A shop says your catalytic converter, the exhaust part that cleans up the engine's fumes, has to go, and the quote looks like a car payment. Before you pay it, two things matter more than the catalytic converter replacement cost itself: who's obliged to pay, and which grade of part you're being sold.
Federal law makes carmakers cover the converter for 8 years or 80,000 miles, and four carmakers add recalls or special coverage on top. If you aren't sure the converter is the problem yet, start with the bad catalytic converter symptoms.
How much is the catalytic converter replacement cost?
A federal-grade converter costs $402–$1,846 fitted, parts and labor, on three of the four cars priced with carmaker hours. A California-grade one runs $1,095–$2,292 fitted on three of the same cars, and each car has its own figure.
Priced on the 9 cars below, not every model and year. Yours may cost more or less.
Catalytic converter replacement cost
Covered $0 at the dealer recall or warranty
Not covered $402–$1,846 federal-grade converter, fitted
Check your VIN first, since a recall or a warranty extension can make the repair free.
Federal-grade converter replaced Parts and labor $402–$1,846
Four cars with carmaker hours, the federal-grade converter
| Car | Parts | Labor | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Jeep Cherokee 2.4 · Chrysler emissions recall U90 · Manifold converter 68432342AA · may be free, only if your VIN is on the recall · not in the headline range | $620–$3,075 | 1.3 h | $750–$3,300 |
| 2012 Dodge Journey 2.4 · Chrysler emissions recall U67 · Center converter · may be free, only if your VIN is on the recall | $302–$741 | 1.0 h | $402–$880 |
| 2014 Kia Soul 1.6 · Kia campaign SC176Y · Front manifold converter 285102BEF1 · may be free, only if your VIN is on the campaign | $359–$1,638 | 1.2 h | $479–$1,846 |
| 2022 Ford F-150 5.0, left side · Ford emission recall 24E08 · Left converter ML3Z-5E212-K · may be free, only if your VIN is on the recall | $554–$1,114 | 0.9 h | $644–$1,270 |
California-grade converter replaced Parts and labor $1,095–$2,292
Three of the same cars, the California-grade converter, kept out of the range above
| Car | Parts | Labor | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Jeep Cherokee 2.4 · Chrysler emissions recall U90 · Manifold converter · may be free, only if your VIN is on the recall | $1,354–$2,111 | 1.3 h | $1,484–$2,292 |
| 2012 Dodge Journey 2.4 · Chrysler emissions recall U67 · Center converter · may be free, only if your VIN is on the recall | $1,286–$1,358 | 1.0 h | $1,386–$1,497 |
| 2014 Kia Soul 1.6 · Kia campaign SC176Y · Front manifold converter · may be free, only if your VIN is on the campaign | $975–$1,137 | 1.2 h | $1,095–$1,304 |
Ford F-150 5.0, right side, 2022 Part only $1,375–$1,759
Ford's recall time is 2.3 hours for the right side and 2.5 hours for both sides. No aftermarket catalog lists a right-side converter for this truck, so the right side is priced from Ford's part only: $1,375 sale, $1,759 list, plus a $500 core charge.
