The catalytic converter is a very important part of your vehicles emission and exhaust system. The catalytic converter helps the engine burn off any raw fuel that tries to get through the exhaust system. It does this by getting the exhaust gases super hot and burning off the fuel before it exits the exhaust system. This help your Toyota RAV4 meets the federal emissions requirements that help to keep the air from getting too polluted. When your old catalytic converter is not working efficiently then you need to replace it with a new quality catalytic converter. One very good choice is the Eastern Catalytic Converter. They make a direct fit for your 1996 - 1997 Toyota. Since they are a direct fit, you can easily replace it yourself and not have to bother with taking it to a repair shop. By replacing the catalytic converter you will see your performance increase again because when the old catalytic converter was getting plugged it was restricting exhaust flow and thus robbing vehicle performance. You will be happy with the purchase of the new Eastern Catalytic Converter, they have been making quality converters for many years and they stand behind their products. Gearheads should certainly get superlative support when they buy dependable auto parts from us. For all our customers, we established an always-online customer service call center to answer your queries. If you spot a lower price elsewhere, call us - we always beat any price advertised elsewhere.