Your check engine light is on. Can you make it to Ohio?
The Buckeye State is the cheapest place in the nation to break down, according to CarMD.
The company released its annual state ranking of check engine light-related car repair costs today. The report examined data from more than 13.9 million cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs whose drivers sought guidance for a check engine light problem in 2020. It found that Ohioans paid the least – an average of $341.83. Californians spent the most — $410.73.
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Where Labor Was Cheapest
Anyone who has taken a car in for repairs knows that parts and labor are separate charges. Labor costs were lowest, CarMD found, in Vermont, where the most common reason for the check engine light to illuminate was a loose gas cap. Mississippi sat at the other end of the chart, “where the most common repair was to replace ignition coils and spark plugs.”
Where Parts Cost the Least
Parts costs were highest in Connecticut, where the most frequently recommended repair was an expensive catalytic converter replacement. Parts cost the least in Michigan, where the most common repair was a new oxygen sensor (an inexpensive fix that can drastically improve an engine’s fuel economy).
Numbers Were Down Where Drivers Stayed Home
Overall, the report finds, Americans paid less for car repairs in 2020. COVID-related lockdowns meant that we drove fewer miles. Less wear-and-tear on our cars translated to fewer visits to the shop. The state with the most dramatic pandemic-related change was Hawaii. The island state ranked sixth in average repair costs in 2019, but 45th in 2020 as residents stayed home.
CarMD’s ranking of the five states/districts with the highest car repair costs in 2020:
- California, $410.73
- Connecticut, $406.49
- Colorado, $403.03
- District of Columbia, $400.68
- Utah, $395.86
CarMD’s ranking of the five states/districts with the lowest car repair costs in 2020:
- Indiana, $352.20
- Michigan, $347.82
- Wisconsin, $344.45
- Maine, $342.12
- Ohio, $341.83
