Anyone Had to Replace Computer when Replacing Stolen Cats?

My dealer installed my new Toyota OEM cats a few days ago after my original cats had been stolen ($5,000 worth of parts), and the check engine light came back on about 20 miles after I left the dealer. The dealer said the computer is bad ($1,800) but everything on the computer other than the cats works (no other codes and everything works). It does not sound logical that only that part of the computer would be bad. The dealer told me a large percentage of the replacement cats from theft also require a new computer. This does not sound correct to me. So if it is that common, folks on here should have run into the same problem. Has anyone on here had to replace their computer when the cats were replaced?

I posted this on another forum but did not get anyone who had replaced their computer so I am posting it on this forum as well.

Thank you

 

Smells like bs to me.

 

When the cats were cut off, the wires were inspected by two different dealers (getting bids) and they said the wires were ok and not damaged. They even gave me the videos of the inspections.

 

can you verify they used OEM cats?

 

If it sounds like a bunch of BS it probably is. Never heard of that one before?

 

Good question, but yes, I bought them myself from the same dealer prior to the date they were installed and took them home with me. They are OEM.

 

I am going to take it to another dealer when I get back from vacation (leaving in the morning). I have had some bad results from the dealer that installed these cats on other repair work. One time I had an oil change done and they checked the air filter and left the lid completely unsnapped and barely laying on the air box (I found it thousands of miles later when I went to check it). Another time I paid for a fuel injection flush and I watched the mechanic (from a window in the dealership) open the package that had two bottles of fuel injection cleaner, he poured one of the bottles in the old oil barrel and then put the other in my tank. I confronted him and he said he did not have the tool to put the injection cleaner in the injectors. If I find out this computer is not bad as I suspect, I am going to make a big scene at that dealership, especially if I have to pay the new dealership to figure it out.

 

Total BS. Unless they welded something and destroyed some electronics by radio emissions or high currents.

 

Did they replace the headlight fluid?

There's no reason for cleaning a fuel injectors in the port injection engine. Gas is full of detergents that prevent any build up inside injectors. Out of curiosity I did that on an old engine (like 15 years, 200+k miles), built my own rig - the injectors were clean and sprayed as they should. Running the pressurized cleaner through them gave exactly zero results, because there was nothing to clean. I only changed filters (they were clean, but whatever) and O-rings (old ones still were soft).

 

You are correct. It is a scam. I learned that after the fact.

 

I had to have the ECM replaced after what appeared to be an attempt to steal my cats. I got a check engine light (P0158 and P0607) one night out of the blue. Since the P0158 code was related to the rear passenger-side O2 sensor, I went under to take a look and saw chewed up wiring and the driver side exhaust hanger was cut in half. I replaced the O2 sensor and kept getting the check engine light. I ended up having to replace the ECM to get the check engine light to stop for good. I invested in cat protection after this.

 

This is not that uncommon unfortunately. The damaged harness can short out the ECM. I’ve seen it happen on other cars.

Anytime I have a situation like this, I look into the used/eBay route. Should be able to source the same ECM at a fraction of the cost. Be sure to source the exact part number.

 

I’ve heard of this as well from two separate exhaust shops who’ve installed new cats after being stolen from Tundras. They told me the same thing Jammer and Yakeng posted.

Fortunately for me, my ECM was not damaged when they cut the O2 sensor wires on mine.

 

I had another dealer look at the truck ($180 charge) and this 2nd dealer also told me the emissions computer was bad. I made the mistake of telling this 2nd dealer that I was having them look at it for a 2nd opinion (told them about the 1st dealer), which may have given them the incentive to agree and then sell me a new computer. Hopefully this 2nd dealer was honest and that did not happen, but I guess I will never really know. This second dealer told me it is somewhat rare that the computer would get damaged but if the wires touched where they cut them (including after they were cut and the truck was started), it can take out the emissions computer. Evidently the emissions computer is separate from the main computer, but don't quote me on that. I ended up just paying the $1,800 to have them replace it (included tax and including the $180 inspection). Hopefully they were honest and did not scam me.

