Nam Trinh knew something was wrong one morning in October when she turned on her 2008 Toyota Prius and heard a throaty roar, like a plane taking off.
Trinh had her wedge-shaped car repaired. But she heard the telltale growl again in January while she was in Sacramento. And again in February, in the parking garage of a Las Vegas casino. And again in March, at home in Los Angeles.
"By the fourth time, I was numb," said Trinh, who works for a hospitality technology company and lives in Eagle Rock. "I had no emotions left. I was like, 'Well, this is just how life is now. I guess my catalytic converter is going to be stolen every month.'"
