Your vehicle's catalytic converter plays an essential role in reducing harmful emissions. When your catalytic converter is working properly it successfully changes auto emissions into harmless water vapor. When your catalytic converter is malfunctioning, the pollutants leaving your vehicle can exacerbate local pollution levels.

There are four ways for you to determine whether your catalytic converter needs replacing or not:

1. Busted or rusted out converter body or end tubes.

2. Small pieces of substrate in other areas of the exhaust system.

3. No rattle in a pellitized converter (If the converter does not rattle, the pellets may have melted together or fallen out).

4. A rattle in a monolithic converter (A rattle in this kind of converter indicates the substrate has separated.)

If you are unable to determine failure your state, provincial, or local vehicle inspection program will reveal that to you the next time your car comes up for inspection. If your car fails its inspection, you will have to replace your catalytic converter before you car can be passed.

Replacement of your catalytic converter is a procedure that can be done by professionals such as through your dealer's service department, through a muffler shop, or by a local garage. If you are handy, you can do the work yourself and save money on parts as well as on labor costs.

Only purchase a catalytic converter that meets or exceeds your vehicle's OEM specifications. Online retailers, including Car Parts Stuff, carry a huge selection of Jeep and Ford catalytic converters as well as converters for most other cars.

Almost all vehicles have come equipped with catalytic converters, the exception being those vehicles made before 1975. On all later model vehicles, you must have a catalytic converter in place; otherwise you are breaking the law.

If you install an aftermarket exhaust system, only purchase those that leave all emission control equipment in place. Again, driving without a catalytic converter is illegal and the potential harm you create to the atmosphere simply isn't worth it.