Check Engine Light/Loud Noise/Something loose!

[Mekon]

Hi all, hope you can help.

I’ve got a 2006 Jazz DSI SE, about 60k on the clock, no major service issues.

An issue seemingly out of nowhere where the Check Engine Light is on, the engine now sounds - in my laypersons opinion - like a boy racer’s with a muffled exhaust(?). It’s louder when idle and much louder when the pedal is applied.

I notice that something has come loose underneath the front driver’s wheel area (photo attached). Also on the ground under the car were two bits of presumably related plastic (photo attached).

Nothing in the previous journey and parking suggested there was an issue, other than the car’s creaky suspension (again my layperson’s speak) when getting out of the car. This issue has been happening intermittently for some time, and was apparently not picked up in the last MoT.

Any thoughts /next steps would be greatly welcome. Not sure if the car can be driven at low speed to the nearest garage a mile or so away..

Cheers

[Mekon]

Looking on other posts, it seems I may be another victim of cat converter sensor theft. Looking down through the engine, I can definitely see a loose white cable..

[sparky Paul]

I was just going to suggest that you checked the cat 

It's not the sensors they want, it's the cat. The plastic hanging down covers the wiring to the exhaust sensors, they rag them off at the same time.

What the hell is happening this week? Obviously scrap cat prices are up... watch out everyone 

[culzean]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/11/gangs-stripping-cars-ofcatalyticconverters-broad-daylight-steal/

Jazz is mentioned in this article..

[sparky Paul]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/11/gangs-stripping-cars-ofcatalyticconverters-broad-daylight-steal/

Jazz is mentioned in this article..

I think that precautionary measures will need to be taken. I can't see that security marking the cats will help much, as advised in the article.

A quick google reveals that there are such things as alarms for cat converters and other anti-theft devices, I wonder if we can improvise something? 

[culzean]

Now they have made it harder for low life scrotes to take plaques from military memorials and drain covers to scrapyards they are looking for other easy pickings.

[sparky Paul]

Now they have made it harder for low life scrotes to take plaques from military memorials and drain covers to scrapyards they are looking for other easy pickings.

It doesn't stop the gits, only a couple of months ago 130 drain covers were stolen in one night in a small town near me. They know where to take the stuff.

[Mekon]

Thanks all,

Part of the reason why I’ve been happy with the Jazz for so long is that it’s quite an..anonymous car on a London street filled with the usual “fancier” types.

(There’s also been a spate of people taking the entire front panel off Fiat 500’s - apparently this can be done easy if they pry open the bonnet)

[sparky Paul]

So, has the cat been nicked?

If it has, you can drive it a short way, but it will be noisy! I'm sad to say that replacement by a garage won't be a cheap affair.

By the way, welcome to the forum... and your creaky suspension when getting out is probably just the handbrake, ours does that sometimes.

[wr_uk]

Hi Mekon, did you get to the bottom of what the problem was?

My wife parked at a 'supervised' car park for most of the day. All OK with the car this morning until she come to pick it up this evening.

Started the car, the engine light came on and when she started it, it sounds like a boy racer with a muffled exhaust.

Exactly as you stated.

Im unable to get right under the car to see if anything has been taken but my initial thoughts before I looked on this forum is that the car had been tampered with.

Just wondering if it turn out to be the CAT that was taken?

If it was how much was the replacement cost inc labour?

My cars just come back from a service 2 weeks ago dreading to think how much this will cost.

[wr_uk]

Yep definitely gone

[Denis]

Mine is being repaired after being taken last week, a bill for £360 for parts and labour awaits me.