catalist problem

[miami man]

on a 2005 equinox a trouble code p0420 catalyst efficientcy below threshold bank one code popped up.

what does this mean? it is so general in nature and does not point directly to one part.

thank you in advance

[FB71]

exactly. DTC's (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) are not meant to direct you to relace a particular part. They are designed to indicate a certain failure, and the tech's job is to perform tests to determine what caused the code to set.

P0420 indicates that the bank 1 catalyst is not cleaning the exhaust properly. This code could be set for a number of reasons; bad CEM (Catalyst Efficiency Monitor, escentially an O2 sensor), a fouled converter, an air leak in the exhaust ahead of the catalyst, etc..

Blindly replacing parts may not fix the issue, and cost a significant amount of money. This is one of those times it may be cheaper to pay a professional to fix it.

[miami man]

you are right about that.

[miami man]

i wonder what is the basic warenty for an emmision type problem

[FB71]

I think federal law is 5 years 50k miles

[miami man]

ok thank you

[jglutz]

I think federal law is 5 years 50k miles

Yep...but there's a caveat...you must fail an emission test....Most dealerships around here will make good for the device.

[FB71]

a P0420 is an automatic failure. By federal reg, if the MIL illuminates and the cause is an emissions related device, the repair is covered under warranty. It does not need to undergo and fail a test first. If a dealer told you that, they're either lying or ignorant of the law.