2003 Causes for converter turning on check engine light - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

sidnau · 11-21-2008, 04:38 PM

My 2003 Matrix (basic engine) has turned on the check engine light because the catalytic converter is not performing according to specifications. I would like to find out if there is some engine problem that has caused this to happen. The car has 160,000 miles, has been maintained well, and runs well. I have needed to add coolant 5-10 times since the car was new and the dealer seems to think this loss of coolant is not a cause for concern. (The dealer has not checked for coolant leaks or checked for the possibility of burning coolant.) Has anyone had a Matrix converter start failing, and was a cause found? (Of course, the converter could just be wearing out, but by the book, that shouldn't happen). Thanks.

***toyomoho*** · 11-21-2008, 07:40 PM

See other post.

mapreader · 11-26-2008, 08:10 AM

My converter is also going out. I have 368,000 miles on my 05. Toyota wants about 2000.00 to replace. also having problems with the electrical system, no clock, radio, side mirror controls or aux plug ins are working. Toyota replaced the fuse but it blew within 5 minutes. Good luck

sidnau · 11-30-2008, 12:04 AM

Thanks for your response. Maybe I could learn a lot from your experience with your 05 Matrix. Did you find out that your converter was losing performance by the Check Engine light being turned on? At what mileage did you first learn that the converter was losing performance? How do you know for certain that your converter is failing?

mapreader · 11-30-2008, 10:53 AM

Hi, Yes my check engine light came on so I took it to Toyota to Have it checked. They stated it was going bad & it will only cost you $1400.00 for the new converter (not installed). I was at about 358,000 miles at the time the check engine light came on. Being things the way they are right now I can't get it fixed. I get a sluggishness out of her when I try to rapidly accelerate but I now at 370,002 miles. I going to get my fuel injector cleaned & hope she'll keep going till I can get her fixed.

blkmatrix2003 · 12-01-2008, 06:01 PM

I have an '03 XRS. My check engine light has been on for about a year now. My mechanic hooked it up and I got the same code that everyone is getting, the converter. I refuse to give Toyota any money to tell me whats wrong. The car has 137,000 and runs great. The engine light has not affected the performance of the car and I enjoy driving it. I've checked aftermarket converters and they state that their's will not make the engine light go out. So I am just going to go with it. I have about a year of payments left on it and I really like the car. Provided nothing goes insanely wrong before it's paid for, I am just gonna wait and see. At that time, I'll decide if I want to shell out that kind of money to Toyota.

sidnau · 12-02-2008, 01:15 PM

Thanks for the update. I first took my car to an auto parts store where they checked the computer for free and gave me the news. I haven't noticed any symptoms so far. In Tennessee, I can get my car checked for emissions and it passed (4 on hydrocarbons and the allowable limit is 220, but my car used to be at zero). I travel a lot, so I am thinking about replacing the converter. I don't like having the check engine light on all the time because other problems could occur that wouldn't be able to turn it on. There is a Technical Service Bulletin about the original computer settings causing a rich fuel mixture and harming the converter. Your car must not have had that problem. The computer can be re-programmed to correct the settings!

sidnau · 12-02-2008, 01:27 PM

See my 1:15 Post. I got my computer re-programmed for $49.95 at the dealer to get the computer to quit instructing the fuel system to deliver an overly rich fuel mixture. It won't fix the damage to the converter, but I hope it will slow down the process of the converter gradually failing. The check engine light only stayed off for about 200 miles after the computer was re-programmed. If my check engine light had turned on before I got to 80,000 miles, Toyota would have replaced the converter for free and re-programmed the computer. In some cases, they would have replaced the computer. Unhooking the battery for a while should clear the codes that have been stored and turn off the light (at least for a while). I have a question about the after-market converters. Are you saying that if you get the codes cleared and the light turned off, when you put on an after-market converter, the check engine light will turn on again (with a new after-market converter)?