PriceProtect™
DriveShield™
GarageGuard™
Services
Insurance
Car Insurance
Compare Car Insurance with Jerry
Jerry’s Expert Advice
Car Insurance Estimates
Home & Renters Insurance
Renters Insurance
Repairs
Car Repair Estimates
Repair Estimates for Popular Services
Advice
Read Car Content
Browse Jerry Car Advice
Check Out Expert Car QnA
Learn About How We Create Content
Jerry Data & Research
Do catalytic converter cleaners work?
I’ve recently noticed that my car’s exhaust pipe is blowing out dark gray smoke that smells worse than usual exhaust. I asked a mechanic and they said it’s most likely due to the amount of carbon build-up that has accumulated in my catalytic converter, and recommended I try a converter cleaner. Do catalytic converter cleaners actually work?
Abbey Orzech · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Catalytic converter cleaners can be a useful solution to removing the carbon build-up that is likely causing the
dark emissions
and stink. Most of these cleaners are quite easy to use as well! You can just pour it into your gas tank and let it work while you drive to break down and remove carbon build-up in your car’s systems.
It’s important to keep in mind that a one-time clean will likely not be very effective if you’ve never cleaned your converter before and your car has seen tens of thousands of miles. To get the best results out of these cleaners, it is recommended that you use them four times a year to keep your converter’s carbon build-up at a manageable level.
If you’ve used cleaner a few times and the issue is still there, it could be due to
damage to
your converter, in which case you will need to replace it to resolve the problem. A catalytic converter replacement is not cheap car maintenance and if that’s the route you have to take, you’ll likely be looking to save money on your car expenses elsewhere.
Jerry
can help you there! Jerry is an
insurance comparison app
that shops for low prices with dozens of insurance companies for free. You will get quotes in seconds, can make changes at any time, and if you ever have any questions, agents are just a text away!View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance
You Might Also Be Interested
Read Advice From Car Experts At Jerry
What Others Are Asking
Browse More Content
Insurance for Your Car
Insurance in Your State
Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance
No long forms
No spam or unwanted phone calls
Quotes from top insurance companies