diff --git a/apps/api/src/integrations/parts-catalogs/parts-catalogs.service.ts b/apps/api/src/integrations/parts-catalogs/parts-catalogs.service.ts
index 5cb0c0a..ba99657 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/integrations/parts-catalogs/parts-catalogs.service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/integrations/parts-catalogs/parts-catalogs.service.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ const MAX_RETRIES = Number(process.env.PCAT_MAX_RETRIES) || 2;
 // timeout before the retry rotates to a fresh port — three of those blow the
 // caller's 25s decode budget. Fail fast so retries reach a live port in time.
 const PROXY_CONNECT_TIMEOUT = Number(process.env.PCAT_PROXY_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS) || 6_000;
+// VIN decode (/car/info) answers in <1s on a healthy proxy, so a long timeout only
+// prolongs dead-port connects. undici's ProxyAgent connect.timeout does NOT bound the
+// connection to the proxy itself (it stays at undici's 10s default), so we bound it at
+// the fetch level: a short per-call timeout + extra retries makes a stuck DataImpulse
+// port abort fast and rotate to a live one within the caller's 25s decode budget.
+const DECODE_REQUEST_TIMEOUT = Number(process.env.PCAT_DECODE_TIMEOUT_MS) || 6_000;
+const DECODE_MAX_RETRIES = Number(process.env.PCAT_DECODE_MAX_RETRIES) || 4;
 
 @Injectable()
 export class PartsCatalogsService {
@@ -52,7 +59,10 @@ export class PartsCatalogsService {
     outcome?: { transient: boolean },
   ): Promise<PcatVinResult | null> {
     try {
-      const data = await this.fetchWithAuth("/car/info", { q: vin }, signal);
+      const data = await this.fetchWithAuth("/car/info", { q: vin }, signal, {
+        timeoutMs: DECODE_REQUEST_TIMEOUT,
+        maxRetries: DECODE_MAX_RETRIES,
+      });
 
       if (!data || typeof data !== "object") {
         return null;
@@ -192,8 +202,10 @@ export class PartsCatalogsService {
     endpoint: string,
     params?: Record<string, string>,
     externalSignal?: AbortSignal,
+    opts?: { timeoutMs?: number; maxRetries?: number },
   ): Promise<any> {
-    const maxRetries = MAX_RETRIES;
+    const maxRetries = opts?.maxRetries ?? MAX_RETRIES;
+    const timeoutMs = opts?.timeoutMs ?? REQUEST_TIMEOUT;
 
     let session: PcatSession | null = null;
 
@@ -211,7 +223,7 @@ export class PartsCatalogsService {
       }
 
       try {
-        const signals = [AbortSignal.timeout(REQUEST_TIMEOUT)];
+        const signals = [AbortSignal.timeout(timeoutMs)];
         if (externalSignal) signals.push(externalSignal);
         const fetchOptions: RequestInit & { dispatcher?: any } = {
           method: "GET",