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Old 01-27-2007, 02:55 PM
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ok, so I got SES light on and the code is #P0420--the pcm determined that the catalyst system efficency for bank 1 is below threshold.........? does any have an idea what this is telling me besides something about emissions
Old 01-27-2007, 03:00 PM
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Most likely a bad drivers side cat. If stock GM just extended the warranty on them to 10yrs/120K on the 00-02 cars.
Old 01-27-2007, 03:48 PM
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Like was mentioned, it's either a bad cat or O2 sensor. To be sure, swap the two O2 sensors, clear the code and then when the code comes back, if it's a P0420 again, that means you have a bad cat. If, when the code comes back, you have a P0430, you have a bad O2 sensor.

If it's a bad cat... I believe the emissions warranty is something like 8 years or 80K miles (unless you have an '00 - '02. Their warranty was extended like was mentioned above). I had both of my cats replaced at seperate times under warranty for the same reason.

If it's a bad O2 sensor... buy a new one.

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Old 01-27-2007, 04:26 PM
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Is your exhaust stock (manifold through y-pipe)?
Old 01-27-2007, 05:24 PM
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Yep all stock, whats strange I had a code for a bad cat back in June(replaced)
so if my cat is bad again i think something else is going on............?
Old 01-27-2007, 05:42 PM
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Same side cat is bad now or was the earlier code P0430 and the passenger side? Bring the paperwork with you. Dealer replaced it free right?
Old 01-27-2007, 05:50 PM
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It was done under warranty, its seems it was #430 but I could be wrong
only 55k miles so I still should be OK, Just makes me wonder why My cats are going bad
Old 01-27-2007, 08:34 PM
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My driver side went bad first (P0420) and then my passenger side went (P0430) about a year later. Haven't had a problem with either since. The passenger side was replaced about a year ago.
Old 01-30-2007, 11:35 AM
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I've had 3 or four cats go on my 2000...Lucky for me I got the extended warranty letter in the mail. Anyway, I would just tell the dealer to fix it. It's not the O2's most of the time. O2's are covered till 80k I think, check the warranty book.
Old 01-30-2007, 11:52 AM
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time 4 long tubes and hi flows
Old 01-30-2007, 01:20 PM
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Its a Bad Cat Driverside its covered under warranty the o2s are good they said its running extremely lean cause it to dump fuel in the cats and smokem, And said i need a whole emission cleaning to flush out the carbon....?
Old 01-30-2007, 01:51 PM
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Do you need the letter to get the warranty work done? I bought the car just recently, and the seller gave me the paperwork for it, but it's under HIS name. I get p0430 and I have replaced the O2 sensor just to see (I was pretty sure it was the cat anyhow)
Old 01-30-2007, 02:37 PM
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No letter needed, this was a national compaign.

The Cats, O2's, full exhaust system and ECM are covered 8yr/80,000 miles. The extended the cats to 10yr/120,000 mile just recently on the 00-02 cars due to these exact problems.

here is my reasoning as to why. I would of have thought the GM engineers would of have caught this and fixed it the right way.

First you go in for a bad cat. GM only replaces the offending side instead of replacing both. Now what happens is the ECM sees the efficiency rates are different between both sides so now it throws the code for the opposite side. Now once again GM only replaces the other side. They do this until you get tired of it or get rid of the cats all together.

If GM would replace both at the same time the ECM would not freak out 6 months later because the flow rates would be the same.




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