Hi all, I'm new to this forum (or any such forum) and I've already agreed to replace my catalytic converter (so it's sorta like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped!) but I was just curious if I did the right thing and how to prevent needing to do it again. My mechanic checked the diagnostics when my engine light came on and wouldn't go away, and said the catalytic converter needed to be replaced; I do trust him but he says this is not "normal" though not unheard of.

So...I have a 2007 manual shift Fit, bought new, with ~187,000 km; it's always run well, great mileage, fast pick up and I've been good about taking it in for regular oil changes, filters, got the new spark plugs etc. (I used to do my own with my first car but didn't have the time or equipment with this one.)

I just had the first Drive Clean test and it passed, no problem, but then the next day the engine light came on. The light came on once before, about a year ago, and my mechanic said to see if it came on again the next day but it didn't, so that was it. I have noticed that in the past year the engine overheat light has come on intermittantly but not often and it goes away (usually I just turn up the defrost fan - something I learned to do with my first car when the radiator rusted out living near the ocean in San Diego!) I have also noticed that water sloshing noise (I read about on another thread) but never had it looked at since it, too, goes away, but I'll have the mechanic check for air bubbles in the cooling system. Could any of this have sped up the demise of my catalytic converter? The only other wierd thing I've noticed is that sometime when I have it on cruise control, it exits and loses the setting all by itself (though cruise control is still on ie I haven't hit the exit cruise control button).

Thanks for any feedback; I don't want to have to buy another new catalytic converter if they really are supposed to last the lifetime of the car and I plan on driving this car for as long as I can!

 

Sometimes they just crap out. I had to replace one on my 1998 Integra soon after buying it (used). I won't ever have to worry about replacing my 2007 Fit's catalytic converter because I don't have the converter anymore with the exhaust setup I have.

 

My past experience with a bad converter was the vehicle would pick up speed when letting off the gas due to reducing the back pressure the harder the pressed the gas the slower it would go.

 

I've had my converter go bad and it usually smells like sulfur or rotten eggs, especially when putting load on the engine. It may be faint or strong at times, depending.

I'm not sure how long these newer converters are supposed to last because the last one I changed was from my 99 Prelude.

At 116K it might be time.