Unfortunately, it’s pretty common for thieves to target the 2016 Honda Accord for catalytic converter theft since the “cat’s” location underneath the car is easily accessible.
Try not to worry, though! There are a few preventative measures you can take to ensure that your catalytic converter—and your wallet—are protected. Let’s take a look at your catalytic converter, how to protect it, and what kind of car insurance
you need to protect yourself in the event that your converter is taken. 
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers Is it easy to steal the catalytic converter from a 2016 Honda Accord?
The catalytic converter for a 2016 Honda Accord is located on the underside of your vehicle, making it an easy task for thieves to slide under your vehicle and remove this expensive piece of hardware.
In fact, the Honda Accord and the Toyota Prius
are almost neck-and-neck as the vehicles most frequently targeted for catalytic converter theft. This is due to the fact that Honda cars are often equipped with hybrid engines, making the metals in their catalytic converters more valuable than your standard gas-powered car. Why are 2016 Honda Accord catalytic converters stolen?
You might be wondering, what makes catalytic converters so valuable? These car parts contain expensive precious metals to assist with the exhaust cleaning process. The metals inside your catalytic converter might include rhodium, platinum, gold, and palladium, among other precious metals.
This means that catalytic converters are very expensive and can be worth a lot of money to thieves. Since these parts are also relatively easy to steal due to their convenient location under your car, stealing a catalytic converter is a low-effort endeavor with a high reward if completed successfully.
MORE: Are Hondas expensive to maintain?
2016 Honda catalytic converter replacement cost
On average, the cost to replace a Honda Accord catalytic converter is between $2,320 and $2,479. Most of this overall cost is due to the parts, as a new catalytic converter for a Honda Accord will typically cost $2,223 to $2,356.
The labor takes up a much smaller percentage of the overall cost at $97 to $122.
How to prevent catalytic converter theft from a 2016 Honda Accord
Since your Honda Accord is definitely at risk for catalytic converter theft (and replacements will cost you a lot of money), let’s take a look at a few of the ways you can protect your vehicle from would-be thieves.
Park in a secure area
If possible, try to keep your car in an area with good lighting and motion-activated security cameras. Ideally, you should park your car in a locked personal garage or a well-lit parking garage.
If this isn’t a possibility for you, however, try to keep your car parked on a busy street to discourage thieves from tampering with your vehicle.
Install an anti-theft catalytic converter shield
If you’d really like to keep your car protected, it might be worth investing in a catalytic converter shield. These devices are typically composed of a heavy-duty stainless steel or aluminum plate fastened over the catalytic converter with security bolts.
Depending on where you purchase this shield, you might pay anywhere from $200 to $500 for this type of protection. When you compare that to the cost of replacing your catalytic converter, however, it’s definitely worth it.
Before you purchase your shield, make sure to check the part number to ensure it will fit your car!
Etch your VIN on the catalytic converter
Etching your Honda’s vehicle identification number (VIN)
onto your catalytic converter will make it so that thieves can’t sell it. This makes your catalytic converter a lot less attractive to a potential thief and could discourage them from actually removing your catalytic converter once they see it. Invest in comprehensive insurance
While getting comprehensive insurance
won’t save you from catalytic converter theft, it could certainly protect your wallet in the aftermath. If you have comprehensive coverage on your policy, you can submit a claim after the theft occurs and get some help with the cost of a replacement part. What to do if your 2016 Honda Accord’s catalytic converter is stolen
If you realize that your catalytic converter has been stolen, your first step should be to contact the local authorities. In some cases, the police will be able to pull footage from nearby cameras and apprehend the thief.
Even if the cops aren’t able to solve the crime, however, you’ll still need a police report in order to complete the next step in the catalytic converter recovery process: submit a claim
to your insurer. As long as you have comprehensive coverage for your vehicle, you’ll be able to get some help covering the cost of a new catalytic converter for your car—after you’ve met your deductible
, of course. Can you drive a 2016 Honda Accord without a catalytic converter?
Technically yes, you can drive a 2016 Honda Accord without a catalytic converter. It won’t cause any damage to your engine or drivetrain to do so.
However, without your catalytic converter in place, you’ll notice some changes in your car’s performance, including:
Lots of noise coming from your vehicle’s engine
Lurching or otherwise rough acceleration
Without a catalytic converter, your vehicle will also fail an emissions test, so you might not be able to legally drive or renew your registration for your vehicle within certain states. You’ll also be doing some serious environmental damage!
MORE: How to pass emissions testing
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