Q: Car lost power and has weird smell. Catalytic conferter glowing orange.
My car has lost power, the exhaust has a weird smell to it, and the catalytic converter glows orange when driving.
Hello, from what you describe you could have two possibilities, a lean condition, or a plugged catalytic converter. A lean condition can be caused by having low fuel system pressure and volume or by being commanded by the engine control unit. The catalytic converter could have come apart and is not allowing proper exhaust flow causing the catalytic converter to overheat and glow.
The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our
terms of service
for more details
Get an instant quote for your car
Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing
What others are asking
Car dead after leaving lights on.
Oh no! From the looks of it, it is very likely that the lights being left on drained the battery just enough to prevent the starter from doing its job. In most cases a simple jumpstart of the battery will...
Steering wheel shakes
Hi. A severely worn hub bearing would be my guess. Hub bearings are sealed bearings. Over time, they wear and fail. Hub bearing noises tend to change during right and left turns as pressure is increased or decreased. Eventually, the...
Car overheats; coolant leak
If the engine got hot enough to cause a head gasket failure then all of these other parts must be replaced with it. I typically do a block test to verify that the head gasket is bad. If it is...
Brake changes on my 2007 Kia Picanto
You may not need brakes but should get them inspected to see if they are worn down or just noisy. If you are having to replaced the brakes every 4000km or six months, then you have issues with the calipers...
CAR ONLY STAYS ON WHILE HOLDING KEY AS SOON AS I LET GO OF KEY CAR SHUTS OFF
The ignition switch is going to be the most common failure for the ignition loosing contact in the run position of the switch. If you can hold the ignition in a position toward start position and can keep it running...
Can you fix a bent frame? If so, how?
Depending on the severity of the damage to the frame, this may or may not be able to be fixed. There are shops that have frame machines that are able to correct small damage to frames, depending on the make...
Is a 1994 Jeep Cherokee safe to drive?
Hi there. Without performing an inspection, I could not determine if this vehicle is safe to drive. All SUV's can flip over during an abrupt high speed turn. In fact, all of these types of vehicles today come with this...
My ac compressor quit working in my 2016 vw jetta what could be the main cause for this being brand new?
VW has seen a lot of problems with these compressors and has issued a service bulletin on some of their 2015 and 2016 cars. There is a defective regulating valve that causes compressor failure. In many cases they are...
2011 Kia optima engine locked up, what could it be? Vehicle stopped
You do not have a timing belt but a timing chain. If the engine overheated or ran low on oil then this may have seized the motor. You will need to have the engine turned by crankshaft to see if...
Related articles
Can Bad Roads Damage an Exhaust System?
We We tend to only think about the exhaust on our cars when something goes wrong, but it’s a critical system that we should be paying attention to on a regular basis. While it’s pretty durable, it can be damaged...
How Can I Prepare For an Emissions Test?
Annual Annual emissions testing is required in order to ensure that your car is not producing too much pollution and that your emissions control components are in working order. While not all areas of the US require emissions testing yet,...
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Valve
Common signs include engine performance issues like decreased power and acceleration, rough idle, and the Check Engine Light coming on.
Browse other content
Maintenance
Services
Estimates