New cars have grown much more expensive in recent years. So many of us work to keep our older cars running for as long as possible.
But that’s getting more expensive, too.
CarMD provides vehicle telematics services to the auto industry. Telematics data tells the company when a car’s check engine light comes on.
That gives it access to an immense amount of data about millions of cars. Once a year, the company collates it all into a report – the Vehicle Health Index. The latest version is out, and it’s full of bad news.
Related:
- Common Car Repairs and Replacement Services
- Average Repair Costs by Vehicle
- How to Take Care of the Car You Drive in This Economy
Data Limited to Powertrain Repairs
The index doesn’t cover every type of car repair – just those that trigger the check engine light. CarMD’s data skews toward emissions issues and other engine problems because telematics data doesn’t tend to catch things like suspension or steering issues.
But it gives us useful information about the cost of repairs.
The average vehicle repair cost $403 in 2022 – 2.8% more than in 2021. Labor costs actually fell – the average repair cost $142.66 in labor, $0.69 less than in 2021. But the cost of parts rose – unsurprising given last year’s global supply chain problems.
Cars from model year 2007 were most likely to need a repair flagged by the check engine light.
The Most Common Repairs
The 10 most common repairs in CarMD’s data were a mixed bag. They carried average costs ranging from $25 to $1,313.
The most common and most expensive repair was the subject of a crime wave. More drivers needed their catalytic converters replaced than any other repair. While a catalytic converter can fail due to age, the total is likely related to a nationwide wave of catalytic converter thefts.
The least expensive repair was the one that you’ll feel ridiculous paying for. Many drivers just needed their gas caps tightened. A loose gas cap can throw off the systems that detect a problem in the first place.
| Rank | Repair | Average Cost | Percent of All Repairs |
| 1 | Replace Catalytic Converter | $1,313 | 6.10% |
| 2 | Replace Oxygen Sensor | $242 | 5.38% |
| 3 | Replace Ignition Coil and Spark Plugs | $393 | 4.78% |
| 4 | Replace Mass Air Flow Sensor | $303 | 4.63% |
| 5 | Tighten or Replace Fuel Cap | $25 | 4.06% |
| 6 | Replace Evaporative Emissions Purge Control Valve | $137 | 3.93% |
| 7 | Replace Ignition Coil | $214 | 3.72% |
| 8 | Replace Fuel Injector | $424 | 2.54% |
| 9 | Replace Thermostat | $238 | 2.21% |
| 10 | Reprogram Powertrain Control Module | $109 | 1.94% |
