DUH Finds Up to 2.7M German Cars Fitted With Fake Catalytic Converters
Berlin – September 10, 2026 -- German environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has accused auto parts retailers and workshop chains of selling substandard replacement catalytic converters that leave up to 2.7 million gasoline vehicles with insufficient exhaust cleaning.
Lab tests find near-zero precious metal coating in five new replacement converters
Laboratory analysis commissioned by DUH on five new aftermarket catalytic converters found precious metal content approaching zero in nearly all units tested, undermining the long-term effectiveness of exhaust cleaning. Citing data from Germany's Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt), DUH said the majority of the roughly 300,000 replacement catalytic converters sold annually in Germany are substandard, prompting its conservative estimate of up to 2.7 million affected gasoline vehicles.