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Catalytic converter theft has gotten out of hand as countless people lose theirs to sneaky Sawzall-wielding thieves in the middle of the night. Toyota wants to keep your cats safe, though, especially on its models that fall victim to theft most often. This is why you can now order catalytic converter shields from Toyota, for the 2023 Prius and Tacoma, and have them installed at the dealership.
Toyota’s Cat Shield is sourced from MillerCat and is made from 5052-grade aluminum, so it won’t rust. It also has plenty of vent cutouts to keep the cat from getting too hot.
The Toyota Prius is among the cars whose catalytic converters are most stolen. Thieves love Prius cats because they’re more valuable. Catalytic converters work by using precious metals, such as platinum and palladium, to help clean up a car’s emissions. But they need to be hot to function properly. Since the Prius is a hybrid, and the engine isn’t always running, its catalytic converter needs more precious metals to make up for lost heat. The more precious metals, the bigger the dollar signs in thieves’ eyes.
For the 2023 Toyota Prius, the catalytic converter shield option costs $140, though that’s without the dealer installation. For the Toyota Tacoma, the shield alone costs $430. So if you want one, you’ll have to pay a dealer to install it at whatever its hourly rate is. If you don’t want to go through a dealership, or if you have a different car, you can get cat shields through online retailers like Carparts.com.
Whether you get a shield through Toyota or a different third party, they’re usually installed with security fasteners, so they can’t simply be unbolted by would-be thieves. And since they’re made from thick aluminum, they’re hard to cut through, which would increase the theft time and the perp’s chances of getting caught. So as simple as they are, catalytic converter shields are effective ways of keeping your car safe.
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