Other cars, federal-grade converter Part only $180–$3,232
Five more cars, one converter per row, no carmaker time printed
| Car | Independent shop | Carmaker's part |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 Honda Accord 2.4, front · Davico 17327 up to Walker 16590 · Honda's front converter 18190-R40-A00 is no longer sold | $296–$508 | not sold now |
| 2010 Honda Accord 2.4, rear · OE 18150-R40-A00 · Davico 17446 up to Walker 16436 | $227–$396 | $993–$1,450 |
| 2012 Ford F-150 5.0, left · OE DL3Z-5E212-A · Davico 19450 up to Walker 53904 | $296–$769 | $1,003–$1,301 |
| 2012 Ford F-150 5.0, right · OE CL3Z-5E212-A · Davico 19455 up to Davico 49455 | $436–$925 | $1,018–$1,299 |
| 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5, front · Davico 17462 up to Dorman 674149 · Nissan's front converter 140E2-3TA0A is no longer sold | $394–$766 | not sold now |
| 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5, rear · AP/Eastern 643090 up to Walker 54782 and Davico · no carmaker part number found for this car | $180–$410 | no price |
| 2012 Toyota Camry 2.5, front · Davico 17491 up to Walker 16692 · Toyota's front converter 25051-0V030 is no longer sold | $406–$897 | not sold now |
| 2012 Toyota Camry 2.5, rear · OE 17410-0V090 · AP/Eastern 642037 up to Walker 54907 · Toyota's part is a one-piece exhaust pipe with the converter | $283–$390 | $985–$1,347 |
| 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 5.3, front left · OE 19420276 · Davico 197201 up to Davico 497201 · GM lists one part number for both sides | $241–$603 | $2,166–$3,232 |
| 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 5.3, front right · OE 19420276 · Davico 197202 up to Davico 497202 · GM lists one part number for both sides | $568–$906 | $2,166–$3,232 |
Buying the part yourself, known brands from one large online catalog: $112–$533, part only.
Other cars, California-grade converter Part only $349–$1,570
Four of those cars, aftermarket only, the carmaker's part is on the federal-grade row
| Car | Independent shop |
|---|---|
| 2010 Honda Accord 2.4, front · Dorman 674968 up to Dorman 673968 | $492–$1,144 |
| 2010 Honda Accord 2.4, rear · Walker 84292 and AP/Eastern 772344 | $409–$581 |
| 2012 Ford F-150 5.0, left · Walker 84762 and AP/Eastern 776391 | $1,130–$1,557 |
| 2012 Ford F-150 5.0, right · Walker 84763 and AP/Eastern 776392 | $826–$1,570 |
| 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5, front · Walker 84372, AP/Eastern 771092 and Dorman 673149 | $816–$1,270 |
| 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5, rear · Walker 84478 and AP/Eastern 772778 | $349–$569 |
| 2012 Toyota Camry 2.5, front · AP/Eastern 771119, Walker 84137 and Dorman 673041 | $962–$1,232 |
| 2012 Toyota Camry 2.5, rear · Walker 84247, the only one listed | $465–$534 |
Buying the part yourself, known brands from one large online catalog: $217–$924, part only.
Labor is the carmaker's own time at $100–$139 an hour at an independent shop and $128–$173 at a dealer. Where a dealer price is listed, the top of each total is the dealer's: the carmaker's own part at list price plus dealer labor. Elsewhere it is the independent shop's. Parts are known brands at a typical shop markup. Federal-grade and California-grade converters are priced in rows of their own and never mixed. Before tax, shop fees and diagnosis. Prices read October 29, 2026. How we price repairs
Is a catalytic converter replacement covered by warranty or a recall?
Often, if the car is under 8 years and 80,000 miles, and sometimes well past that. A failed converter can cost you nothing in three situations, and you can check all three before any shop quotes you:
- Federal emissions warranty. Federal rules make carmakers cover a failed converter for 8 years or 80,000 miles on a 1995 or newer car or light truck, whatever the bumper-to-bumper warranty says. California cars carry 7 years or 70,000 miles on the costly emission parts, and 15 years or 150,000 miles on a car sold as a PZEV, one of California's low-emission classes.
- An emissions recall. A recall is free for the cars it names, and Chrysler-group and Ford recalls replace the converter on some 2011–2017 Chrysler-group models and some 2022–2023 F-150s.
- A carmaker's special coverage. An extended warranty or recall for one known fault, such as General Motors' (GM's) emission recall N262576260 on some 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks, which checks the converter and replaces a damaged one whatever the age or mileage.
A six-year-old car at 70,000 miles may be a warranty case at a dealer, not a shop quote. What counts is its age and mileage against those two federal numbers, not the factory warranty. For recalls and special coverage, the dealer checks your VIN.
