About oh, 3 or 4 months ago...at 102,000 miles. My light came on. Autozone got a catalyst efficiency code. I took it to a local shop who said I needed a new catalytic converter. I took it to dealer. They said the same thing . After enough *****ing I got lexus corporate to give me a 75% discount on the new catalytic converter (which is NOT CHEAP!!!!! a few grand).

Talking with a knowledgeable guy in my area he said I should have checked out if it was the o2 sensor causing it.
I was under the assumption that an 02 sensor problem would throw out a different code than a catalytic converter issue. Is this not a good assumption to make? If it's the same code, does the dealer make SURE it's the converter and not the o2 sensor?

I ask because today, my light came on and i got that same code. I'm just disgruntled as hell. It went off later in the night (as it did at first the last time). Of course I'm assuming the worst..like needing the other cat replaced. Two cats going bad between 100 and 115k?????

Any advice/input? If it's giving me a catalyst efficiency code could that be a number of things?? I'm still confused as to the difference between an o2 sensor code and catalytic converter code if there is even a difference.

 

I'm not too familiar with this, but I'd have the dealer that did the previous cat check it out. I mean if it was installed by them it should have a one year warranty. You can bring it in letting them know that you're getting the same error code as before. I don't see why they wouldn't re-check it.

On the other hand you can completely ditch the whole cat issue and get some PPE Headers with high flow cats for a lot cheaper than one cat alone.

Just a thought

 

what are the exact codes being thrown?

 

I forget the number. Catalyst efficiency is all i can recall at the moment. It went off for now But that's how the last one started.

 

Have them give you the exact code that is pulled.. That will tell us a lot!!!

Joe Z

 

When it comes back on (hopefully it wont but the first time it would come off and on for a week or so at a time) then I will post it immediately.

If for some reason it turns out that cat I just replaced is bad. they will of course be responsible for that. If it's the other one and they wont cover it. I'm just going to ditch the cats and I believe one can get an O2 simulator that will allow you to pass emissions tests and by pass catalytic converters. Then again, if you get a code of catalyst efficiency for a number of potential issues then maybe it has nothing to do with the cats. but it would make sense to me that it does.