When the check engine light illuminates on the dashboard, drivers in the District of Columbia pay the most ($467.11) on average, while vehicle owners in Wyoming pay the least ($308.76) to have it fixed, according to CarMD, which analyzed parts and labor needs data from nearly 100,000 model year 1996 to 2014 vehicles needing repairs in 2014.
Rounding out the five most expensive states for auto repairs are Delaware (No. 2), New Jersey (No. 3), California (No. 4) and Connecticut (No. 5). After Wyoming, the most affordable states for car repairs are Montana (No. 50), Nebraska (No. 49), Michigan (No. 48) and Vermont (No. 47).
CarMD publishes this annual state-by-state ranking as part of its CarMD Vehicle Health Index, which is designed to bring awareness to the industry and consumers about the importance of check engine light health to minimize vehicle cost of ownership.
“Many factors contribute to overall repair costs such as vehicle make and age, parts availability and cost, and hourly labor rates that are often beyond a car owner’s control; however something everyone can control is how quickly they address check engine light issues when they arise,” said David Rich, CarMD’s technical director. “CarMD’s data finds that the least expensive states have a higher percentage of ‘quick fix’ repairs that can be addressed in minutes versus major repairs that require days in the shop, indicating drivers were likely more vigilant with addressing repair needs quickly.”