 

Wait, they still charged you the $180 Inspection/diagnostic on top of the repairs? Usually when you have your repairs done after a inspection/diagnostic they don't charge you for the diagnostic, since your doing the repairs with them. At least this has been my experience at the Toyota dealerships in my area.

Hopefully all your emissions computer issues are resolved.

 

$1,800 included everything. They rolled the inspection into the job cost.

 

Did you have liability only? I would think the insurance would have paid for a second discovery if the dealership can testify the vandalism caused ECM damage.

I drove for almost a year waiting on cats with straight pipes welded in place. Unplugged the cut rear O2 sensors and zip tied a ziplock bag over the plug. Installed new cats and new rear O2 sensors myself with OEM parts and no ECM problems.

 

I had full coverage. The theft occurred in December 2022 and the insurance company paid me for OEM parts ($4,500 plus rental car) in January 2023. I got the OEM parts in February 2023 (someone backed out of an order and I got their parts), but I waited until October 2023 to have the dealer install them and of course discovered the computer problem at that time. The reason I waited so long is I was looking for a steel (not aluminum) cat shield that would adequately cover all 4 cats (almost impossible to find) and I got busy doing other things and time went by.

I no longer have that insurance company (switched insurance companies when they went up too much on the insurance). I could try to go back and get a reimbursement for the computer from that old insurance company, but I may end up just choosing to eat the cost of the computer myself. There are several reasons for this. I waited a long time to put the new cats on and I appreciate that the old insurance company paid for OEM parts when my truck was over 7 years old at the time (bought it new in 2015). Plus, I only had that insurance company for 6 months and I backed into another car (I had perfect driving record before that time) a week after the cat theft and caused major damage ($7,500) to it, so that insurance company took a real beating from me for only knowing me for 6 months. I hate to go back and ask for more. I am a "do the right thing" kind of guy and right now I feel that maybe the right thing is for me to just to eat the cost myself.

 

I appreciate that approach and the integrity. Just a thought though. Insurance is there for exactly this kind of thing, you're not being dishonest or lacking integrity in any way by filing a 100% legit claim.

 

These are VERY obvious signs that this dealer is a scam artist. I can't believe you ever went back to them for anything after that.

 

I agree and know that.

 

You are correct. I had hoped that it was just a bad tech and I try to give folks the benefit of the doubt, but I guess no good deed goes unpunished. I never learn that lesson (my ribs are hurting right now from helping someone this past weekend and injuring myself slightly).

 

I think of myself as an honest person, and can’t see fault in a second claim if the ECU was caused by theft. The truck records when the CEL came on, and it knows how many miles you drove away from the dealership before coming on pointing to a root cause with cat theft.

In my opinion your insurance paid for OEM because there is no viable aftermarket part numbers. A universal cat that can be welded in place does not pass the legal threshold of aftermarket replacement.

I would bet they would absolutely only pay for aftermarket if a bolt on part number were available. I can see the humility of feeling bad about claims I would be humbled as well, but Warren Buffet is a billionaire from paper pushing insurance company’s and you’re not faking a back or knee injury like so many people do.

As far as I know, it’s very common for body shops to find damage after removing damaged parts and a second claim is filed.

Give that $1,800 to your church, wife or kids, but insurance is a paid for product.

 

Money maker for dealers.

 

My friend you have no idea the length dealerships will go too to make your money disappear. They also have no conscience.

 

Update on this thread. According to two different dealers, the emissions computer was damaged from the theft and had to be replaced at a cost of around $1,700.00. It took me around 8 months to put the new OEM cats on the vehicle (waited for OEM parts and an adequate theft shield) and thus to discover at the installation that the computer also needed replacing, and by that time I had changed insurance companies. I went back to the old insurance company with a very late supplement request for the computer. I had to keep on it and they tried to not pay for it, but I finally got reimbursed the full amount a few days ago. I post this in case it helps someone else.