CarMD’s 2024 Vehicle Health Index that was released yesterday shows an increase in the number of drivers that are ignoring warning lights in their dashboard. The annual study examines check engine light-related vehicle repair trends across the United States.
An online survey from earlier this year, conducted by Veridata Insights on behalf of CarMD, found that 49% of respondents had a warning light on their dashboards. 22% had the check engine light on, which is double the number from the last time CarMD surveyed drivers on their check engine lights.
A large reason many drivers may be opting to ignore these warning lights is the rising cost of parts. Though labor rates rose only 1% in 2023, car repair costs saw an overall 5.1% increase, marking an all-time high since CarMD’s first Vehicle Health Index in 2011. Additionally, the cost of parts rose more than 7%.
The study found that check engine light-related problems are more common in model year 2007 vehicles, and–for the first time since CarMD began tracking check engine repairs–the gas cap is not among the top five most common check engine repairs. Those spots are now taken by catalytic converters, oxygen sensors, spark plugs, mass air flow sensors, and ignition coils.
“Ignoring the check engine light will cause your car to fail an emissions test and can result in the need for additional repairs down the road,” explained David Rich, CarMD technical vice president. “We encourage drivers to address all of their dashboard warning lights to help make sure their vehicle is as reliable and efficient as it can be.”
