Your commute should start with coffee to go and a chipper attitude, not a “check engine” warning. Fortunately, if you live in Michigan, getting car repairs won’t break the bank.
For the second consecutive year, Michigan is the state with the lowest average check engine light repair cost ($343.40), according to CarMD. Analysts looked at data from more than 11.5 million vehicles requiring fixes in 2016.
Pricey Fixes
The state with the costliest repairs is Connecticut, where it will run you roughly $411 to address the glowing dashboard light. Other pricey states/districts include the District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Georgia and Maryland.
Those lucky enough to drive the roads in Maine, Wisconsin, Hawaii and Ohio will find it costs much less to get their rides repaired.
Due Dilligence
Just why do we get that dreaded indicator light staring back at us? According to CarMD, the leading culprit is a faulty oxygen sensor (O2 sensor), which is the most frequently diagnosed repair in 35 states. The cost of having an oxygen sensor professionally installed (including parts and labor) can vary from $233 in Michigan to $296 in Vermont.
Getting these sensors fixed in a timely manner will maintain your car’s performance and help the environment. If left unrepaired, most check engine light-related problems, including a faulty O2 sensor, can negatively affect a car’s fuel economy and cause damage to other car parts, like the catalytic converter, which averages $1,190 to replace.
David Rich, CarMD’s technical director, advises vehicle owners to be diligent with scheduled maintenance and have repairs made shortly after the check engine light comes on, rather than adopting a wait-and-see approach.
“Many drivers ignore check engine light problems because it seems like their car is driving just fine or they don’t like the initial quote, yet don’t realize that ignoring it will almost always end up causing additional costs and repairs down the road.”
No one needs that headache. Get those car repairs done STAT and enjoy a check-engine-light-free existence.
