I’ve had this car for the last 10 years, and I’m up to about 86,000 miles. I recently had to have the catalytic converter replaced, because it was completely blocked. The dealership wanted to charge me $4,300, but an independent mechanic got me up and running for less than $1,200 with non-OEM parts. Before the catalytic converter blockage, I had tried to clean out the engine with CRC intake cleaner as I’ve seen done online. I’m concerned that that cleaning may have led to the catalytic converter blockage, or at least exacerbated it.

Before that, I had to have my crank position sensor replaced.

I know I have the 2.0L 4 cylinder engine, which is generally considered better than the 1.6 that is more liable to failure, but everything I keep reading online keeps me constantly concerned that this vehicle is going to fail in a catastrophic way sometime soon. After the recent repairs, it’s running pretty well, and my gas mileage is going back up to levels that I expect from this car. However, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t get out of this vehicle while it still has some value, and maybe buy something that’s widely considered more reliable.

I’m especially concerned because of carbon buildup potentially accruing in this notorious GDI engine.

Thoughts?

  • slingstoneOPEnglish
    1•2 days ago

    GDI engines are notorious for carbon buildup. I’ve seen recommendations to do a cleaning every forty thousand miles or so. Gas mileage was down and her engine just felt rough. That’s why I did it.

    I do a lot of stop and go driving, and that’s not likely to change, and that’s supposed to be hard in these engines. That being said, I’ve had a tendency to have a heavy foot, so I don’t know if babying it is a problem.

    I did rev the hell out of it when I got on the highway after the cleaning, and I had the biggest cloud white smoke come out of the exhaust I’ve ever seen. It was extreme.

    Given that I was supposedly about 40,000 miles overdue, I’m worried I clogged my converter with this mess.

    I’m kind of angry because I’ve never heard of anybody’s catalytic converter failing like this. The mechanic said it doesn’t appear there is any damage from driving it with this problem, and there’s no evidence of burning oil that we can see.

    • EbbyAEnglish
      2•2 days ago

      Ahh I deleted my comment because there was better advice, but you snuck in a response anyway.

      My experience with carbon buildup was from a RX8 ages ago. Those were notorious and high RPM was one way of blowing out the gunk.

      I also had to fix valve clearances on a Honda that caused carbon problems and pooched a O2 sensor.

      Though “40,000 miles overdue” raises an eyebrow. Unrelated, I pooched an engine on a road trip once when a oil drain plug removed itself from service. Now that was a cloud. Ha!