Dealer diagnosis: my 2003 HCH needs a new catalytic converter because 'the only code it's throwing is for that'. I'm at 85,000 miles and have had a very intermittent malfunction indicator for the past three months or so.

Question: Is the catalytic converter different because it's a hybrid? The online parts catalogs seem to show that it's the same as for a 1.7l Civic.

I'm headed to a private, highly-recommended Honda place for a second opinion. I'll ask them to do a manual check of the O2 sensor.

My car doesn't seem to be affected by a recall, although I'm getting a strong sense that catalytic converters are a problem...