Repair costs

Engine warning light diagnosis garage rates and how often MOTs call for it

What UK garages charge per hour, from ONS price quotes, and how often MOT tests fail on the items this repair fixes, from 130,233,413 DVSA MOT tests (2022 to 2025).

Prices updated 22 September 2026. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Garage labour rates

No public source records the price of this whole job, and the time it takes varies from car to car, so we do not publish a single figure. Garages charge by the hour, so ask for a quote that lists labour time and parts. The rates below are what UK garages charge per hour.

The warning light or emissions reading is only the symptom. What the repair costs depends on what the diagnosis finds, so treat any figure as the starting point, not the full fix.

Local garage labour, per hour (65 shops)£78

Local garage, middle half£70 to £96

Main dealer labour, per hour (62 shops)£156

Main dealer, middle half£144 to £174

Median hourly rate charged for car repairs, from 1,058 local garage and 953 main dealer price quotes collected by the ONS, September 2025 to August 2026. The same shops are priced each month, so the number of shops is the real sample.

MOT defects this repair fixes

Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.46 per 100

Records per 100 MOT tests at all ages (n=130,233,413 tests).

How often by age

All cars: 1.46 fail items per 100 MOTs that this repair fixes (n=130,233,413 tests), highest at 19 years with 2.89 per 100 (n=2,479,858). A test with two such items counts twice.

Fail items fixed by engine warning light diagnosis, per 100 MOT tests of cars at each age.
Age	Per 100 MOTs	Tests (n)
3 years	0.37	8,016,463
4 years	0.54	8,699,937
5 years	0.72	9,425,360
6 years	0.93	10,382,720
7 years	1.12	10,537,318
8 years	1.25	10,440,457
9 years	1.38	9,949,012
10 years	1.48	9,049,507
11 years	1.56	8,087,514
12 years	1.69	7,303,151
13 years	1.87	6,612,160
14 years	2.14	6,054,526
15 years	2.33	5,591,675
16 years	2.51	4,858,625
17 years	2.71	4,040,458
18 years	2.86	3,261,622
19 years	2.89	2,479,858
20 years	2.73	1,845,952
21 years	2.50	1,321,417
22 years	1.97	913,980
23 years	1.38	619,531
24 years	0.86	428,815
25 years	0.39	313,355

Models that fail on these items more often

At least 1.3 times the rate of cars of the same ages and fuel, over ages with at least 1,000 tests each and 20,000 in total. Each generation of a model is compared on its own. 24 of these have their own page. Mostly electric models are left out, because they have no engine or exhaust to test.

Model	Times as often	Tests (n)
Jeep Renegade	at least 2.9	110,103
Jeep Compassfirst used 2017 or later	at least 2.8	31,820
MG ZSfirst used 2017 or later	at least 2.4	143,170
Nissan Navara	at least 2.4	286,820
Fiat Tipo	at least 2.2	49,704
Vauxhall Zafira	at least 2.2	861,172
Fiat 500X	at least 2.1	139,151
London Taxis International TX4	at least 2.0	53,539
Volkswagen Beetle	at least 2.0	180,577
Audi A2	at least 2.0	27,619
Volkswagen Crafter	at least 1.9	27,414
Chevrolet Captiva	at least 1.9	25,550
Renault Trafic	at least 1.9	428,817
Vauxhall Adam	at least 1.9	237,726
Jeep Cherokeefirst used 2014 or later	at least 1.9	21,172
Alfa Romeo Giulietta	at least 1.9	104,085
Mercedes-Benz Vito	at least 1.8	350,481
Vauxhall Vivaro	at least 1.8	739,286
Chevrolet Aveo	at least 1.8	36,812
Hyundai i800	at least 1.8	32,058
Smart Forfourfirst used 2014 or later	at least 1.7	89,645
Hyundai Ioniq	at least 1.7	151,341
Vauxhall Corsa	at least 1.7	3,740,055
Fiat Doblo	at least 1.7	190,103
Fiat Fiorino	at least 1.7	32,190

29 more models

Model	Times as often	Tests (n)
Saab 9-5	at least 1.7	33,143
Nissan NV200	at least 1.7	122,396
Chrysler Grand Voyager	at least 1.6	23,503
Mercedes-Benz CLA	at least 1.6	243,385
Vauxhall Mokka	at least 1.6	930,592
Volkswagen Amarok	at least 1.5	82,102
Mercedes-Benz C-Class	at least 1.5	1,528,968
Volkswagen Scirocco	at least 1.5	188,602
Vauxhall Meriva	at least 1.5	385,594
Volkswagen Passat	at least 1.5	792,205
Peugeot RCZ	at least 1.4	44,125
Peugeot 208	at least 1.4	809,087
Ford Transit Courier	at least 1.4	103,155
Volkswagen Lupo	at least 1.4	24,196
Mazda 3	at least 1.4	435,738
Peugeot 108	at least 1.4	296,826
SsangYong Tivoli	at least 1.4	27,007
BMW X2	at least 1.3	68,516
Volkswagen Caddy	at least 1.3	587,699
Volkswagen Jetta	at least 1.3	56,076
Subaru Forester	at least 1.3	64,837
SEAT Toledofirst used 2012 or later	at least 1.3	20,583
Jaguar E-Pace	at least 1.3	114,724
SEAT Alhambra	at least 1.3	110,632
Land Rover Discovery Sport	at least 1.3	447,155
Jaguar X-Type	at least 1.3	111,254
Volkswagen Sharan	at least 1.3	145,752
Mercedes-Benz A-Class	at least 1.3	1,360,594
Ford Ranger	at least 1.3	426,542

Models that fail on these items less often

At most 0.7 times the rate of cars of the same ages and fuel, on the same rules.

Model	Times as often	Tests (n)
Porsche 911	at most 0.4	174,386
BMW 4 Series	at most 0.4	417,430
Suzuki Vitarafirst used 2015 or later	at most 0.4	248,462
Honda HR-Vfirst used 2015 or later	at most 0.5	124,839
Volvo V90first used 2016 or later	at most 0.5	57,957
Audi Q2	at most 0.5	261,047
Porsche Macan	at most 0.5	115,297
Ford Edge	at most 0.5	35,844
Suzuki Celerio	at most 0.5	110,627
BMW X1	at most 0.6	414,040
Mazda CX-3	at most 0.6	102,215
Peugeot Rifter	at most 0.6	27,746
Skoda Karoq	at most 0.6	184,189
Mercedes-Benz GLE	at most 0.6	113,268
Porsche Boxster	at most 0.7	129,291
Volvo XC40	at most 0.7	229,238
MINI Clubman	at most 0.7	109,425
MINI Countryman	at most 0.7	415,833
Toyota Corollafirst used 2019 or later	at most 0.7	181,405
BMW X4	at most 0.7	65,595
Land Rover Range Rover	at most 0.7	352,624
BMW 6 Series	at most 0.7	89,667
Volvo S90	at most 0.7	29,076
BMW 5 Series	at most 0.7	849,601
Land Rover Range Rover Sport	at most 0.7	498,033

4 more models

Model	Times as often	Tests (n)
Ford Kuga	at most 0.7	1,137,353
Jaguar XF	at most 0.7	399,683
SEAT Ateca	at most 0.7	171,168
Ford B-Max	at most 0.7	218,327

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Other repairs

Exterior bulb replacement£3.99 median
Tyre replacement£87.05 median
Headlight alignmentlabour rate
Coil spring replacementlabour rate
Wiper blade replacement£9.99 median
Handbrake repairlabour rate
Brake pad replacementlabour rate
Suspension ball joint replacementlabour rate
Anti-roll bar link replacementlabour rate
Headlight bulb replacement£3.99 median
Screenwash top-uplabour rate
Suspension arm bush replacementlabour rate
CV boot replacementlabour rate
Track rod end replacementlabour rate
Brake disc and pad replacementlabour rate
Shock absorber replacementlabour rate
Corrosion welding repairlabour rate
Binding brake repairlabour rate
Washer system repairlabour rate
Exhaust repair£212.09 median
Emissions fail repairlabour rate
Brake pipe replacementlabour rate
ABS warning light repairlabour rate
Airbag warning light repairlabour rate
Brake imbalance repairlabour rate
Wheel bearing replacementlabour rate
Tyre pressure sensor replacementlabour rate
Horn repairlabour rate
Number plate replacementlabour rate
Exhaust mounting repairlabour rate
Wheel nut or bolt replacementlabour rate
Steering rack gaiter replacementlabour rate
Brake efficiency repairlabour rate
Headlight mounting repairlabour rate
Headlight unit replacementlabour rate
Headlight lens restorationlabour rate
Swivel pin replacementlabour rate

All repair costs All MOT defects

Buying a used car?

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Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025, and the MOT inspection manual published on GOV.UK. Prices: ONS consumer price inflation price quotes, September 2025 to August 2026, UK.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026. Prices updated 22 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA or the Office for National Statistics. How we calculate these figures · Data sources