Your car's catalytic converters play an important role in catalyzing the by-products of an engine's combustion process (aka exhaust fumes). These by-products are naturally very toxic and deadly, which contributes heavily to harmful emissions and air pollution. To control this, a catalytic converter essentially scrubs through your exhaust gases, and through a series of chemical redox reactions, catalyzes them into less harmful pollutants. Since hot exhaust fumes are passing through the catalytic converters, they will get pretty hot. On average, a catalytic converter will get as high as 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit.