A blocked Cat Story

A road trip was planned for the New Mexico Balloon Festival and maybe a quick trip up to Colorado to say I have been to that state!

So we set out early Thursday morning from Phoenix up the I-17 that has a climb to 7,000 feet and a real test for the 229,000 Prius. We chug along noting the battery was sitting at just one purple bar very quickly by the time we hit 5000 feet and seemed to struggle more so than usual. But we make it to the I-40 and head to the Twin Arrows for lunch.

All good so far with a belly full of food and a $0.19 winners voucher we set off for New Mexico. We only make it 30 miles and the car seems to be slowing down and starts making a blown exhaust gasket "fluff' noise from the front of the car.

The semi's start passing us and the battery is still showing 1 purple bar... we still have 230 miles to go....

Start getting worried as we cant hold 65 mph on the interstate and then the engine warning lamp lights up! The car has finally coded out with P0420 Powertrain Catalyst system efficiency below threshold (bank 1).

I clear the code to see if it would help. Nope! We stop several times to charge up the battery but it quickly goes back to 1 purple bar.

After taking the car to Toyota and getting no info - but a $3000 estimate to replace the cat we arrive at Midas! The deal is struck for a replacement Cat as the manager was positive the symptoms we described to him all pointed to a blocked converter.

Sure enough the cat was 90% blocked - all melted.

Car got 47.2 mpg on the way home at 75 mph that included the 7000 foot climb back up to Flagstaff and down to Phoenix.

Today around the city it was 46.7 mpg.



A happy ending and a Prius lives on!