Question: My car’s lights and radio stopped working last week. I think the fuse in my car blew. How much will it cost to fix a car fuse?
Answer: Replacing a fuse is affordable, especially if you can do it yourself. It might even be free if you still have the spare fuses generally provided in all cars.
Even if you need to buy spare fuses, the cost is minimal, usually less than a dollar each. They are typically sold in packs, but you can keep the spares for future use. Small amperage fuses are the most common in vehicles, though larger fuses exist and cost a few dollars each.
Every vehicle uses a mix of fuse types. Fuses come in various sizes and knowing which one your vehicle uses is important. Common fuse specifications include:
- Micro2
- Micro3
- Low-profile Mini
- Mini
- ATO/regular
- Maxi
- M Case/FMM
- J Case
- J Case Low Profile
- Slotted M Case
To determine which fuse you need, refer to your car’s manual or go to StartMyCar, search for your car and look for the fuse diagram. If your car includes a fuse puller, use it to remove the fuses. For example, the Honda Civic manual explains how to diagnose and pull fuses–stating that the fuse puller is located on the back of the engine compartment fuse box cover.
The fuse diagrams indicate which part of the electrical system the fuse is connected to, which is the first step to identifying the issue. Once you’ve selected a fuse, pull it out. If it looks like there’s a severed connection in the metal strip within the fuse, the fuse is likely blown. Replacing the broken fuse with a new fuse (of similar spec) it should restore functionality.
Check the fuse type, then head to your auto parts retailer to replace it. Otherwise, you can head to an online retailer such as Amazon and buy an assortment of fuses for $8-$10. If you DIY the fuse replacement, your expense will be minimal and the procedure for changing a fuse might be described in your manual.
Fuse replacement cost by mechanic
If you choose to see a mechanic, you will have to pay for parts and labor. In most cases, you can expect to be charged an hour of labor. The average labor cost for a mechanic ranges from $75 to $130 an hour.
The advantage of sending the car to a mechanic is that your mechanic can help find the cause of the problem if there is actually something wrong with your circuits. Fuses typically blow for a reason. Sometimes, it’s because you incorrectly plugged in an accessory 12-volt socket, which you can avoid in the future. However, if a short circuit somewhere in your car causes the problem, the fuse will continue to burn, and you’ll need to find the root of the problem.
Fixing a car fuse, recapped
Replacing a car fuse is inexpensive, often costing less than a dollar if done yourself. Mechanics charge $75-$130 per hour of labor and a simple fix will take about an hour of the mechanic’s time.
Xuyun Zeng is a content strategist with a wide-ranging content background including tech, journalism, cars and health care. After graduating with highest honors in journalism, Xuyun led a newspaper to win eight awards, helped start an award-winning film industry podcast and has written over a hundred articles about cars repair, state laws and insurance. Prior to joining Jerry, Xuyun worked as a freelance SEO consultant with a mission to create the best content that will help readers and grow organic traffic.
Giselle Gomez is an editor with over a decade of experience editing content across personal finance, education, travel, and sports. In editing for Jerry, Giselle’s focus is on making sure content is consumer and SEO-friendly and helping readers understand all things car ownership. In prior roles, she worked as a content strategist, syndication editor, and writer. Her work is featured in AP, NerdWallet.com, BestColleges.com, and more. Giselle holds a master’s degree from Arizona State University.