A car young enough to still be covered
Outside the US
The 8-year or 80,000-mile rule is US federal law, so for a car sold in the UK or Canada, the carmaker can tell you what cover applies. In the UK, a converter that is missing, obviously modified or obviously defective fails the MOT as a Major defect on cars first used from September 1, 2002, under section 8.2.1.1 of the GOV.UK MOT inspection manual.
Does insurance cover a stolen catalytic converter?
Insurance often covers a stolen converter if your policy has comprehensive coverage. State Farm says it may pay, though terms vary, so file a police report first, then call your insurer. Without it the bill is yours, so check the grade, the hours and any core charge.
Is it worth replacing a catalytic converter?
Yes, in most cases, because there's no legal alternative to a working converter. On a car worth less than the repair, weigh the converter against the car's value, after checking whether someone else pays.
Compare the cheapest legal quote with what the car would sell for as it is. If the repair costs more than the car, the choice is paying it or selling the car, since driving on without a working converter isn't legal.
Can you drive with a bad catalytic converter?
You can drive with a bad catalytic converter only as far as a shop. A much louder exhaust and a sluggish engine are its usual signs. Have it towed instead if the check engine light flashes, the engine loses power badly, or you smell burning or feel heat from under the car.
Can you drive without a catalytic converter?
The car will run, but it isn't legal. Federal law prohibits removing one, and a car without it can't pass an emissions test in the states that run them.
A stolen converter is loud at once, with a sudden roar from the first start. Drive it only as far as a shop, or have it towed if it runs rough or the light flashes. If you smell exhaust inside, GM's manual says to drive only with the windows fully down and have it repaired at once, because exhaust carries carbon monoxide. See what actually stops a theft before the new one goes under the car.
Which converter do you need: original, aftermarket or CARB-legal?
The one your emissions label names, federal or California grade (CARB, for the California Air Resources Board), and the grade moves the number more than the car does. Four kinds of quote can describe one converter, and each buys something different:
1. Original equipment
The carmaker's own part, with the coating the car was certified with. It's the carmaker's own price in the box, and it carries whatever warranty the carmaker gives its parts.
On some engines the carmaker sells the converter only as part of the exhaust manifold, the pipework that collects exhaust from the cylinders, or of a pipe. In that case the part on the quote is the whole manifold or pipe, not the converter alone.
2. New aftermarket (federal grade)
A new converter from a parts maker that meets EPA's federal rules, so check your state before you buy one. On every car priced here it is the cheapest grade, a fraction of the carmaker's part.
It must carry a 5-year or 50,000-mile warranty on the shell and pipes, and 25,000 miles on emission performance. An aftermarket converter may only be fitted in three situations, and the EPA lists when an aftermarket converter is allowed:
- The converter is missing. The car arrives for exhaust work with no converter fitted.
- An inspection failed it. A state or local inspection program has found the old one lead-poisoned or damaged.
- The car is past 8 years or 80,000 miles. And there's a documented need for a new converter.
Use this image
Free to republish under CC BY 4.0: credit Oil & Miles and link to this page. The snippet does both.
<a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost"><img src="https://oilandmiles.com/assets/img/diagrams/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost-label.svg" alt="A catalytic converter beside an under-hood emissions label: California, Colorado and New York require a converter approved by the California Air Resources Board, and the label shows which grade your car carries." width="1224" height="596"></a> <p>Diagram: <a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost">Oil & Miles</a>, CC BY 4.0</p>3. California grade (CARB)
A federal-grade converter can't go on a car in California, in Colorado since 2021 or in New York since 2023, where every aftermarket converter needs California Air Resources Board approval. Where both grades are priced, it starts higher than the federal part for the same car.
To see which grade your car carries, read the emissions label under the hood. MagnaFlow, a converter maker, says California-certified cars are identified on that Vehicle Emissions Control Information label.
Maine has required an original or CARB-approved converter since June 2018 on 2001 and newer gasoline cars built to California or 50-state rules. Cars certified to EPA rules alone are exempt.
