Catalytic converters hold precious metals, and thieves have learned that a battery-powered saw can remove one from beneath a parked vehicle in minutes. Carfax service records, as reported by several outlets, show which models lose the part most often, and the list spans pickups, vans, sedans and crossovers. Here are twelve vehicles that appear in that data, starting with the one at the top.
1. Ford F-Series: Number One By Volume
Service records compiled by Carfax put the F-150 at the top of the field, with the highest number of replacement claims for stolen catalytic converters of any model. The same ranking appears in a Carfax top-10 list reported earlier, where the F-Series sits at No. 1. Sales volume plays a part, and ride height leaves the exhaust easy to reach.
Owners of older F-150s face the biggest exposure. Parking in a lit garage, etching the converter with a serial number and fitting a shield or cage are the usual deterrents, and a comprehensive insurance policy is what actually covers a theft.
2. Ford Explorer: Midsize SUV, Fifth Place
Carfax ranked the Explorer fifth among the ten vehicles whose converters were stolen most often in the data behind the report. That places the three-row SUV well ahead of many better-known theft targets and shows that the problem is not limited to pickups, with thieves working under SUVs as readily as under trucks.
For a family that parks the Explorer on the street overnight, the practical risk is a loud exhaust, a check-engine light and a repair bill that can run into four figures. Reviewing comprehensive coverage and its deductible before a theft happens is cheaper than discovering gaps afterward.
3. Ford Econoline: Work Van Magnet
The Econoline took sixth place on Carfax’s list of the ten vehicles whose converters disappeared most frequently. Vans in this family are tall enough to give a thief room to slide underneath, and many sit overnight in commercial lots or on job-site curbs, where a cordless saw and a couple of minutes are all the work requires.
Fleet managers and tradespeople carry the heaviest burden, because a stolen converter parks the van and halts the day’s work. Lot lighting, cameras, parking nose-to-wall and anti-theft cages are the standard countermeasures, and a business policy should be checked for this specific loss.
4. Chevrolet Silverado: Eighth On The List
Carfax placed the Silverado eighth among vehicles that lost their converters most often. As the main rival to the F-Series, the full-size Chevrolet shares the traits that make a truck attractive to thieves: high ground clearance, plenty of exposed exhaust, and a large population of owners who park outside.
Owners should treat the pickup as a repeat target rather than a one-off. Welding or clamping a protective plate over the converter, and choosing well-lit parking, are the measures that most reliably slow a thief down.
5. Toyota Tacoma: Ninth And Climbing
The Tacoma ranks ninth on Carfax’s list of the ten vehicles whose converters were stolen most often, and it appears again in the Carfax-based top ten that SlashGear published in 2025. Appearing in both rankings suggests that the midsize Toyota pickup has been a dependable mark for years, not a short-lived trend.
Ground clearance helps a thief here too, and the resale value of the metals inside keeps demand steady. Tacoma owners can cut the odds with a cage-style shield, a parking spot near a wall or camera, and a quick check of how comprehensive coverage handles parts theft.
6. Honda Accord: A Sedan In The Mix
Carfax counted nearly 153,000 stolen converters in a single year, and the Accord was one of the models named among the most targeted. Low-slung sedans are not safe, since a thief only needs to slip beneath the car.
The practical consequence for Accord owners is the same as for truck owners. A theft usually shows up as a sudden roar on start-up, followed by a repair estimate that includes the converter, sensors and labor. Parking in a garage and engraving a vehicle identification number onto the part are the cheapest defenses.
7. Toyota Prius: The Lone Hybrid
Among the vehicles on the Carfax list, the Prius is the only hybrid listed, a sign that thieves increasingly go after hybrids. The reasoning is straightforward: a hybrid engine runs less often, so its converter stays cleaner and keeps a higher concentration of precious metals, which makes the part more valuable to buyers of scrap.
Prius owners should not assume that a quiet, efficient car is a quiet target. A stolen converter can strand the vehicle and lead to an expensive repair, so a bolt-on shield, a security camera or a garage space is worth the effort, along with confirming that the insurance policy includes comprehensive coverage.
8. Honda CR-V: Compact Crossover Target
The CR-V appears on Carfax’s roster of vehicles that thieves strip most often, and the compact crossover is among those named in the service-record analysis. Its sheer numbers on American roads give thieves an easy shopping list, and the clearance is enough for a quick cut underneath.
Owners have reason to take the threat seriously. Etching the converter, installing a shield and parking in an area with cameras are the usual steps, and a claim after theft typically falls under comprehensive coverage rather than collision.
9. Chevrolet Equinox: Equinox On The Radar
Carfax’s analysis of service records names the Equinox among the vehicles whose converters are targeted by thieves. The compact Chevrolet crossover sells in huge numbers, which means plenty of older examples sit on driveways and curbs, and each one carries the same easily reached component that thieves have learned to remove in minutes.
Equinox owners facing this risk can reduce it with a few inexpensive habits: parking close to buildings or in a garage, adding a protective cage and keeping the vehicle identification number marked on the converter. After a theft, a repair shop and the insurer should be contacted immediately.
10. Kia Soul: Small Hatch, Big Risk
The Soul is one of the models in SlashGear’s Carfax-based top ten of vehicles most likely to have their catalytic converters stolen. The quirky boxy hatchback is not the first car most people picture when thinking about theft, which is exactly why its place on the list is worth noticing.
Small cars may seem safer than trucks, but a thief only needs a few minutes beneath the bumper. Soul owners can lower the odds by parking in lit, busy areas, installing a shield or alarm that triggers on vibration and confirming that comprehensive coverage includes theft of parts.
11. Chevrolet Traverse: Three-Row Crossover Victim
The Traverse earns a spot on SlashGear’s Carfax-based top ten of models most likely to have their converters stolen. The large Chevrolet crossover is a popular family hauler, and its size gives thieves room to work beneath it without being spotted from the street.
For households that rely on a Traverse for school runs and road trips, a missing converter means a loud, disabled vehicle and a bill for parts and labor. Garage parking, a locking cage and a quick check of the comprehensive deductible are the sensible precautions.
12. Chevrolet Cruze: Tenth On The Board
Rounding out the Carfax data, the Cruze is described as the tenth most common model for catalytic converter replacements. The compact sedan closes the ranking, and its inclusion shows that theft reaches well beyond trucks, with ordinary commuter cars losing the same exhaust part.
Cruze owners tend to drive older, lower-value cars, so a repair bill can approach what the car is worth. Parking near a building, adding an etched serial number or shield, and verifying that insurance covers parts theft helps avoid that outcome.
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