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2018 Subaru Forester — catalyst efficiency code but car drives normally

OldSchoolNerdCommunity StarterOct 17, 20252018 Subaru Forester 2.5iDetroit
2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i, about 105,500 miles. A catalyst efficiency code came back after clearing once. The car drives normally and there are no misfire codes. Before condemning the catalytic converter, what sensor/data checks are worth doing? I am trying to get the facts straight before spending money.
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TrailRoadieCommunity StarterCommunity StarterOct 17, 2025permalink
If it were in my driveway, two 2018 Subaru Foresters can feel identical and have different causes, so measure before you copy someone else's repair. Don't erase codes until someone who can help has seen them. This is from a 2018 Subaru Forester in Detroit with 105,500 miles. Stop there until you know. I'll update if anything new shows up.
TrailRoadieCommunity StarterCommunity StarterOct 18, 2025permalink
I'd push back a little: If a shop can't duplicate it on the 2018 Subaru Forester, bring a video plus freeze-frame data, not just a story. If the cheap test changes it, stop and reassess. Do that first. Parking it somewhere I can hear it better next time.
DieselScout442Community StarterCommunity StarterOct 17, 2025permalink
Intermittent stuff lies if you only catch it once. Move a coil or plug on the 2018 Subaru Forester if it's cylinder-specific and see whether the code follows. Don't erase codes until someone who can help has seen them. On “catalyst efficiency code but car drives normally,” that was the fork that mattered for me. If you share a photo of the worksheet, easier to sanity-check. This is me being the wet blanket on purpose.
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