Within its unassuming steel casing, your catalytic converter contains some remarkable materials. Precious metals such as palladium, rhodium, and platinum coat a delicate honeycomb meshwork which cleans the more unpleasant emissions of your engine. But sometimes a cat can run into trouble, in which case your vehicle performance is likely to suffer. If you notice any of the following six problems, you might need to visit your local Toyota dealer to have your cat promptly fixed or replaced.
Diminished Acceleration
Are you stepping on the gas but your car isn’t accelerating as it should? This can be a rather worrying experience while you’re trying to overtake or cross a busy intersection. One possible cause of reduced acceleration is an oxygen-starved engine because of a clogged cat.
When emissions can’t readily release through the cat and exhaust system, the airflow becomes backed up. This means the engine can’t draw in fresh oxygen at the same rate as before. The result is an inefficient combustion process and less accelerative power.
Plummeting Gas Mileage
An engine that’s struggling in this way because of a faulty cat will guzzle gas at a faster rate. The fuel-air mixture inside the combustion chambers has become unbalanced. The fuel being injected isn’t generating as much driving force as it should.
To compensate, more fuel will be used, and, at the same time, you’ll be covering less distance. So if you find yourself spending more time at gas stations, consider having your cat inspected.
Faltering When Idling
If the fuel-air mixture becomes unbalanced, the inside of your combustion chambers will rapidly become coated in excess, unburned fuel. This excess fuel coats the spark plugs, eventually causing misfires. You’re likely to first notice this when your car starts idling roughly. Your engine will shake and shudder strangely and emit coughing, sputtering noises.
Heat Building Under Your Car
When cats become broken or clogged up, the emissions struggling to escape become backed up in the exhaust system. This creates an immense amount of heat. If you suspect cat problems, check how hot it is under your car. Of course, never touch any heated metalwork with your bare hand in case you get burned.
Sounds of Rattling Metal
If either your cat or its inner meshwork has become somehow loosened, you’ll hear metallic rattling sounds from below while you’re driving. This is likely to be accompanied by the indications of engine trouble previously mentioned.
Your Toyota Service Center Finds a Fault
Every driver should have their exhaust system periodically examined. An experienced technician at your trusted Toyota service center can find cat faults long before you notice the symptoms. This can often prevent the issues from developing and creating worse problems in your engine.
DARCARS Toyota of Baltimore has your back no matter what type of service or repair your car, truck, or SUV needs! So if it is time for a new catalytic converter in Baltimore, MD, don’t hesitate to contact us or schedule a service with us today!
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