NX 300h Catalytic converter theft

Steve Oliver · October 22, 2019

Ok folks, I'm quite petrified at the moment of parking my new NX in public car parks around the UK, in case it's targeted by catalytic converter thieves. Has anyone on here with a 300h had theirs stolen?

Or, has anyone secured theirs somehow?

Andmat · October 23, 2019

6 hours ago, Steve Oliver said:

Czy ktoś w jakiś sposób je zabezpieczył?

Yes. I secure him by taking him home 🤣

Herbie · October 23, 2019

8 hours ago, Steve Oliver said:

Ok folks, I'm quite petrified at the moment of parking my new NX in public car parks around the UK, in case it's targeted by catalytic converter thieves

I remember my dad buying his first ever brand new car. He lived in a terraced house with no garage, so it was just left parked in the street and I remember asking him if he was worried about it being hit or damaged by passing vehicles as it was a busy road.

His reply was, "Yes and no. Yes because it's a very real possibility, no because I can't do anything about it. All I can do is get on with life and what will be, will be."

If you really are worried enough to be "petrified" maybe you should leave it locked up in the garage at home and buy something like a 10 year old Mondeo to use as a car?

Steve Oliver · October 23, 2019

23 minutes ago, Herbie said:

I remember my dad buying his first ever brand new car. He lived in a terraced house with no garage, so it was just left parked in the street and I remember asking him if he was worried about it being hit or damaged by passing vehicles as it was a busy road.

His reply was, "Yes and no. Yes because it's a very real possibility, no because I can't do anything about it. All I can do is get on with life and what will be, will be."

If you really are worried enough to be "petrified" maybe you should leave it locked up in the garage at home and buy something like a 10 year old Mondeo to use as a car?

Well Herbie, perhaps it would have helped if I'd said "Hi folks, I am a little concerned at the moment..." but thanks for your help anyway. Your Dad was probably right.

Kevin Deasy · October 23, 2019

There was a program on tv in Ireland Crime Watch which highlighted this issue,

i feel a little like you,so I have decided to fit a tilt,( shake or bump ) alarm to my NX,it will cost very little to do,I will do it myself

Steve Oliver · October 23, 2019

38 minutes ago, Kevin Deasy said:

There was a program on tv in Ireland Crime Watch which highlighted this issue,

i feel a little like you,so I have decided to fit a tilt,( shake or bump ) alarm to my NX,it will cost very little to do,I will do it myself

Hi Kevin, I think the NX has an alarm that would be sensitive to movement of the type you describe, it's a matter of whether it would be moved enough during a theft to trigger the alarm.

Still no one saying they've had their NX cat stolen though, so good so far.

Mines-a-pint · October 24, 2019

Hi Kevin, CatClamp and a couple of other companies sell devices that deters thefts of catalytic converters..

nicos · October 25, 2019

i dont think you got any problems with the nx300h as the catalyst is in manifold front of engine so they cant get at it unless they take the whole car as iv got a late 67 p-late and i have looked underside and its not visible the box running along the bottom is not the catalyst the rx400h is very vulnerable and ct200 which has the prious engine is also at risk

Steve Oliver · October 25, 2019

3 hours ago, nicos said:

i dont think you got any problems with the nx300h as the catalyst is in manifold front of engine so they cant get at it unless they take the whole car as iv got a late 67 p-late and i have looked underside and its not visible the box running along the bottom is not the catalyst the rx400h is very vulnerable and ct200 which has the prious engine is also at risk

Nicos, that's very interesting indeed - does anyone else have any thoughts on this please? If it's true (and I have no reason to disbelieve it), that's great news. 🙂

Cheers, Nicos

Andy B · October 25, 2019

Steve,

Having also taken a look under my NX recently, Nicos' comments would appear to reinforce my ow,n, albeit unscientific, thoughts about the location of the catalytic converter.

I'm by no means a mechanic but I couldn't see any part of the exhaust system (at least on the underside of the car that is accessible) that looked like the Cats I have seen pictured in related posts on this site's RX section and elsewhere. As Nicos stated, there is a box section visible but he says that it's not the Cat - something that I suspected too.

Would be good to have this confirmed by a Lexus technician.

Steve Oliver · October 25, 2019

Thanks Andy, all sounds very promising. As you say, we could do with some confirmation from Lexus in some way. The only reason I'm not looking at my own car is because it's absolutely heaving down outside and has been all day! 🌧️😳

Cheers, I'll see what I can find out.

Herbie · October 25, 2019

If it's really bothering you so much, why not pay for an hour or two access to the workshop manual at https://www.lexus-tech.eu/ to see the whole exhaust system run.

Steve Oliver · October 25, 2019

2 hours ago, Herbie said:

If it's really bothering you so much, why not pay for an hour or two access to the workshop manual at https://www.lexus-tech.eu/ to see the whole exhaust system run.

