Catalytic converter thefts are a growing concern for many drivers with as many as 153,000 vehicles being targets in the United States last year, showing a 2% increase from 2021, according to Carfax.
Data scientists at Carfax researched “catalytic converter replacements from millions of service records.” Though their number is a 2% increase from “media reports,” they claim that only insurance claims had been taken into account, resulting in a number of 52,000 replacements.
But Carfax looked beyond insurance claims. They delved into defective and recalled converters, old converters that were replaced, and converters stolen from car lots, suggesting that catalytic converter thefts may not actually have increased by 2%, but that original reporting was not accurate.
Coming up with a number based on insurance claims may not be accurate because many people don’t file insurance claims in these cases, Carfax noted. This can be due to drivers not being insured or lacking comprehensive coverage.
The research also revealed the top 10 vehicles targeted the most for catalytic converter theft. They are as follows:
Ford F Series Trucks; Honda Accords; Toyota Priuses; Honda CR-Vs; Ford Explorers; Ford Econolines; Chevrolet Equinoxes; Chevrolet Silverados; Toyota Tacomas; and Chevrolet Cruzes.
