Catalytic Converter Replacement
Catalytic converters are meant to help the planet, but you are likely going to be unpleasantly surprised if you have to buy a new one. At least, if you have to change it out, it should last for the life of your vehicle. The bad news is that running over something, such as an oversized speed bump, can potentially damage it, as well as burning engine oil or using the wrong oil in your engine. You could possibly save some cash by installing the replacement part on your own, but most of the cost is in the part, which contains precious metals. In San Diego, repair or replacement of the catalytic converter will cost you an average of $1,800.
Clutch Assembly Replacement
Clutches will wear out, and you will often know you need a replacement by the way the clutch is behaving. This is a part that will suffer from normal wear and tear. There is not much you can do to stop it, aside from changing your driving style. The truth is that new clutch parts can get expensive, and while you can save some cash by doing some work on your own, changing the clutch on a front-wheel-drive car can be very difficult without the right recruitment. This repair will cost an average of $1,300 at a San Diego auto repair shop.
Engine Control Module (ECM) Replacement
This can be another nasty surprise. Many people think that their vehicles’ ECM is just a small black box with a few transistors and a circuit board. However, the fact is that a new ECM will cost as much as a high-end laptop, and you are not going to save too much by taking on the work yourself. This is a solid-state device with no moving parts to wear out, and in a perfect world, the ECM will last forever. However, the world is far from perfect, so while your ECM should not fail, it is not impossible for it to do so. The computer could be damaged by someone jumpstarting your vehicle improperly. This repair could cost you nearly $1,200.
Alternator Replacement
The alternator is a component we often take for granted, but when they die, it can mean the end of your car’s electrical system. The average alternator will last anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 miles, but it will not last forever. They can be pretty costly too, so you will not save much by doing the work on your own. In San Diego, an average alternator repair can cost you around $700.
Fuel Injector Replacement
Fuel injectors are considered a modern blessing. Some of us remember how difficult it was to deal with carburetors, float bowls, needle valves, and vacuum gauges. Despite the convenience a fuel injector can provide, once they go bad, it is an expensive part to replace. What may seem to be little more than a glorified syringe turns out to be a much more complex and expensive issue, costing an average of $1,200 to fix. When they are maintained properly, they can last as long as the vehicle, or at least as long as you own the vehicle.
Head Gasket Replacement
Head gaskets fit between the cylinder block and the head, keeping the combustion chambers, oil, and cooling systems sealed and separate — until they start to fail. When they fail, oil or water can leak into the cylinders. This will cause a lot of smoke from the exhaust, or you may start to hear a lot of strange noises under the hood. It can become much worse if water gets into the cylinders because water does not compress. The head gasket itself, annoyingly, is fairly inexpensive, but the labor involved in getting the head off and milling it can be pretty significant, costing around $1,200 to repair.
Timing Belt Replacement
This is a very tiresome and costly part of routine maintenance that you should never neglect. The timing belt connects the crankshaft in the base of the engine to the camshaft at the stop. If it fails or skips, the valves and pistons could collide, possibly wrecking the engine. This repair can cost you around $700.
Radiator Replacement
Radiators can go many years without issue, but they can fail in a second if your vehicle suffers from front-end damage or if you neglect to use a proper antifreeze mix when you fill-up the radiator or overflow tank. Antifreeze contains corrosion inhibitors and will also prevent frozen water expanding and damaging the radiator. If your vehicle is losing coolant, you should not immediately assume it is the radiator because there are many other hoses and joints that can possibly leak. If it is the radiator, the repair can cost upwards of $600.
Starter Replacement
There are few things worse than the moment when you turn the key and all you get is a couple of ticks under the hood. If you are lucky, it will just be the battery, which is not very expensive to fix. In other cases, it could be the starter motor which in San Diego, averages around $700 to fix. Usually, these can go without issues for years, but it just takes one time.
Water Pump Replacement
This is a small but crucial part of your vehicle’s cooling system. It may never fail while you own the vehicle, but when it does, the coolant will no longer be pumped through the radiator or engine, which can overheat quickly. You do not want to find yourself pushing your vehicle to the nearest San Diego auto repair shop. If you do not properly maintain the water pump, failures can happen on their own costing you around $600. You can increase the odds of your water pump lasting the life of your car by maintaining the system and topping it off properly with antifreeze.
San Diego Auto Repair Shops
Automobile Repair Shop San Diego is a family-owned and operated business that has been providing the best repair experiences in San Diego. We will offer you hassle-free auto repairs starting with a precise damage assessment or estimate. We will tow your vehicle for FREE to our shop, organize for a rental car, and work directly with the insurance company to streamline the repair process. We will even pay up to $500 of your deductible. Contact us today to see how we can help.