Herbie, thanks for your suggestion, I didn't know you could do that and £3.14 later (1 hour access), I can confirm that the NX has two Three Way Catalytic Converters, one in the engine compartment (the main one) and the other a much smaller one (it seems) on the very front of the angled front section of the exhaust system, and I suspect not easy to access at all as it's just below the engine compartment. The box that is visible under the car is not a cat, it's the main exhaust muffler. Useful exercise and I feel much better now 😉 Thank you very much for the suggestion. 👍

LexusPartsDirect · November 22, 2019

Please let us know if we can help any of you with discounted Catalytic Converters. This has become such a problem in the UK that we just today reduced our prices further to support the Lexus community. Please do get in touch if you are unable to find the correct Cat for your car on our website.

https://www.lexuspartsdirect.co.uk/what-is-a-catalytic-converter-and-why-it-is-a-common-target-for-thefts/

Bamboozled · March 9, 2020

On 10/25/2019 at 11:35 PM, Steve Oliver said:

Herbie, thanks for your suggestion, I didn't know you could do that and £3.14 later (1 hour access), I can confirm that the NX has two Three Way Catalytic Converters, one in the engine compartment (the main one) and the other a much smaller one (it seems) on the very front of the angled front section of the exhaust system, and I suspect not easy to access at all as it's just below the engine compartment. The box that is visible under the car is not a cat, it's the main exhaust muffler. Useful exercise and I feel much better now 😉 Thank you very much for the suggestion. 👍

Hi all - my first post as

a) I am due to take del'y of my first Lexus soon and

b) already looking at how vulnerable the Car will be per the stealing of its CAT(s)

I asked the Dealer at the time of buying what the position was re defenders for the CAT and they said something akin to "we have nothing at the moment" and they did not ever say anything as helpful as your research above is suggesting.

My mind is much more settled if your research is correct and I have no need to doubt it of course.

Wonder if there is a Catloc for NX coming along or iyo does it actually need one ?

Many thanks Bamboozled

Steve Oliver · March 16, 2020

On 3/9/2020 at 3:18 PM, Bamboozled said:

Hi all - my first post as

a) I am due to take del'y of my first Lexus soon and

b) already looking at how vulnerable the Car will be per the stealing of its CAT(s)

I asked the Dealer at the time of buying what the position was re defenders for the CAT and they said something akin to "we have nothing at the moment" and they did not ever say anything as helpful as your research above is suggesting.

My mind is much more settled if your research is correct and I have no need to doubt it of course.

Wonder if there is a Catloc for NX coming along or iyo does it actually need one ?

Many thanks Bamboozled

Thanks 👍 I have to say I've been far more relaxed leaving my car places since I found this out. I seriously don't think a CatLoc is required for it...

Cheers

Steve

Bamboozled · April 4, 2020

From Bamboozled

Does anyone have a photo or drawing of the Exhaust system please to show what is and what is not on view ?

I am a complete duffer carwise and having looked under the Car still have no idea what is what

Many thanks

Steve Oliver · April 4, 2020

49 minutes ago, Bamboozled said:

From Bamboozled

Does anyone have a photo or drawing of the Exhaust system please to show what is and what is not on view ?

I am a complete duffer carwise and having looked under the Car still have no idea what is what

Many thanks

I'll dig out the diagram of I can.

Bamboozled · April 5, 2020

Hi Steve - that would be great !

Steve Oliver · April 7, 2020

Here are the relevant pages of the tech document, there is overlap... and I'm not certain of the precise order, but it's all there - there are two parts - one for cars with the GPF (gas particulate filter) and one for cars without it. Essentially they're not a lot different and I don't think the 300h has the GPF... (anyone?)

Hope they help.

Steve

Bamboozled · April 10, 2020

Hi Steve - yes they help a great deal. Certainly help me contemplate leaving Car when I can leave home again

As I stated earlier I am a complete duffer mechanical / diy wise and being under my car I see exactly that with the TPF (or GPF) only accessible at one end with the other end mostly inside below the engine.

I was LED to believe that there were 2 "Cats" and this drawing seems to disprove that.

I know you were reprimanded in your op for using the word "petrified" but I can relate to that. My NX is 16 days old and I was worried too so (I bet I will get flack for this but I dont care) I am going to have stickers made stating "CAT inaccessible / Vehicle fitted with Tilt Alarm" and fit them inside each rear Door window. Just need to hope the low lifes can read

Thanks again for all the help

oraman · January 3, 2021

If I did have to replace the exhaust because some numbskull tried to hack off parts of it, how much is a full exhaust and cat from Lexus?....
and is there an OEM alternative?

paulrnx · January 4, 2021

A good thread this one with some very useful information. As always.

I can’t help thinking however that the worry of this happening is far greater than the chances of this actually happening. Sure it would be a pain and insurance would take a hit but this is why we have insurance. There would be significantly more chance of having someone drive into you out on the road than having this happen surely? And we don’t not drive our cars for fear of having an accident and damaging them.

Surely the resolution here is to stop worrying about some scrote pinching the cat and just enjoy the car. Look out for those meteors though, they are really scary 😂

bluenose1940 · January 6, 2021

Hope this doesn't sound too much of a stupid question.

How much noise would be made by anyone stealing a catalytic converter? Do they have to use something like an angle grinder or is is simply a case of them undoing a few nuts and bolts?

Our cars are parked beneath the bedroom window and my initial thought is that any activity around the cars would be heard quite easily. The dog would probably start barking too!

The reason that I'm asking this is because just this week, two cars within 1/2 mile of my home have had theirs taken. I have heard that Toyotas are classed as a prime target, my wife has a Yaris.

Steve Oliver · January 7, 2021

13 hours ago, bluenose1940 said:

Hope this doesn't sound too much of a stupid question.

How much noise would be made by anyone stealing a catalytic converter? Do they have to use something like an angle grinder or is is simply a case of them undoing a few nuts and bolts?

Our cars are parked beneath the bedroom window and my initial thought is that any activity around the cars would be heard quite easily. The dog would probably start barking too!

The reason that I'm asking this is because just this week, two cars within 1/2 mile of my home have had theirs taken. I have heard that Toyotas are classed as a prime target, my wife has a Yaris.

What model do you have? If an NX you really have nothing to worry about. If an RX you probably need to take precautions.