‘It’s a ticking time bomb’ – mechanic warns of ‘insanely high’ cost to fix issue that can affect almost any modern car

A MECHANIC has warned of the potentially “insane” cost of a tech issue which could affect almost any modern car.

David Long, known as the Car Wizard, explained how the increasing popularity of gadget-filled motors could lead to some hefty repair bills for drivers.

In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, David claimed: “We’re getting into cars now…everything is screens.

“Your gauges are screens, your centre stack is a screen, touchscreen, touchscreen, everything’s touchscreen.

“We’re starting to see this in newer cars…in everything.

“Those are not going to be issues when you just take it apart and fix a few little issues.

“Electrical engineers have designed those, it would take an electrician [to repair it].”

According to David, touchscreens and so-called digital dashboards can take “eight to 10 hours” of labour to fix even relatively minor issues, all coming at the expense of the customer.

Not only that, but he claimed that it is harder to source individual components for high-end displays, meaning that a full replacement costing thousands could be your only option.

He added: “Even if you could get the parts and pay for the labour, you’re at the cost of just replacing it.

“There are zero savings in trying to fix the parts in there.”

And even once you can get your hands on a replacement, David pointed out that the system has to be programmed properly when it is fitted to your motor, which he claimed most dealerships won’t do for second-hand parts unless they are acquired from the manufacturer.

Social media commenters seemed to share his view.

One wrote: “Bring back buttons, switches and knobs.”

Another added: “Thank you for what you do Wizard.”

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which represents car makers in the UK, declined to comment.

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Jacob Jaffa

February 21, 2024 3:45 pm