If you own a Hyundai Santa Fe, you might be concerned about the growing number of catalytic converter thefts across the country. If you want to better protect yourself, there are a few preventative measures you can take—like etching your VIN onto the catalytic converter or purchasing an anti-theft plate that prevents access to it.
Unfortunately, the rate of catalytic converter theft has risen exponentially over the last few years. If you’re a Hyundai Santa Fe owner looking for ways to better protect your vehicle against pilferage, then look no further. Today, we’ll cover a few ways to prevent catalytic converter theft, what to do if yours is stolen, and the car insurance
you’ll need to cover it. Is it easy to steal the catalytic converter from a Hyundai Santa Fe?
Unfortunately, the answer is yes, the Santa Fe’s catalytic converter is easy to steal. Pretty much every Santa Fe is at significant risk of having at least one of its cat converters stolen, regardless of the model year. Speaking of model year, a Santa Fe can have between two and four catalytic converters, depending on configuration and generation. Usually, though, there is at least one in the manifold and one in the exhaust system near the muffler.
The catalytic converter in the exhaust system is the one most frequently targeted by thieves since it is easily accessible underneath the vehicle. The Santa Fe’s decent ground clearance
only makes it more of a target since an enterprising rapscallion might not even have to jack the vehicle up to access the cat converter! It is for this very reason that other SUVs of a similar size are often targeted, like the Toyota Venza
and Honda Passport
. Top Hyundai Santa Fe years that catalytic converter thieves target
Virtually every Hyundai Santa Fe manufactured between 2000 and now is liable to draw the attention of catalytic converter thieves.
In addition, hybrid Santa Fe models as well as those with dual exhaust systems are at a heightened risk of theft—thanks to the higher concentration of precious metals and the presence of a second easily accessible converter, respectively.
Why are Hyundai Santa Fe catalytic converters stolen?
It might seem like just a car part to the layman, but catalytic converters actually contain the rare and highly valuable metals platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
These metals are necessary because they are very good at filtering your vehicle’s harmful exhaust fumes and rendering them mostly harmless to the planet and atmosphere. Over the last few years, though, the value of these metals has gone up even further, meaning that your catalytic converter is more tantalizing than ever to a keen-eyed criminal.
Let’s take a look at what the metals in your Santa Fe’s catalytic converter are worth, as of March 2022:
Platinum: $1,128 per ounce
Palladium: $2,938 per ounce
Rhodium: $20,000 per ounce
Of course, the amount of each of these metals in your catalytic converter is much lower than an ounce, but the fact that they are so easily accessed and stolen balances things out somewhat. Thanks to the Santa Fe’s eight-inch ground clearance, it’s criminally easy (no pun intended) for a brigand or bandit to wriggle under the car, cut the brackets holding your exhaust system in place, and escape under the cover of darkness with their stolen goods in tow.
Hyundai catalytic converter replacement cost
Problematic ethics aside, there’s another reason why your catalytic converter getting stolen is a major issue—RepairPal estimates that the average cost to replace a Hyundai Santa Fe’s catalytic converter is between $2,127 and $2,152.
Using an aftermarket part can lower your costs slightly, but there’s no getting around the fact that this will be a very expensive ordeal.
How to prevent catalytic converter theft from a Hyundai Santa Fe
At the rate things are going, catalytic converter theft isn’t going to stop being a problem anytime soon. To that end, let’s talk about a few strategies you can use to protect one of your car’s most valuable assets:
Park in a secure area
Probably the simplest but most effective way to protect your vehicle, parking in a well-lit location or a parking deck will deter all but the most desperate desperados. If you’re parking at home, you could consider installing motion-activated lights above the driveway or parking underneath a streetlight (if you don’t have a driveway).
Remember that the more visible your vehicle is, the harder it is for a thief to sneak up and steal something.
Buy a theft prevention device
If you don’t mind spending a little extra money, you could purchase a theft prevention device like a Catstrap™.
The Catstrap
is a protective band that covers the length of your catalytic converter and larger exhaust system. It contains steel cables that slide around in such a way as to make them almost impossible to cut through with a saw. You don’t need any tools to install a Catstrap, and the whole process can be completed in around 30 minutes. If that intrigues you, take a look at some of the other neat anti-theft gear on the Catstrap website, like a motion-activated alarm
that blares deafening noise if it detects movement underneath your vehicle. 
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 Put your VIN on the catalytic converter
You could also try writing your VIN on the catalytic converter itself, which makes it much harder to sell on the black market.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau regularly hosts catalytic converter etching events. If there isn’t an event near you anytime soon, you can always bring your Santa Fe to a local muffler shop to get marked.
Invest in comprehensive insurance
Okay, so having good insurance coverage won’t actively prevent a villainous scalawag from making off with your catalytic converter, but it will protect you from dealing with the significant out-of-pocket expenses that come with having your cat converter stolen.
You’ll only be able to file a claim for the stolen part if you have comprehensive insurance
. Otherwise, paying for a very expensive replacement will be your responsibility. If you’ve been following along with us so far, then finish strong by adding full-coverage insurance
to your policy! What to do if your Hyundai Santa Fe’s catalytic converter is stolen
If the unthinkable happens and you find that your Santa Fe has been the victim of a crime, the first thing you should do is call the police. It’s possible they will be able to dig up some nearby security camera footage that could help identify the culprit.
After that, the officers will file a police report, which you’ll need for the next part of the process: getting in touch with your insurance company. Remember that you can file a claim for the theft if you have comprehensive coverage, which we hope you do (for your wallet’s sake)!
Your insurance company should take care of scheduling your appointment with a mechanic, as well as the cost of the replacement catalytic converter. You’ll still have to pay a deductible before your insurance kicks in, but it will be much less than the actual repair cost.
If you don’t have comprehensive coverage, you still have to replace your cat converter, but you’ll have the added fun of paying for it yourself. If you want to save a little cash, look for a mechanic willing to use aftermarket parts.
Can you drive a Hyundai Santa Fe without a catalytic converter?
You can technically keep driving your car without a catalytic converter, but it’s definitely not a good idea.
To start, a Santa Fe that’s missing any of its catalytic converters won’t be able to pass an emissions test. If you live somewhere you have to undergo emissions testing to maintain your vehicle registration
, then you will definitely want a replacement sooner than later. Until you get that replacement, you’ll also have to contend with loud road noise and wonky acceleration. Oh, and let’s not forget the noxious fumes spewing from your tailpipe directly into the atmosphere. Frankly, you need to have those catalytic converters in your car, for the Earth’s sake as well as your own.
"They get the job done! Jerry
saved me about $25 a month, which is pretty great in my opinion.” —Vivian S.
Saved $725 annually
We value your privacy
