my parents have an 02 camry. They called from florida were they are vacationing and the check engine light came on. he got it scanned and showed the catalytic converter. I didnt ask the code but figured it might be a plugged cat. the muffler shop quoted him $1000 to fix it. i told him to call a toyota dealership to see if it might be under the emissions warranty. isnt $1000 actual rape? you can get a converter for less than $200. seems fishy

Yes, it could be under warranty, but I doubt a cat would be plugged up so soon...5 years is way early. I'd suspect a faulty oxygen sensor instead...$100 in parts and $150 in labor maybe.

Take it to Autozone or similar and have them read the code to see EXACTLY what it is. If they reset it, then wait for the CEL to come on again.

There is no specific code for a faulty cat. There are upstream and downstream O2 sensors that detect if the cat is working properly. If one is going bad, then the codes will say which specific sensor(s) is faulty. Hope this helps!

It is almost certainly sensor 2, the one after the cat converter.

i'll need to find out what code its throwing.

code PO420.

so that could be either the cat or 02 sensor. what would you guys fix first?

1. Check for leaks in the exhaust system between the engine and the cat converter (loose connection, rusted area, or burned out seal)

2. HO2 or A/F ratio sensor before cat converter is bad (remove connector and measure resistance between terminals +B and HT - should be 0.8-1.4 ohms cold).

3. HO2 sensor after cat converter is bad (measure resistance as above - should be 11-16 ohms cold).

4. Cat converter is bad.

If you need to replace a sensor, bring your VIN to a Toyota dealer and get the correct part number for your engine. There is only one that works correctly, but at least two available. You don't have to buy the part from Toyota, but you have to have the correct part number.

Most likely it is the sensor after the cat converter, but it should be tested.

the toyota dealership said 8yrs/80,000 miles whichever comes first. so it wont be covered by that.

so would it hurt to drive back home with this code? (florida to indiana) i dont think he has any rough engine issues.

No, it is simply a sensor of cat function. Most likely everything is fuctioning correctly except the sensor. Your fuel/air mixture is probably not affected.