How to Prevent Kia Sportage Catalytic Converter Theft
Keep your Kia Sportage safe from catalytic converter theft with this guide.
Written by Mary Alice Morris
Reviewed by Amy Bobinger
The Kia Sportage is a popular car for drivers seeking a crossover SUV that can tackle a little off-roading as well as the work commute. Unfortunately, it’s also popular among thieves looking to steal and resell catalytic converters.
The Sportage regularly appears on lists of the most frequent targets of catalytic converter theft. In recent years, Kia has sought to combat this by placing the catalytic converter in a somewhat less convenient spot closer to the exhaust manifold. Older Sportages, though—and even newer ones, if the thief is determined—can fall prey to this kind of car theft.
There are steps you can take to protect yourself, like purchasing the right kind of
car insurance
coverage to help pay for the cost of repairs after a theft. But you can also take some proactive steps to avoid the hassle altogether. This guide will show you how and why the Sportage is vulnerable, and what you can do to keep it safer.Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversIs it easy to steal the catalytic converter from a Kia Sportage?
Although it’s not among the very top targets for catalytic converter theft, the Kia Sportage does frequent more extensive lists of cars targeted by thieves for this valuable part. That’s at least partially due to the fact that several Kia Sportage models have a high ground clearance.
The ground clearance is the measurement between the ground and the lowest part of your car’s chassis. The higher the ground clearance, the easier it is to shimmy underneath a vehicle to start sawing out the catalytic converter.
But ground clearance isn’t everything thieves look for. They also tend to target hybrid vehicles, because they often have more than one catalytic converter and the costly precious metals inside the catalytic converters are often used in higher quantities on hybrids.
Top Kia Sportage years that catalytic converter thieves target
With the exception of Kia’s hybrids, the brand’s more recent model years are less enticing to catalytic converter thieves because they’re just not as convenient. But on older model years, thieves often find a double advantage—in addition to the higher ground clearance, the catalytic converter i s more conveniently placed between the exhaust manifold and the muffler.
Why are Kia Sportage catalytic converters stolen?
When it comes to your car, the catalytic converter is valuable because it helps keep your emissions under control and your car running efficiently. But catalytic converter thieves aren’t interested in those benefits.
They’re more interested in what’s inside the catalytic converter—precious metals like platinum, rhodium, and palladium. They’re found in minute quantities inside the catalytic converter, but even tiny bits of these metals can spell dollar signs for thieves, even more so if they can cut out more than one catalytic converter at a time.
If you’re wondering how much these materials are actually worth, here’s their value per ounce as of December 2022:
- Platinum: $1,031 per ounce
- Palladium: $1,854 per ounce
- Rhodium: $12,700 per ounce
Kia catalytic converter replacement cost
Getting a catalytic converter replaced on a Kia Sportage isn’t going to be cheap if yours ends up stolen. The parts alone will cost around $2,400, and the labor will be between $100 and $150.
If you have
comprehensive coverage
on your Sportage, it will pay for repairs due to theft and vandalism. You’ll just have to pay your insurance deductible. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay for the repair entirely out of pocket!How to prevent catalytic converter theft from a Kia Sportage
If catalytic converter theft is a concern for you, there are a few steps you can take to better protect your vehicle.
Park in a secure area
If at all possible, park your Kia Sportage in a garage. A private garage is best, but a public or shared garage is good, too—especially if security or surveillance services are provided.
If you can’t park in a garage, then try to park in a well-lit, easily visible location. For instance, if you have to park streetside, try to get your car under a street light, and have it in a space that’s visible from your house.
If you park in a driveway or right in front of your own home, consider installing a
home security camera
and motion-activated lights. Buy an anti-theft device
Anti-theft devices can provide you with another layer of protection. They may not deter a thief outright, but once someone gets under your car to take your catalytic converter, they’ll be thwarted by a catalytic converter shield, which is extremely difficult to bypass. You can find these devices from
MILLERCAT
, Cat Security™
, and other manufacturers. Put your VIN on the catalytic converter
If you look at the
National Insurance Crime Bureau
(NICB) website, you can find catalytic converter etching events, and there may be one coming soon near you! If so, you can get your vehicle's VIN number etched onto the catalytic converter, making it much harder for thieves to sell. If there’s no NICB etching event near you, you can get it done at your local muffler shop. Or, if you want to try a similar DIY method, get a can of automotive exhaust system spray paint. You can use it to tag your catalytic converter, making it easily identifiable and less likely to be stolen.
Invest in comprehensive insurance
Although comprehensive coverage won’t stop someone from stealing your catalytic converter, it’ll make your life a lot easier if it does happen. With comprehensive coverage, your catalytic converter replacement will be covered. You’ll just need to
file a car insurance claim
and pay your comprehensive deductible
—still a lot cheaper than replacing your catalytic converter out of pocket.What to do if your Kia Sportage’s catalytic converter is stolen
The first thing you need to do if you realize your catalytic converter has been stolen is to contact law enforcement. Filing a police report about the theft may not result in your catalytic converter being retrieved. But it will make your insurance claim process a lot easier.
A police report will substantiate your claim with your insurance company, and once the claim is processed, your provider will help you set up a time and place for repair.
If you don’t have comprehensive coverage, you should still file a police report. However, you won’t be able to claim it on your insurance. Instead, you’ll have to pay for the repair out of pocket. If that does happen, you can save money by shopping for an aftermarket replacement catalytic converter.
Can you drive a Kia Sportage without a catalytic converter?
Technically, you can drive without a catalytic converter, but it probably won’t be a very pleasant experience. A missing catalytic converter is often easy to notice because your car will be quite loud. It might even make a very loud roaring noise when you start it up.
Additionally, you may notice the smell of exhaust fumes when you’re driving, and your vehicle won’t be able to pass emissions testing.
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