My Pilot is lighting up a catalytic converter code on the dashboard. My Boch Honda dealer service is quoting $1,037 for the replacement part and more than $600 for the labor. Does that make any sense? The car has 180,000 miles on it. Should I just go with non-Honda parts?
I would call Meineke and ask them for an estimate.
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Yes , and start calling independent muffler shops they will be cheaper than the dealer .
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Is that for all three cats?
Tester
No. It is for the “bank 2” converter that is attached to the manifold. Apparently that converter itself (part number 18190-RN0-A1) costs $909 itself. Also, the job takes so many hours because it requires taking out the radiator and putting it back again. ?
If you are in a state that has adopted California emissions standards you may not be able to find an aftermarket exhaust manifold/converter assembly that is certified for CA emissions.
Find an independent shop have them install an aftermarket cat.
Honda doesn’t make catalytic converters. They purchase them from a supplier.
Tester
Any chance it’s a bad oxygen sensor?
The OP mentioned Boch Honda. AFAIK, that’s in Norwood MA. If so, you can install any part that will perform well enough to extinguish the CEL.
I didn’t see any mention of an O2 sensor code.
Tester
But isn’t a bad cat indicated by the output of O2 sensor, so if the sensor’s bad, the cat code will be set?
You guys are all amazing. Here’s the update… I called a Meineke shop nearby. The guy said he probably would not do the job. Then I went to five different auto parts websites and found that the exhaust manifold converter that is 49 state compliant is no more expensive than $594 and the most common manufacturer is Magnaflow. I am now going to have to argue with the Parts Director about how much of a markup he thinks he can charge me.
Thanks again.
Hang on there!
The reason the Honda dealer wants so much is, the cat they sell is warranted for 8 years/80,000 miles.
The aftermarket cats aren’t warranted for that long.
Tester
But have you called any independent muffler shops.
The car has 180K miles on it. Don’t think I need a 80K warrantee. Any idea who manufactures the cat that they are trying to sell me. Magnaflow is the one I see most often.
I didn’t see any codes listed.
The one cat for my Pontiac was over $700 just for the part so that price doesn’t seem all that bad. Mine was covered by warranty though so I paid zero.
Catco is one major manufacturer/supplier to vehicle manufacturers.
https://www.exhaustking.com/catco-catalytic-converters
Vehicle manufacturers ask for bids from suppliers. The supplier who submits the lowest bid for the part gets the contract.
Tester
Don’t know if I know what I’m talking about on this, but I put a cheap, cheap aftermarket cat on my daughters 05 CRV and still sprung a code for low catalytic converter performance code. After about 6 months the code and check engine light went away. Don’t think I’d go cheap, cheap again.
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A guy at work put a magnaflow cat on his wife’s pilot and it did not fix the code. He had to remove it and install a “Honda” converter (whoever the actual manufacturer is).
Aftermarket cats are different than the oem units. The scrap value for an aftermarket cat is generally 5 to 10 bucks, whereas original to the vehicle converters are worth many times that (I think I paid him $80-$100 for the old Honda cat). I assume the lower scrap value for the aftermarket units are due to lower platinum, rhodium, etc content. My point is, a Magnaflow cat is not “the same thing” as what came on your Honda. I did put a Magnaflow cat on a 98 Dodge Ram I owned and had no issues (no engine light), though. So it’s hit or miss, apparently. I think I’d lean towards installing a Catco “oem equivalent” cat, if they make such a thing. The Magnaflows tend to be “high performance”, “free flowing” units. Which would concern me.