What does it mean if the check engine light shows catalytic converter code?

[Nora29]

My 2017 Civic’s check engine light came on, and the code reader says it’s the catalytic converter. The car seems to run fine, no odd smells or loss of power, which has me confused. I’m just not sure if this is something I need to address immediately or if I can safely drive it for a while to save up for the repair.

[EthanA]

I had a similar check engine light and the shop said it pointed to the catalytic converter. It ran fine, but I worried, so I kept driving a few days. In the end it cost more than I wanted because the part is pricey, and I learned it can cascade into worse emissions issues if neglected.

[EthanL]

I can’t pretend I knew exactly what would happen. In my case the light stuck around for a while and I later found out it was a faulty oxygen sensor, not a fatal failure. If it’s still running smooth, that might be the case too.

[Avery_M]

One thing I did was check the gas cap and look for any exhaust leaks under the car. Tightened the cap, drove a few days, and the light stayed on but I didn’t feel any obvious performance drop. Still, I knew I should get it checked.

[Jerry9]

Do you have the actual code number from the reader?