The Audi Q3’s catalytic converter is located fairly close to the exhaust manifold and further up into the engine bay than some models, which makes it harder for thieves to access. Plus, it’s covered by the Q3’s splash shield, which needs to be removed to access things like the oil drain plug.
As catalytic converter theft numbers continue surging, it’s hard to shake the feeling that your vehicle might be next. However, some vehicle models are much more common targets than others. While SUVs are more likely to attract thieves due to their higher ground clearance, many newer vehicle models like the Audi Q3 are being designed with the cat-con in a different spot to make them harder to steal
In this article, you’ll find information about how worried you need to be about getting your Audi
Q3’s catalytic converter stolen. We’ll also discuss what to do to safeguard yourself from cat theft and, in the worst-case scenario, how to navigate filing a car insurance
claim and getting car repairs
done if your catalytic converter is stolen. 
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 an Audi Q3?
No, but it isn’t impossible. In order to steal the catalytic converter from an Audi Q3, a thief would need to go through more trouble than usual. Cat-cons are usually located on the underside of a vehicle between the exhaust manifold and the muffler, and they’re usually accessible from underneath a car. However, as the recent decade has seen an increase in catalytic converter theft numbers, manufacturers like Audi are making it more difficult for thieves to get at these essential parts.
The most common vehicles to have their catalytic converters stolen are the Ford F-Series trucks
, since they are so high off the ground and feature larger catalytic converters that contain higher volumes of precious metals. Top Audi Q3 years that catalytic converter thieves target
Every Audi Q3, regardless of model year, has the catalytic converter located further up into the engine bay than usual, so no one model year is likely to be targeted.
Why are catalytic converters stolen?
Catalytic converter theft has risen in popularity due to the high value of the precious metals contained within them, along with how easy it is to access the cats of many vehicle models. While catalytic converters only have fine amounts of these metals inside them, even trace amounts can be worth a lot of money, considering their per-ounce values.
Here are the prices for one ounce of each of the precious metals commonly used in catalytic converters.
To put it in perspective, gold was worth $1,837 per ounce when this article was written.
Audi Q3 catalytic converter replacement cost
Ordering a catalytic converter replacement part for an Q3 directly from Audi costs about $2,500, and you can estimate a labor cost of about $200. Buying an aftermarket part rather than ordering the original factory converter might help save you money.
Luckily, since an Audi Q3’s catalytic converter is less likely to be stolen, this is hopefully something you won’t need to worry about—at least not because of theft. However, catalytic converters do sometimes need to be replaced due to age after around 10 years or so.
How to prevent catalytic converter theft from an Audi Q3
Driving an Audi Q3 is already a good start if you’re trying to avoid being a victim of catalytic converter theft. As long as you’re parking in a secured area where someone won’t be able to get under your SUV’s hood and remove a few different parts, there’s not much else you’ll need to worry about. For extra protection, you can take your SUV to a mechanic to have them etch your VIN onto your catalytic converter.
Having good comprehensive car insurance
can also keep you protected from these types of situations, since it allows you to claim for damages that come as a result of vandalism or theft, among other non-collision related damages. What to do if your vehicle’s catalytic converter is stolen
It’s fairly unlikely that your Audi Q3’s catalytic converter will be stolen, given how much extra work it would take for a thief to actually access it and remove it. However, if you do end up realizing that your vehicle’s catalytic converter has been stolen, the first thing to do is to document the theft by taking pictures of the area surrounding where it was stolen from.
Now you can use that documentation to file a police report, which is usually required if you plan on making an insurance claim for a theft. Don’t get your hopes up about the police recovering your stolen cat-con—most catalytic converter thefts go unsolved, so it’s unlikely that law enforcement will have any idea of where it would have been taken. However, sometimes caches of stolen cats are found, so if you had your VIN etched on yours when it was stolen, it might be returned to you.
Rather than hoping for this best-case scenario, your best weapon against catalytic converter theft is a solid comprehensive insurance plan. You’ll be able to make a claim after filing a police report, and after you pay your deductible, you should receive a full payout for the replacement costs.
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Can you drive an Audi Q3 without a catalytic converter?
Technically yes—it isn’t unsafe, but it’s also not a good thing to do. It’s illegal to intentionally drive without one, so you’ll be expected to only drive without it as a temporary solution after a theft. You’ll need to at least have it repaired before your car is emissions tested, if this is something that is required for vehicle registration in your state.
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