CarMD: Cost of Vehicle Parts Lower in 2024; Labor Rates See Slight Increase
CarMD’s 2025 Vehicle Health Index shared what average check engine light repairs looked like for shops and their customers across the U.S.
A recent press release shared findings from the report, including that the cost of check engine light-related car repairs fell by nearly 3% in 2024. With an all-time high average of $427.56 in 2023, 2024 saw that number drop to $415.31.
The cost of labor saw a slight bump of 1.4%, which CarMD estimated is due to more difficult, time-consuming repairs. In addition, the cost of parts fell by 5% in 2024, following an 8% rise in costs the year prior.
Of all check engine light-related repairs, the most frequent were catalytic converter replacements, which topped the list previously in 2022. This is uncommon for newer vehicles—except in cases where something such as a faulty spark plug or O2 sensor is neglected—and is likely indicative of an aging vehicle population.
CarMD provided a list of the top 10 most common check engine light-related repairs in 2024, and the average cost of repair, including labor and parts:
1. Replace catalytic converter(s), $1,348
2. Replace oxygen sensor(s), $254
3. Replace ignition coil(s) and spark plug(s), $400
4. Replace mass air flow sensor, $323
5. Replace EVAP canister purge control valve, $144
6. Replace ignition coil(s), $218
7. Tighten or replace fuel cap, free to tighten; $28 on average to replace
8. Replace fuel injector(s), $464
9. Replace thermostat, $254
