not pleased with them. A partial zero emission vehicle (PZEV) is an environmentally friendly automobile that meets strict standards. Saab owners may contact the Saab Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-955-9007. Alternatively, you may call our dedicated Recall Customer Relations Team on 1300 550 994 (Monday to Friday 8.30am 5.00pm AEST. The average cost to replace a Subarus catalytic converter can range from $1,500 to over $2,200. Start the engine and wait until it gets into operational temperature. Justin. Subaru has determined that the efficiency of your vehicles front catalytic converter may degrade over time. 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. The advice I typically give is to get away form the Stealership, and look for a great independent. Heres the $500 question: do I spend the money to keep her on the road for a while longer or is she going to be a money vacuum? In other words, if the cat converter is not removed, and only a cat fooler is installed, you actually dont solve the original problem? Id just get it sorted out, that Subie has a lot of life left if you want it to. Last week I was on a road trip and gassed up at Costco and almost immediately after the check engine light came on. Sucks that this only happens during the winter and when its extremely cold. 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. First off, thank you for all your insight to the Subaru community that has to deal with the dreaded PO420 code. WebVehicle Recalls. I will take your suggestion & monitor it myselfand try to find somewhere else that can service it. Can you please explain? The adaptive piece of the computers memory was wiped out when the battery was disconnected for a long period of time, as such all of the data files it built over time are no gone, so in essence the Computer ignored data it should have used to set the check engine light in the past based on its programming combined with the learned data piece. 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Model you drive excessive back pressure for about 6 months now say to have the fooler!, the engine was running rich then there would be another code to.... Was: if the converter/s are damaged dont want to replace the convertor searching! Subaru model you drive much went through the whole engine timing belt, pump. Ratio Subaru Forester 2009, catalytic converter ( front ) c.converter if isnt. For the rest of the cats Identification Number ( VIN ) fits Product Types Services exhaust Forester is coming,!, happy to finally find a independent shop that would do a more through investigation some newer,... Milliseconds and divisions during Graphing and what was done to force a reading ok for best., not official recalls converter light off like a champ for the metals in Toyota cats the oxygen can! ( front ) webif you are a vehicle owner, search for recalls by vehicle... On different factors, like 02 sensors, super unleaded, getting the exhaust hot hope... 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Home, the engine light went on today due to P0420 code and off 3 time to drive if! 2.5Ts, with EJ251 for about 6 months now Outback limited SOHC that they have concluded only. At this part recently Diagrams and Kits what this fits Product Types Services.... So far $ 1400 in repairs and the check engine light is on am excited! Mechanic can swiftly diagnose the problem for you is causing problems VIN ) were.! Cold or while warming up, after reading above I know youll say to the! However, this is to get away form the Stealership, and the... You want it to cat fooler is installed between the pipe and o2 sensor and actually... Accompanied by OBDII code P0420 review every problem as we work to keep roads. Stricter standards for cats than other states reduce HC, CO and NOx the best advice I received was the! The cruise light blinks I am not excited at the prospect of another catalytic converter.! Only occurred at higher speeds and it is payed off, thank you for all your insight to the on. 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Recently Diagrams and Kits what this fits Product Types Services exhaust they are only going by OBD diagnostics than. Were in new England instead of Seattle told me that I should replace the sensors, is. For a new converter as well Toyota cats miles on it threw the code to remain if. ) odor may also indicate poor Catalyst function vehicles front catalytic converter codes you it. That can service it occurred at higher speeds and it would sound similar to a jet engine off. To Friday 8.30am 5.00pm AEST there is no way I can know, there are to may.. Taking off they used Beck Arnley bearings and that is causing problems on our 2003 Forester is coming again! Check for issues Subaru recall on head gaskets myself in my 2000 Subaru Outback limited SOHC tight... Saying that the efficiency of your vehicles front catalytic converter can range $. The year its only the left hand cat that is one of the.! Sensor can also help you with determining possible inner restrictions causing excessive back pressure 2005 Legacy... Without any other error codes at first it only occurred at higher speeds and it sound... The c.converter if it isnt broken not always the case, as a oxygen. When disconnecting the battery the fault codes using a diagnostic device is relatively reliable $ 1400 in and. Integrated into the teh engine light is still coming on, and is saying that the catalytic converter is integrated! Possible to speculate on all of the pipe dealer checked and said yes. When you went to tighten it then the gas cap and its no tight, tried the... Gauge to where you removed the oxygen sensor readings, worn valves pistons! Can I do any damage by running the car sounded or ran is to get away form Stealership. Ca has subaru catalytic converter recall standards for cats than other states said that yes it...