Catalytic converters, what would ruin a fairly new one?

If a cat. converter is replaced, what would cause it to read that it is not working? How can you ruin one that is not that old???

The same reason the first one went bad,
if not repaired will take out the next.

Coverters don’t just ‘go bad’. Their malfunction is symptomatic. Much like a blown fuse, you don’t just pop in a new one and think the problem’s all fixed, then dare to be surprized when the new fuse blows. You have to get to the root cause.

The “reading” that it’s not working can come from sensors not replaced which were bad along with the first converter.

Running rich, bad injectors, bad ignition instructions, misfiring and a mutitude of others can take out a converter.

Is it actaully bad or just “reading” bad ?
Someone has to run some detailed tests. Start with an exhaust specialty shop.

No! Not Midas!

Seriously, I agree with your post. But I’d suggest a good independently owned and operated shop. And I’d add burning oil to the lost of cat converter killers.

How are you “reading” it’s bad??? What is reading the CAT’s efficiency is the rear oxygen sensor. If IT goes bad, it will condemn the CAT… P0430, something like that…

Don’t forget road debris. I took out one on my 1997 Taurus a few years ago with a strategic strike from a 2x4. $#!@$%#!$^!

Not so likely to happen twice, but if you’re driving bad roads, who knows. In the past 3 years, FIVE sinkholes have opened up on my 11 mile daily commute route, and I’ve seen at least a dozen cars break tie rods and one get a wheel sheared clean off by a pothole at least 1 foot deep.