‘It’s so expensive for what it is’ – common dashboard warning could cost you £1000s in repairs… get it checked now

AN expert mechanic has revealed how a common dashboard warning light could cost you thousands in repairs.

David Long, known as the Car Wizard, urged drivers to get their motors checked out if they see the little symbol lit up.

In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, David explained that the check engine light could be an indication of a serious issue with your car.

He said: "The customer noticed the check engine light was on but there's really no drivability concerns.

"They just wanted to make sure something drastic isn't wrong and brought it in and found out what the issue is.

"It's stupid expensive for what it is, it's dumb."

A quick check with a scan tool revealed a blockage one of the valves on the crank case ventilation (CCV) system.

This is a mechanism designed to stop unwanted emissions, known as "blow-by", from leaking out of the seals on the engine block and escaping into the atmosphere.

The valve that these gasses pass through can become clogged by oil or just general dirt in the engine and will result in the check engine light coming on but may not show any other symptoms.

Unfortunately, as David explained, mechanics are unable to buy just the valve to replace it.

This means that the only way to fix the issue is to fully replace the CCV unit - at a cost of around £1,500.

Failure to do so can cause moisture and condensed particulate to build up in the engine, potentially leading to an even more costly issue.

David added: "It's quite a tear down even just to get to the valve.

"It actually runs fine, it's just an emissions problem.

"And it coss £1,500 to fix.

"A year or two ago we looked into this - we searched for three or four days and you cannot buy just the little pieces.

"It's only sold as an entire unit."

It comes after a car guru revealed three cheap classics which could be worth tens of thousands in a few years.

Meanwhile, drivers were amazed as they found a £1.35 kitchen essential that can tackle the germ-riddled layer of "scum" that forms on their windscreens.