Expert: Mike Evans - 12/29/2009

Question
I believe the catalytic converter of my car is busted, someone (who "knows" about cars) told me that my SUV has 3 catalytic converters but then i went to my go to guy and he says there's no way it has 3. So I want to make sure I don't get taken, Does my SUV have 3 or just 1 catalytic converter?

Answer
    There are three converters.  There is one attached directly to each manifold on the front and rear of the engine.  Then there is a long pipe which ends in a flex joint at the third converter.  It seems unlikely to me that any of your converters is bad, unless you have managed to put a ton of miles on this 7 year old car.  If one is bad, it is most likely the one under the car, which is also the cheapest of the the three (by a big margin).  If your computer is saying that the converter is bad, you sort of have to replace it to make the computer happy.  If the computer isn't saying it's bad, then don't replace it.  If the car runs poorly, get someone qualified to find out why.