You may have heard about rising catalytic converter theft numbers. Honda vehicles are especially vulnerable, but this doesn’t mean you need to resign yourself to constantly worrying everytime you park your Jazz somewhere you can’t keep an eye on—there’s ways to protect yourself (and your wallet), should you be the unfortunate victim of a cat theft.
This car repair
guide has got you covered when it comes to catalytic converter theft—or rather—how best to prevent and what your options are if it happens to you. We’ll even look at what kind of car insurance
can best cover your wallet should this happen. 
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 Honda Jazz?
Let’s get one thing clarified—the Honda Jazz is the same as the Honda Fit, except it’s called that in markets outside the US, like in Europe, for example. Generally, it is fairly difficult to steal the catalytic converter from some of the newer Honda Jazz models, as it is located in the engine bay, meaning someone will have to jack the car up first.
But don’t let that relax you. Thefts of catalytic converters in Honda vehicles are already high, since most of their cars have hybrid versions that will fetch more of a price when they are resold. Earlier this year, police in the UK actually issued a warning to Honda Jazz owners following a recent spike in catalytic converter thefts which bizarrely included a lot of Honda Jazz models as targets.
Top Honda Jazz years that catalytic converter thieves target
It’s a little difficult to nail down which Honda Jazz models are most at risk as the data leaves much to be desired. Despite this, if you own a second or first generation Honda Jazz, chances are you’re more at risk as it’s very easy to get to and cut them out. With the newer third generation models, the catalytic converters are in the engine bay, so it’ll be much harder for would-be thieves to get to it.
Why are Honda Jazz catalytic converters stolen?
The catalytic converter is the component in your car that takes any toxic pollutants emitted by your vehicle’s exhaust system and converts them into less harmful gasses before they are expelled. These converters contain small amounts of palladium, platinum, and rhodium, which may not mean anything to you but will mean everything to thieves.
With the supply chain disruption that came with the pandemic, these minerals’ prices rose astronomically, with some pinpoints putting them at the following prices in March of 2022:
Platinum: $1,128 per ounce
Palladium: $2,938 per ounce
Rhodium: $20,000 per ounce
So you can expect why someone may be willing to take the risk and steal a component that’s relatively easy to get to—especially considering what these precious metals may make for them. The prices may have dropped now from their March highs, but that doesn’t mean you’re fully in the clear. The theft of converters is not a new or recent phenomenon, and law enforcement has been dealing with it for quite a while.
The rate may have increased with the prices of the constituent metals in the converter, but so long as they remain easy to get to, catalytic converter theft will remain a risk, especially considering the payoff for any bad actors.
Honda catalytic converter replacement cost
This is the real issue, and why this matters to you. Obviously, not having a component in your car is cumbersome, the price tag to replace it can potentially break the wallet. Catalytic converters are already expensive due to the precious metals they’re made of, and can be even more scarce as of recent times.
Repair Pal estimates the average cost for a catalytic converter replacement can cost between $1,900 and $2,000 depending on the labor costs associated with it and exactly how difficult it may be to source a part. Keep in mind this does not include taxes—or the costs that may be associated with fixing any damage to your car due to the theft.
How to prevent catalytic converter theft from a Honda Jazz
Here are a few strategies for reducing the likelihood of a catalytic converter theft.
Park in a secure and well-lit area
This might seem a little obvious but it can go a long way. Parking your car in a well-lit area with video surveillance or in a garage can do a lot for deterring thieves. Parking in the driveway may help if you don’t have a garage.
Lighting is very important—it makes the area quite inhospitable for criminals as there’s a bigger chance of them being seen.
Buy a catalytic converter shield
Invest in an anti-theft device
for your catalytic converter. It may come as a surprise, but yes, these exist. You can fit a steel shield over the converter, for example, which means more time and effort to remove for a thief, therefore being a big deterrent. Similarly, you can try getting a cage over the component or stainless steel cables that weld the catalytic converter to the car’s frame—basically anything that may make a bad actor’s job harder. The Cat Shield™ from MILLERCAT
is a commonly used product, but you can find other options on online marketplaces. Some mechanics and technicians may even be willing to fix one up for you, and this may be a good way to ensure the anti-theft device is actually compatible with your car. Put your VIN on the catalytic converter
That’s right—literally mark your property. Some people even recommend painting your converter a different color, along with etching your VIN onto the catalytic converter. The idea is that this makes it traceable to a certain extent—as you can identify it if it is recovered after a theft.
Also, it makes it a less attractive product to steal. It’s going to be a lot more difficult for a thief to sell something that is painted a different color or has an identifying VIN number on it. They may take the time to paint over it or file the VIN, but this more effort can go a long way to deter someone looking to make a quick buck.
Invest in comprehensive insurance
You may be wondering how this may help you prevent catalytic converter theft—and you’re right, it won’t. But, it can definitely play a part in reducing the bang to your wallet that a replacement converter is going to cost.
What to do if your Honda Jazz catalytic converter is stolen
Your first step should be to contact local law enforcement. They’ll do the work when it comes to finding it again, such as checking local security cameras. Even if they can’t do much, they’ll be able to keep an eye out if the component resurfaces somewhere.
Importantly, contacting the police means you’ll be able to file a police report, which is important for the next step—telling your insurance company. Your policy, if it is comprehensive, should allow you to file a claim for the theft and cover the cost of the replacement, minus any deductibles that you’re responsible for.
This leaks into step three, which is to visit a mechanic or technician. They can discuss any repair options from you and coordinate with your insurance to help cover the costs of any new parts. Some might even be able to help you install any anti-theft devices to prevent this from happening again.
Can you drive a Honda Jazz without a catalytic converter?
All of this might tempt you to just throw up your hands and drive without a catalytic converter. And yes—technically, you can do this, though it is not a sustainable long-term option for anyone.
The biggest problem is emissions testing. Without a converter, you will almost certainly fail any smog checks required by your state, which could cause problems for any license or registration renewals you might have to do in the future. Not to mention the problems this could cause to the environment—imagine for example you’ve left the car running in your garage to warm it up in the winter, and now you have to deal with toxic pollutants in your home.
On top of this, you can expect issues with rough driving and uneven acceleration, as your exhaust won’t have a converter to regulate it. So the bottom line—get it replaced.
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