4. Used or reconditioned
A converter that's been pulled from another car, or cleaned and resold. No warranty's required at all, it may only go on the vehicle type it was built for, and Maine and New York ban them.
A used converter isn't priced here. Ask what warranty comes with it in writing before you compare it with anything.
How long does a catalytic converter replacement take?
About 0.9 to 2.5 hours of booked labor on most cars by the carmakers' warranty times, longer where both converters or the manifold come off. A shop's guide can allow more, but these are the fair yardstick. On a V engine, one side's converter can take over twice the other's hours.
A universal converter that has to be welded in also adds labor over a direct-fit one built for the car, which bolts in. A converter cast into the exhaust manifold is a longer job still, because the manifold comes off with it, so treat a quote well past 2.5 hours as one to ask about, not one to refuse.
Use this image
Free to republish under CC BY 4.0: credit Oil & Miles and link to this page. The snippet does both.
<a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost"><img src="https://oilandmiles.com/assets/img/diagrams/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost-bench.svg" alt="Catalytic converter replacement cost diagram: two engines seen from under the car, front at the left: a four-cylinder whose catalytic converter is cast into the exhaust manifold, and a V engine whose two banks each have a converter bolted between two flanges with a gasket, with an air-fuel sensor before and an oxygen sensor after the converter." width="1600" height="1134"></a> <p>Diagram: <a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost">Oil & Miles</a>, CC BY 4.0</p>What should you do before you replace it?
Check who might pay, then make every quote say what it contains. Work through the 6 steps below, in order, and the first two are free:
- Check age and mileage against 8 years and 80,000 miles. On a 1995 or newer car inside both, start at a dealer and use the words "emission warranty".
- Ask a dealer whether your VIN has a recall or special coverage. Chrysler-group recalls U67, Z98 and U90, Ford's 24E08, Kia's SC176Y and GM's emission recall N262576260 replace converters free on the cars they list.
- Get the code read and the cause found. A converter fitted behind a live misfire is a repair you buy twice.
- Ask which grade each quote contains. Original equipment, federal aftermarket, California grade or used, and the warranty in writing.
- Ask for the hours and the rate. Hours times the shop's rate plus the part should explain the total. Past about 2.5 hours, ask whether the manifold comes off.
- Ask about the core charge. Ford adds a core charge to its F-150 converter until the old one goes back, so ask whether the quote includes it and who keeps the old unit.
If a shop can't say which grade it quoted or how many hours it booked, it hasn't priced your car yet. Ask it to write both on the estimate, which our guide to reading a repair estimate walks through line by line.
What to say to the shop
“Before I say yes, can you tell me what killed the old converter, which grade you're fitting with its warranty in writing, the hours you've booked, and whether there's a core charge?”
Does a P0420 code mean you need a new catalytic converter?
Not by itself, because the cheaper repair is often the one that killed it. A converter sits at the end of the exhaust and fails from what the engine sends it, such as a misfire, a bad oxygen sensor, the exhaust sensor that reads leftover oxygen, or a leaking fuel injector.
MagnaFlow, a converter maker, says the overwhelming majority of converter failures are caused by engine-related problems. Walker, another, adds that even a small exhaust leak lets in enough air for the rear oxygen sensor to set a converter efficiency code on a converter that's fine.
Fit a new converter behind a live misfire, the kind a flashing check engine light warns of, and it starts down the same road the day it goes in. That's the costliest mistake you can make on this repair.
P0420, or P0430 on the other side of a V6 or V8, says the converter is underperforming, not why. A bottle from the shelf mostly buys time, as our test of whether catalytic converter cleaners work shows.
Why do catalytic converter prices change from year to year?
Because the part is priced by the metals coated onto the ceramic inside it. Rhodium, which handles nitrogen oxides, swung from a 2021 high to a fraction of that by 2024, and platinum and palladium moved too.
