Here Are The Most Common ‘Check Engine’ Problems And What They’ll Cost To Fix

Your car is trying to tell you something if the ″check engine″ light is on. — Your car is trying to tell you something if the “check engine” light is on.

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You’ll usually know when it’s time to take your car, truck or sport-utility vehicle into the shop for repairs if it wont start, runs erratically, makes odd noises, and so on. But a common signal that something’s gone afoul with your ride – often without any obvious symptoms – is the “check engine” light on the instrument panel. When you see the check engine message or a symbol that looks like a car engine, it usually (but not always) indicates there’s a problem with the onboard emissions system.

Many motorists simply ignore the warning if the vehicle seems to otherwise operate normally, which could come to cost them more in the long run if what starts out as a minor malady eventually turns out to be a more serious problem. The prudent course of action if the light stays on is, of course, to make an appointment to take the vehicle to a technician to have the problem evaluated.

It’s a simple process, with problem codes obtained by a scanner plugged into the car’s OBD II (onboard diagnostics) jack. If your local auto parts store remains open during a stay-in-place mandate, they will often perform a scan at no cost. You can buy your own hand-held scanner and look up when the code indicates via the Internet, but your mechanic likely has a more-sophisticated diagnostic tool. That’s essential because today’s cars are packed with more computerized sensors than ever. According to the auto diagnostics website CarMD.com, there are no fewer than 1,283 possible fixes for a warning light-related issue.

Fortunately, repair shops generally remain open as essential businesses in the COVID-19 era. Some local garages, and many dealer service departments now offer “contact free” pick-up and delivery services, so you have no excuse not to have your vehicle examined should the check engine light illuminate.

We’re featuring a list of the most common maladies and their average costs to repair them below, along with the most expensive check-engine fixes, as noted in CarMD.com’s annual Vehicle Health Index. The 2020 report is based on repairs needed on more than 15.9 million in-use vehicles reported to and validated by CarMD’s network from Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019.

Sometimes the underlying problem can be as minor as a loose or defective gas cap, which is an average $25 procedure. Or it can be as major as a defective catalytic converter, which costs an average of $1,376 to replace and is now the most common check engine-light repair. CarMD.com notes that catalytic converters don’t typically fail unless issues like as a faulty oxygen sensor or ignition coil are ignored, or a vehicle has high mileage (the converter is covered under warranty by federal mandate for eight years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first). The type and costs of check engine-light repairs depend largely on a vehicle’s age, driving conditions, upkeep, and whether or not the owner addresses the issue in a timely manner.

On the plus side, CarMD.com reports that repair costs are remaining reasonably stable. The average cost to repair a check engine light issue in the U.S. was $384 in 2019, which is up by a mere one percent over the previous year. Average overall labor expenses dropped by over five percent, while the cost of parts jumped by around six percent. Repair costs bumped up in three out of four U.S. regions, with costs down slightly in the Midwest.

Here are the 10 most common check engine-light problems in the U.S., and what each, on average, will cost to repair: