Used cars that are least likely to need ‘check engine’ repairs

And the ones that are cheapest to fix should they need related work

With new-vehicle transaction prices currently cracking the $38,000 barrier, a growing number of consumers are instead turning to the usedvehicle market to save cash. And with dealers’ lots being flooded by a wave of latemodel rides coming off lease, the selection of solid choices in the pre-owned market has never been better.

Unfortunately, buying a used car or truck is always a gamble. Of course, it’s always prudent for a buyer to obtain a title report, examine the previous owner’s service record, and have a car under consideration inspected by a mechanic before signing a bill of sale. However, there’s still no telling what the future may bring in terms of needed repairs.

To help used-vehicle shoppers make more informed choices concerning reliability, the experts at the autorepair data website CarMD. com recently compiled their annual Vehicle Health Index. It highlights the cars and sport-utility by year, make and model that are the least likely to suffer “check engine” light-related problems, and cost the least to fix should they occur. The results are based upon repair data culled from over 14.4 million vehicles from the 1996 through 2019 model years, and we’re featuring the two lists in the accompanying box.

Among brands, the site’s statisticians determined that Mercedes-Benz vehicles are the least likely, on average, to develop check engine problems, followed by Mitsubishi, Buick, Ram, and Ford. The brands with the lowest average check engine-related repair costs are Kia at $311 per fix, followed by Mazda ($332), Hyundai ($333), Chrysler ($337), and Dodge ($349).

Check engine-related problems are typically related to a vehicle’s emissions system. Sometimes the problem can be as minor as a loose or defective fuel-filler cap, which costs nothing to tighten and only around $26 to have replaced. Other common maladies include replacing an ignition coil and spark plugs (average $390), the oxygen sensor ($244), and the catalytic converter ($1,371)

Unfortunately, too many motorists tend to ignore the alert if the car still seems to be operating normally. The prudent course of action if the light stays on is, of course, to make an appointment to take the vehicle to a mechanic to have the problem evaluated. At the least, the problem could adversely affect the vehicle’s fuel economy;

at worst, it could lead to something that’s far costlier to fix.

How bad could it get? The mostexpensive check engine-related repair in CarMD’s database is a complete engine replacement at a whopping $7,150. Other budget-busting fixes include replacing the electronic power steering control unit ($5,201), the transmission and torque converter ($5,051), the audio and visual control unit ($4,293) and a hybrid vehicle’s battery pack ($4,149).

On the plus side, these repairs combined only account for less than one half of one percent of all repairs reported by CarMD’s network of technicians.