Despite its dirty job, the catalytic converter under your car is a marvelously clever device. The delicate meshwork inside a cat is coated in palladium, platinum, rhodium, and other precious metals that continuously transform harmful emissions into more benign gases like steam. If you notice any trouble with your cat, it's best to visit your local INFINITI dealership to have it repaired or replaced before you get into trouble for letting your engine's nastier emissions out into the air.
Does Your INFINITI Need a New Catalytic Converter?
Stronger Smelling Emissions
If you think ordinary car emissions smell bad, wait until you smell uncleaned exhaust fumes. Usually, the very first warning sign of a faulty cat is a strong and very unpleasant smell of hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten eggs.
This toxic gas, which is usually cleaned by a healthy cat, is dangerous to breathe. So if you smell rotten eggs inside your car's cabin, open the windows and pull over. You may need to have your cat repaired before your car is safe to drive again.
Rattling Sounds When Revving
Converters can last ten years when well-maintained. But toward the end of its lifespan, the internal meshwork inside an aging cat may begin to break apart.
The loose pieces of mesh will then start to rattle around whenever the car's fumes are pushed through by the engine revving. Sometimes, fuel or other fluids that leak back into the cat can accelerate the deterioration of the meshwork, also leading to rattling sounds.
Less Powerful Acceleration
Malfunctioning cats often clog the outflow of exhaust from the engine, causing a pressurized buildup of fumes just upwind of the cat. This backup of airflow also prevents fresh oxygen from entering the engine, which can reduce the engine's power. So a bad cat will often result in less accelerative force when a quick burst of speed is required, such as when attempting to overtake another car.
Billowing Exhaust Smoke
When a cat runs into trouble, you might also see black smoke in your exhaust fumes. The clogged cat may have hindered the engine's combustion process, which often leads to unburned fuel leaking back through the exhaust system until it emerges from the tailpipe in the form of black smoke. The leaking fuel may even have been the original cause of the failing cat.
Ask Your INFINITI Dealership To Clean Your Converter
As with any car part, regular preventative maintenance is the key to a longer-lasting cat. If you have your converter cleaned periodically at your local dealership, you're likely to keep it in good working order for several more years than it would otherwise have lasted.
Visit Edison INFINITI today to have your car's cat examined, cleaned, or repaired. We're a trusted local dealership that provides exceptional INFINITI vehicles and award-winning customer service.