So a quote from three years ago isn't a benchmark for one today, in either direction. If somebody tells you converter prices have gone mad, they may remember the top of the rhodium market, and our page on what a catalytic converter is sets out which metal does what.
Use this image
Free to republish under CC BY 4.0: credit Oil & Miles and link to this page. The snippet does both.
<a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost"><img src="https://oilandmiles.com/assets/img/diagrams/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost-checklist.jpg" alt="Catalytic converter replacement cost checklist: check 8 years and 80,000 miles and ask a dealer about recalls or special coverage for your VIN; get the code read and the cause found, fix a misfire first and rule out an exhaust leak; ask which grade each quote contains, ask for the hours and the rate with 0.9 to 2.5 booked hours as the yardstick, and ask about the core charge; never weld in a pipe, and in California, Colorado and New York, and on many cars in Maine, fit the California grade." width="1200" height="1378"></a> <p>Infographic: <a href="https://oilandmiles.com/articles/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost">Oil & Miles</a>, CC BY 4.0</p>From the carmakers
Which rules and coverages make a converter free?
The federal emissions warranty names the converter as a covered part, and recalls and special coverage add free repairs on the cars they list. The federal rule and two GM documents are quoted in their own words.
Emission recall N262576260
Dealers are to service all vehicles subject to this recall at no charge to customers, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward.
Regulation 40 CFR 85.2103 (d)(1)
the following specified major emission control components have a warranty period of eight years or 80,000 miles: (i) Catalytic converters and SCR catalysts, and related components
Special coverage N262548050
This special coverage covers the condition described above for a period of 15 years or 150,000 miles (240,000 km), whichever occurs first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership.
So the free case is a converter inside the federal warranty, or one that a recall or coverage list still names for your car. GM also refunds owners who paid for the repair while their truck was inside its coverage.
Conclusion
What to do next about a catalytic converter quote
If the car is under 8 years and 80,000 miles, or a recall names your VIN, start at a dealer and say “emission warranty”. Otherwise find what killed the old converter first, then compare quotes by grade and booked hours.
Oil & Miles checks each step here against the federal rule, the carmakers' documents and dated parts catalog prices.
Common questions
Asked most often
Can a shop just weld in a pipe instead?
No. Section 203 of the Clean Air Act makes it illegal to install a part whose principal effect is to defeat an emission control device, and that applies to the shop as well as the owner.
How much is an old catalytic converter worth as scrap?
It depends on the metal inside, not the steel around it: an original-equipment converter carries more platinum, palladium and rhodium than an aftermarket one, and rhodium's annual average fell from $20,254 an ounce in 2021 to an estimated $5,800 in 2025, so we found no neutral current price. Texas and California also make a private seller prove ownership of the car it came from.
Can I replace a catalytic converter myself?
Legally yes, but the federal rules apply to you as they do to a shop: the new converter must be EPA-compliant and listed for your car (CARB-approved in California), fitted where the original was, with the maker's warranty card filled in. Converter makers add two conditions, finding what killed the old one first and leaving the oxygen sensors where they were, and Walker says a welded universal converter isn't a do-it-yourself job for most owners.
