The Kia Optima has two catalytic converters, and while its low ground clearance makes it a little harder for thieves to access its cats, a portable car jack can easily give way to these emission regulators. You can protect your Optima’s cats by parking securely, etching your VIN onto it, or installing a cat-con anti-theft plate.
Catalytic converter theft is on the rise, and if you own a Kia Optima, you have two separate cat-cons to worry about. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you protect your Optima’s catalytic converters, plus what to do if yours were stolen and the type of car insurance
that might cover the theft. 
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 Kia Optima?
Yes and no. The Optima has two catalytic converters—one located near the engine manifold at the front of the vehicle, followed by another near the vehicle’s mid-rear section. Since the Kia Optima typically has a low ground clearance of around 5 to 6 inches, it isn’t necessarily easy to access its two catalytic converters without a car jack.
Unfortunately, portable car jacks are pretty common, and thieves are quick to jack up sedans to access cats. With this said, thieves are more likely to target trucks or SUVs with high ground clearances, so your Optima may be spared if a Chevy Silverado
or Toyota Tacoma
is nearby. Top Kia Optima years that catalytic converter thieves target
It really doesn’t matter which year you own—most Kia Optimas, including the hybrid and turbo models, feature two cats and a low ground clearance of approximately five to six inches.
With that said, if you have a newer Kia Optima with a hybrid powertrain, your vehicle may attract thieves for its higher concentration of valuable precious metals.
Why are Kia Optima catalytic converters stolen?
The catalytic converters in your Kia Optima are the most important parts of your emission system. Cat-cons filter emission gasses from the combustion process to minimize the release of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. To do this, each catalytic converter is made from a fine spread of precious metals, including platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
The values of these metals have risen exponentially over the past few years, making cat-cons a sure sell on the black market.
As of March 2022, here’s are the values of each of the metals in your Optima’s catalytic converter:
Platinum: $1,128 per ounce
Palladium: $2,938 per ounce
Rhodium: $20,000 per ounce
While these metals are worth more than the average slab of steel, there’s less than an ounce of each material in your cat-cons. But with two cats beneath an easy-to-jack vehicle, all a thief needs to do is get beneath your parked Kia and cut the converter from its pipes. If you frequently park your Optima on a driveway or in a parking lot rather than in a garage, there’s not much to stop thieves from accessing your cats.
Kia catalytic converter replacement cost
Besides the obviously ethical and moral issues behind catalytic converter theft, the biggest issue posed by cat theft is the high replacement costs. RepairPal estimates that it costs between $1,846 to $1,866 to replace a Kia Optima catalytic converter. And that’s just for one converter—if you’re unlucky enough to find that both of your cats are missing, you’ll be looking at a much higher replacement cost.
You could opt for an aftermarket cat for a lower replacement price, but it won’t be that much cheaper since replacements entail complex labor.
How to prevent catalytic converter theft from a Kia Optima
If you’re worried your Optima may be a target for cat thieves, there are luckily a few strategies you can use to protect these valuable parts of your emission system.
Park in a secure area
The easiest way to prevent cat theft is to park your Optima in a garage or an area with sufficient lighting and video surveillance.
Installing motion sensor lights and outdoor surveillance cameras can be a great alternative to parking your vehicle in a secure garage. You can even throw in a “monitored by video surveillance” sign to deter thieves from getting caught on camera approaching your vehicle.
The more you secure your vehicle, the less likely it’ll attract thieves.
Buy a catalytic converter shield
Anti-theft devices like a cat-con anti-theft shield, cage, or plate can go a long way to protect your precious metal emissions converter. These devices are typically made of aluminum and can be easily installed to cover both front and rear cats.
You can find anti-theft cat shields from providers like Amazon, Cat Shield Protected for Millercat
, or Cat Security™
. Compare your model with their stock to ensure the shield will fit over your cat, and look for a device that comes with security bolts and hand tools if you’re looking for a quick and easy DIY installation. With a cat shield, you can rest assured that your cat will not be tampered with and your insurance company may reward you with a comprehensive insurance discount for your theft-deterrent install.
Put your VIN on the catalytic converter
If you etch and tag your vehicle’s VIN onto your catalytic converter, it can’t be sold on the black market. Adding your VIN to your cat can be a great way to prevent theft—once they jack up your Optima and see your VIN on your cats, they’ll know that it's of less value to them.
You can etch your VIN onto your cats at a catalytic converter etching event held by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), or you can take your Optima to a local muffler shop for tagging.
Invest in comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance will not lower the chances of your cat-con’s getting swiped, but it will help you save on replacement costs if your Optima’s cats are stolen.
With comprehensive insurance
, you can submit a claim to your insurance company if one or more of your cats are stolen and they will cover the cost of replacing this vital part of your emissions system. Opting for a full coverage policy can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars if your cats are stolen. Without comprehensive coverage, you’ll have to bear the burden of replacing your cat out of pocket, which can be especially costly if you drive a newer model.
What to do if your Kia Optima’s catalytic converter is stolen
If your Kia Optima’s catalytic converter(s) was stolen, you should immediately contact the authorities and attempt to pull security footage and additional evidence to help catch the thief.
As a second step, you should notify your insurance provider and file a claim if your policy includes comprehensive coverage. Even if there isn’t security footage or much evidence to assist in tracking down the cat swiper and your missing converter, the police will file a report that can be helpful for when you file an insurance claim.
If your insurance policy covers cat replacements, your provider will organize a replacement installation with a mechanic and cover the cost of parts and labor. Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay the deductible on your policy for your insurance company to cover the remainder of the cost, but your deductible will be far lower than the actual replacement.
Additionally, Kia offers emissions warranties for Optimas, which include catalytic converter replacements. The period of coverage will depend on your model year, but Kia’s emission warranties typically cover vehicles for one to eight years. Replacements take place at your local Kia dealership service shop.
If your Kia emissions warranty is expired and you do not have comprehensive coverage on your insurance policy, you’ll need to replace the catalytic converter on your terms and out of your pocket. Some mechanics work with aftermarket parts, so if you find one who’s willing to do so, you could save a couple hundred dollars.
Can you drive a Kia Optima without a catalytic converter?
If one or both of your catalytic converters are stolen, you can continue driving your Optima without them, but not for long.
First and foremost, your Optima will not pass an emissions test without one or both of its cat-cons, so if you live in a state that requires an emissions test for vehicle registration, you’ll need to install a replacement before you reach the testing deadline.
Additionally, you’ll definitely feel the difference of driving without a catalytic converter as your exhaust will be a lot noisier, your miles per gallon will decrease, and your vehicle will accelerate at a slower rate. Your Optima may even fail to start or emit a rotten egg smell, which can be pretty hard to ignore.
Lastly, let's not forget that there’s a fair and justified purpose to your cat cons. If they aren’t there to decrease the harmful emissions from your combustion engine, your Optima will release some pretty toxic gasses into the atmosphere, which you should definitely be worried about.
So yes, you can drive your Optima without a catalytic converter, but you won’t be able to do so for long before your car and the planet begin to suffer.
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