How to Prevent Honda CR-V Catalytic Converter Theft
Catalytic converter theft is a real risk for all drivers. Here’s how to prevent someone stealing the important part from your Honda CR-V.
Written by Jacqulyn Graber
Reviewed by Brenna Swanston
Catalytic converters on newer
Honda CR-V
s are securely located within the engine bay, but on models before 2017, they can be found on the bottom of the vehicle, allowing easy access for thieves. Fortunately, you can protect yourself by parking in a secure place, etching your VIN onto the part, and/or purchasing a protective device. Whether you’ve been the victim of catalytic converter theft in the past, or you’re just interested in acting preventatively to ensure your vehicle’s parts are protected, we’re here to help! We’ll go over how to prevent catalytic converter theft, what to do if the sought-after part was stolen, and whether or not your
car insurance
policy will cover the replacement costs. Compare insurance quotes from 50+ carriers with Jerry in under 45 seconds (Title in payload)
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversIs it easy to steal the catalytic converter from a Honda CR-V?
It depends. On the fifth generation (2017-2022 model years) of the Honda CR-V, the catalytic converter is located inside the engine bay near the turbocharger. On these models, it would be a huge hassle for potential thieves to attempt to access the part.
However, if you own an older model—from 2016 or earlier—the catalytic converter is much more accessible, as it is located underneath the vehicle between the engine and the muffler.
Top Honda CR-V years that catalytic converter thieves target
Based on the information above, CR-Vs produced in 2016 or earlier are more likely to be the targets of catalytic converter theft.
According to some news reports, Honda CR-Vs produced between 2003 and 2009 seem to be uniquely targeted.
Why are Honda CR-V catalytic converters stolen?
Catalytic converters use a fine honeycomb of precious metals, such as rhodium, platinum, and palladium to filter out harmful emissions from your vehicle’s exhaust. The market value of these materials continues to grow, making catalytic converters extremely attractive to criminals who intend to extract and resell the metals.
As of December 2022, here’s approximately what each of the metals in your CR-V’s catalytic converter is worth:
- Platinum: $993 per ounce
- Palladium: $1,611 per ounce
- Rhodium: $12,250 per ounce
Keep in mind that there’s less than an ounce of each of these metals in your catalytic converter. However, the part is extremely easy to steal, especially on trucks and SUVs that have reasonable ground clearance, allowing the thief to slide beneath the parked vehicle and cut the pipes on either side of the catalytic converter before making a clean getaway.
Honda catalytic converter replacement cost
Here’s the real reason losing your Honda CR-V’s catalytic converter to a criminal is a headache: it costs between $2,097 and $2,379 to replace before you even factor in labor! Even aftermarket replacement parts are expensive and involve some complicated labor, so they won’t save you very much money.
How to prevent catalytic converter theft from a Honda CR-V
We have some good news! There are very clear steps you can take to significantly protect your vehicle overall, paying special mind to your catalytic converter.
Park in a secure area
Whenever possible, always park in a garage or a well-lit area with video surveillance. You might wish to install motion sensor lights in your driveway if you don’t own or can’t fit your vehicle in a garage.
This prevents catalytic converter theft—but it also keeps your CR-V safe from general theft and vandalism, too. A win-win!
MORE: How to tell if a parking garage is liable for a stolen or damaged vehicle
Buy a catalytic converter shield
A catalytic converter anti-theft shield is a simple anti-theft device (typically an aluminum plate or cage that covers your catalytic converter) that has a big effect.
We recommend the
Cat Shield™ from MILLERCAT
, the Cat Security™
products, or simply checking out Amazon. Just be sure to purchase a product that’s compatible with your exact Honda CR-V model, so you can be sure it fits on your vehicle.Even better, you should be able to install the catalytic converter shield all by yourself! Some devices will even come with the necessary hand tools and security bolts, making installation a no-brainer.
And the cherry on top: your car insurance provider may offer you a discount on your comprehensive insurance rates after installing a cat shield (or several other anti-theft and safety devices)!
Put your VIN on the catalytic converter
If your catalytic converter is etched with your vehicle’s VIN, it can’t be resold on the black market, warranting it useless to criminals.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) holds regular catalytic converter etching events. If you can find one in your area, that’s an easy way to get this anti-theft service done. Otherwise, we recommend taking your CR-V into a muffler shop to see if they offer the service.
Invest in comprehensive insurance
Okay, so comprehensive coverage won’t protect your CR-V from catalytic converter theft—but it does cover the cost of theft should it happen.
Comprehensive insurance
is optional (although, if you finance your Honda, your loan provider may require it), but if you opt out, you won’t be able to submit a claim for catalytic converter theft, which means you’ll have to pay to replace the part out of the pocket. What to do if your Honda CR-V’s catalytic converter is stolen
If even your best preventative measures don’t work and your catalytic converter was stolen, the first step is to contact the authorities. The police may be able to pull up security footage from nearby cameras and use it to catch the guilty party.
Unfortunately, it may be unlikely that the police can catch the thief. However, filing a police report will help you in your next step: contacting your insurance company. If you’ve already invested in comprehensive coverage (like we explained above), you should be able to file a claim for the theft.
Finally, your insurance company will assist you in scheduling repairs with a mechanic and pay for the parts and labor. You might have to satisfy your deductible before your insurance provider will pay out the rest of the cost, but your deductible is likely much lower than the full cost of the replacement.
If you don’t have comprehensive coverage, you’ll unfortunately have to pay for the part to be replaced yourself. If you need to save some money, look for a mechanic willing to use aftermarket parts, which are generally a little bit cheaper.
Can you drive a Honda CR-V without a catalytic converter?
It’s technically safe to drive your Honda CR-V without a catalytic converter, but we don’t recommend doing it long-term.
Perhaps most importantly, a CR-V missing a catalytic converter won’t pass emissions testing. If you live in a state or county where emissions (or smog) testing is required to maintain your registration, you’ll need to get the part replaced before the testing deadline passes or your registration won’t be renewed.
Missing a catalytic converter also increases road noise and causes rough acceleration. Plus, it releases harmful gasses into the atmosphere—yuck!
In short, while it’s safe to drive your Honda sans-catalytic converter, it’s not a sustainable option for you or the environment.
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