Are you recently worried about your car’s fuel consumption? This write-up might be informative.
My attention was drawn to what many auto spare parts dealers, car dealers, and mechanics might be doing to rip you off in a big way. A friend narrated to me how a guy in their business line at APO Honda line, removed the catalysts in two recently imported SUV vehicles (Acura ZDX) so he can make extra cash to the detriment of the potential buyers of those cars who will suffer the loss of fuel economy.
If you are planning to buy a car in Nigeria please go an extra mile to evaluate the condition of the vehicle. You deserve the best, for spending your hard-earned money. Catalyst vandalism is not a new phenomenon, but it has worsened by the economic hardship in the country.
About the Catalyst also known as “Indomi” by most auto parts dealers in APO. This is a system in gasoline engines precisely in the exhaust system responsible for emission control. It reduces the toxicity of carbon monoxide emission and regulates fuel economy. It is responsible for the overall health and performance of your vehicle. The catalyst very is expensive, especially in modern cars and SUV’s. It is located in the exhaust system. ( see pic below). You can hardly know if it is removed.
When the catalytic converter is removed, it leads to loss of efficiency which leaves the car fuel consumption overly high and carbon monoxide emission toxic which will consequently increase environmental pollution posing a risk to our health. The first sign that the catalytic converter or the oxygen sensors located close to it are tampered with, is the check engine light. When the oxygen sensors fail, it also triggers the check engine light. The Check Engine might also come as a result of many other system failures. In California, a car with a failed oxygen sensor or bad catalytic converter cannot pass the smog test and consequently won’t be registered in the state. Such vehicles are a good bargain for Nigerian car dealers and you might have been unfortunate to get one of such vehicles from Abroad.
My advice: Please have your new car diagnosed if there is a check engine light before buying. Be sure it is not a tempered catalytic converter. If the OBDI scanner indicates sensor fault, have a well-experienced mechanic check the sensors and also that the converters are intact. Please don’t ignore the check engine light related to the combustion system. Please note that most of these smart thieves can temporarily clear the check engine light to give you the impression that the car is in good condition. Please always scan the car before buying; tell the person scanning the vehicle to check logged faults stored in the electronic control unit (ECU.) The check engine light if cleared without repairing the system failure responsible for the warning light, will light up again after you must have driven some miles. Treat check engine lights with utmost priority. Don’t just wipe it off.
This type of vandalism to make extra money is the worst form of man’s inhumanity to man. If you are guilty of penetrating this kind of crime please stop. Buyers, “Please shine your eye” things are getting really bad.
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