What people ask next
Sources
- The emission defect warranty, 40 CFR 85.2103(d)(1), read at source: subsection (c)(1) for the two warranty terms, (d)(1) for catalytic converters being named a major emission control component. Cornell Legal Information Institute, read August 26 and September 16, 2026
- 13 CCR 1962.1 (c)(2)(D) and 13 CCR 2037 (b), for the PZEV warranty and the other California emission warranty terms. California Code of Regulations, read October 28, 2026
- EPA, Sale and Use of Aftermarket Catalytic Converters, read at source, for the conditions under which an aftermarket converter may be fitted and for the warranty each carries. US Environmental Protection Agency, read August 26, 2026
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, February 2026, platinum-group metals, read at source, for the rhodium, platinum and palladium prices. US Geological Survey, read August 26, 2026
- Carmakers' dealer parts stores, for the list prices and core charges of the Mopar, Kia, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and GM converters by part number. Mopar Parts Giant, Kia Parts Now, Ford Parts Giant, Honda Parts Now, Nissan Parts Deal, Toyota Parts Deal and GM Parts Giant, read October 29, 2026
- RockAuto catalog, for every known-brand federal and California-grade converter listed for the nine cars in the box. RockAuto, read October 29, 2026
- Aftermarket product pages, for the states that require a CARB converter. MagnaFlow, read August 29, 2026
- GM Special Coverage N262548050, for the 15-year coverage GM suspended on April 24, 2026, and GM emission recall N262576260 of October 14, 2026, for the inlet clamp, the converter check and the 1.5 booked hours. General Motors, filed with NHTSA, read October 2 and 28, 2026
- FCA emissions recall U67 and recall Z98, and emissions recall U90 for the 2015 Cherokee, for the models covered and the 1.0 to 1.3 booked hours. FCA US, filed with NHTSA, read October 2, 2026, and U90 October 29, 2026
- Kia campaign SC176Y, for the Soul models covered and the 1.2 to 1.8 booked hours. Kia America, filed with NHTSA, read October 2, 2026
- Ford emission recall 24E08, for the 1,625 F-150 trucks it covers and the left, right and both-side converter hours. Ford Motor Company, filed with NHTSA, read October 2, 2026
- Walker and MagnaFlow technical pages, converter makers, for the exhaust-leak false code, engine-related failures, the emissions label and Maine. Tenneco (Walker) and MagnaFlow, read October 2, 2026
- PartsTech's September 2025 survey of nearly 700 US independent shops, as reported by Ratchet+Wrench (August 19, 2026), for the $100 to $139 an hour that nearly half of them charge. Ratchet+Wrench, read October 17 and 28, 2026
- Clean Air Act Section 203, 42 U.S.C. 7522, for the ban on removing a converter or fitting a part that defeats it. Cornell Legal Information Institute, read October 2, 2026
- MECA, Aftermarket Converter Technology for Gasoline Light-Duty Vehicles, page 4, for original-equipment converters carrying more precious metal than aftermarket ones. Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association, read October 4, 2026
- Texas Occupations Code 1956.0321 and California Vehicle Code 10852.5, read as the official text, for the proof of ownership a private seller must show. Texas Legislature and California Legislative Counsel, read October 5, 2026
- Walker Exhaust, state installation guidelines and EPA-compliant converter basics, for CARB parts, oxygen sensors staying in place and the do-it-yourself note, with New York's DEC aftermarket converter guide and Maine DEP's converter standards for those two states (read October 28, 2026). Tenneco (Walker), read October 4, 2026
- MOT inspection manual, section 8.2.1.1 (exhaust emission control equipment), for the UK MOT result on a missing or defective converter. GOV.UK, read November 4, 2026
- 2020 Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual, the Engine Exhaust warning on pp. 216–217, for carbon monoxide and driving only with the windows down when exhaust may be coming in. General Motors, read November 5, 2026
AI illustration by Oil & Miles
How this was compiled
The prices come from one parts census on one date: known-brand converters from a large online catalog and the carmakers' own parts from their dealer stores, with federal and California grades kept apart. The labor hours are the carmakers' own times from their recall and campaign documents.
The dealer prices are list prices on one date, not live prices. The labor hours are carmakers' warranty times, which a shop's labor guide can exceed. Parts makers' pages are linked from their names in Sources.
What we didn't do
We didn't collect quotes from shops. Five of the cars have no carmaker time we could find, so the box prices only their part.
We tested no converter brand against another, and the brands in the box are what the catalog lists for each car, not a recommendation. We didn't compile state inspection rules, because they vary and aren't federal.
Prices are ranges compiled in November 2026 for the US market and vary by region, engine and shop rate. Prices from $10 up are rounded to the nearest dollar, so $14.13 reads as $14 and $14.52 as $15. Below $10 they're exact. This article is general information, not advice about your specific vehicle. See the disclaimer.