I absolutely love my 2000 Protege LX! As a kid growing up in Hiroshima, Japan, Mazda has been the only automobile I would want to drive, and it is my very first Mazda.

I had a check engine light on and while I thought it was "the usual" EGR system, it turned out to be catalystic converter. I had it replaced and the light is off now, but I am wondering about what the tech told me - "there was a damage on catalystic converter."

I have no idea where it is located - is it under the body, exposed, in the middle of the exhaust piping?? If so I might have drove into the speed vamps touch too fast a few times - could that damage this particular part?? Or is it guarded and it just got damaged pretty much on its own??

This may be a stupid question, and I know I should have asked the tech on site, but for future reference I would appreciate a response. Thank you.

 

If you are located in the U.S. you will have two catalytic convertors.
The first one, the pre-cat, is for start-up emissions. It is bolted directly to the exhaust manifold and looks like a canister.
The second is underneath the car and is located between the mid-pipe and the resonator/s-pipe. You can't miss it. If you still have the stock exhaust, the cat will be the only thing that isn't rusted!

You need to find out which one has failed. Once you know, just get one from a salvage yard. If it is the second, any 3rd gen
Protege will fit. If it is the first, you will ned to make sure it's not the 1.6L engine.

 

Thank you! I am in the US and I actually did replace it already at the dealer. It was in the $400s for the parts. I am guessing it was the second one you described, but not sure. In any case the light is off and has been staying off for a while now after the service.