Catalytic Converter Warranty

[Pwnin O'Brien]

I have a question...

I, like many Pathfinder owners, have had my catalytic converter leak. More specifically, the seams on the side start to split open and then leak exhaust gasses. If you take the vehicle to Nissan, they will suggest they repair it. Their process consists of using exhaust paste along the seam and then covering the seam with a v-shaped piece of metal and then hold it all together with a couple of hose clamps.

My question is aren't the catalytic converters covered under the 80/80,000 warranty? I read through my warranty manual and it does say that the cats are covered. Wouldn't the above situation warrant a replacement? I had the repair done over a year ago and I am wondering why Nissan didn't just replace them.

Well the repair Nissan performed has since come undone. My passenger side Catalytic converter has started to leak again and I would love to just replace them with high-flow cats, but my wallet doesn't. Besides, free is always better.

I'm going to call Nissans consumer affairs department tomorrow morning and ask them the same question. I'm not sure if this is a stupid question or if I have forgotten some important information since I had the repair done. Please let me know your thoughts.

I will post my findings here tomorrow afternoon.

[NickD85]

apparently we have four cats. When mine start to go, I'd love to do away with the rear ones all together, as I can't see how four converters are necessary. However, I've heard from a number of guys on the forum that doing so would likely cause the two O2 sensors downstream of those cats to throw a code

[Pwnin O'Brien]

Yeah, getting rid of the second set (the rusty/splitting pair) would be ideal. I know that you can also buy some aftermarket Magnaflow high flow cats that have O2 sensor locations but they run about $400/pair. I really hate Nissan for putting four cats in the Pathfinder.

[Pwnin O'Brien]

After some reading and researching I found the answer. The Pathfinder "technically" only has two catalytic converters. The catalytic converters are attached directly to the exhaust manifold and are quite short and stubby. The things which look like the second set of catalytic converters (directly under driver and passenger seats) are considered, by Nissan, to be resonators. Although the resonators may contain some platinum, they don't contain enough to be categorized as a catalytic converter.

Resonators are not technically covered by the 80/80,000 warranty and therefore are the consumers problem. My concern is, a resonator serves no purpose other than quieting the exhaust. Why, then, does the resonator have a pre and post O2 sensor? And why, if we remove the resonator completely from the exhaust, will we throw an ECM error?

My theory, if it looks like a cat, smells like a cat, and sounds like a cat, then it probably is a cat (or Nissans attempt at costing the consumer large sums of money).

I also found it interesting that in neither the service manual nor the parts diagrams do they label the resonators as resonators.

[body80]

zer...oblem

There's your fix. I just did it last weekend so it's fresh in my mind. Removing this resonator will NOT throw a code because there isn't an O2 sensor after it. There is an O2 sensor before it located on the same section of pipe but it's after the main catalytic converters and before this resonator.

Chop it off if you want to but I see now point in it. You don't gain anything. Drop them down and get them welded. Super cheap and it's the proper way to fix it other then to replace it.

[Pwnin O'Brien]

Well it would be nice to have one less part to have to worry about. I've had to patch up the exhaust on my pathy several times already. I want to just remove everything from the cat back and just replace it all with stainless tubing and a stainless muffler (dual out) so I don't have to worry about the exhaust.