Catalytic Converter Theft: The 10 Vehicles Thieves Target Most

Catalytic converters, you never think about them until the day you go to start your car and discover the one that was once attached to your vehicle is gone. The biggest clues your catalytic converter might have been stolen? An excessive amount of engine noise and noxious fumes coming from underneath the car.

So, what are catalytic converters and why are they suddenly popular with thieves looking to make a quick buck? To start, catalytic converters are located within the exhaust system and help clean the emissions of a gasoline- or diesel-powered engine. They have been a federally mandated requirement on every new vehicle since 1975.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), catalytic converter theft has spiked dramatically due to three precious metals found inside them: palladium, rhodium, and platinum. How precious are we talking about here? At the time of this writing, an ounce of rhodium costs about $15,000. For comparison, an ounce of gold costs a measly $1,800.

Using data compiled by the NICB and service reports from car repair shops around the country, Carfax determined the 10 vehicles most commonly targeted for their catalytic converters.