Check engine light stays on?

have a 2001 volkswagen jetta and the check engine light came on last night and stayed on. I immediately went to an autozone to have them give me a code and they pulled up P420, and it followed with something about the catalytic converter. Today and I went out and drove the car and when accelerating I smell a burning smell, cant make out what kind of burning smell. I recently had the wires and spark plugs changed and I have oil. My gas cap is tight, yadda yadda.



My question is that, could it really be the catalytic converter, if it is, can I drive around with a bad one without damaging my engine, just for a while until I get $$$ but if it must be repaired ASAP, how much does a catalytic converter cost on this car.





Thanks A Bunch in advanceCheck engine light stays on?The P0420 code indicates the catalytic converter efficiency is below the minimum threshold. This could mean a defective catalyst or it could be a bad O2 sensor (upstream or downstream). The offset of the sensor could be that it appears to the computer that the catalyst is bad.



You should have this tested at a reputable shop that can graph the O2 data and determine if the O2 sensors are good... if so, then you will need a catalytic converter, but i the sensors are offset or sluggish, you mat get by with a sensor replacement.



As for the smell, this should be identified ASAP... this may indicate the catalyst is getting too hot and might be heating up the body panels (i,e, floorboard)...Check engine light stays on?http://www.autozone.com/R,365733/vehicleCheck engine light stays on?go to a junkyard and find the converter. That would be the cheapest place. You may want to bring some tools, maybe a hacksaw.Check engine light stays on?I dont have the codes for VW but chances are it is the O2 sensor which needs to be changed

What concerns me more is the smell that you talked about. If it has a rotten egg smell this could be either the catalytic convertor or your battery if your alternator is over charging it can make your battery boil and the acid is what you may be smelling or the convertor could be plugged causeing the smell

a burnt rubber smell could be the brakes or if a standard trans can be the clutch

Burnt oil smell,, bad leak some where burnt plastic smell could be a short in the wire harness

My point being have the smell tracked down

Good Luck