Catalytic Converter could = "check engine" light on foreign cars

I'll preface this topic with this:

I recently had my 100,000 service on my 1998 V70 T5 Turbo wagon, and not even 2 weeks later the "check engine" light comes on.


I don't have this problem with my 1997 Benz C280 but I am concerned for the life of the benz as well when it comes to the catalytic converter..

read on please...

I was told by a friend that foreign cars run their best when the catalytic converter is serviced and cleaned out after so many miles. His ES300 Lexus died on him in traffic and he thought his tranny had went out, but the service guy told him that his catalytic converter was clogged and had never been cleaned or repelaced..causing the car to stall when it got too hot.

then, I was also told by an O'reilly car parts tech that the "check engine" will mainly come on when the Mass aif flow sensor is bad or there is an air leak somewhere. It's the most common thing to cause the light to come on.

Today, I did a diagnostic check for free at the autozone on my 1998 V70 T5 Turbo wagon and it came back that everything was fine but I have a large emissions leak. the autozone tech told that me that if the Mass Airlfow sensor was bad his diagnostic tool would have told him that by the code it displayed, but the sensor did not show up as bad.. and that I need to check all of my airduct hoses to see if their is a leak and fix it. well, I took the car home and put it up on ramps and begin to search. I couldn't find a damamged hose air/fluid anywhere. the undercarraige was dry as a bone. Then I remembered what my friend said about the catalytic converter and that's my next move, to get it cleaned out.

Does anybody think this is true or not?

I'm running out of options and sick of the "check engine" light being on.