Identification Aids - Is My Car Fitted With a Catalytic Convertor?
Catalytic Convertor or Not? How to Tell...
When ordering exhaust pipes, silencers, etc., you will need to know whether your car was equipped with a catalytic convertor. Catalytic convertors remove harmful pollutants from exhaust gas by converting them into less harmful substances, such as CO2 and water. Catalytic convertors became mandatory in different countries at different times.
To find out of your car was originally supplied with a catalytic convertor, you will need to know the full 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (or VIN) of your car. You can find this on the chassis plate of your car (on the front door shut of the driver’s door) or on your car’s registration document.
Two digits in the 17 denote whether or not your car was equipped with a catalytic convertor, e.g.
You are only interested in these two digits. See the table below to check:
