Hidden tech means priciest car repairs are under the bonnet | Personal Finance | Finance

A surge in high-tech features in today’s cars means it’s not battered bumpers or dented doors racking up repair bills – but the wiring.

According to new data from AA Accident Assist, the most frequently repaired part of a crash-damaged car is not visible from the outside at all.

Rather it’s the wiring looms — a complex network of cables that connect, power and control everything from parking sensors to rear-facing cameras and radar.

The motoring organisation revealed that a staggering 99% of the 14,500 cars it repaired over the past year needed replacement wiring looms – making it the single most common fix, ahead of bumper units (58%) and crash beams (57%).

These cables are no ordinary wires. They are critical to the operation of advanced safety systems, and after a collision, many require not just replacement but precise recalibration – ensuring features like adaptive cruise control and autonomous braking work properly.

Despite this, when more than 10,000 motorists were asked what they believed to be the most commonly repaired item after a crash, just 1% guessed wiring looms correctly. By contrast, over a third (36%) thought bumpers topped the list.

The AA’s findings come amid growing concerns that modern vehicles are becoming harder – and more expensive – to fix due to embedded technology.

Top 10 crash repairs, 2024/25 (AA Accident Assist)

Wiring looms – 99%

Bumper units – 58%

Rear bumper crash beams/fixings – 57%

Front bumper crash beams/fixings – 32%

Door locks, trims and seals – 12%

Roof – 12%

Hinges for bonnets and doors – 7%

Front doors – 7%

Rear doors – 5%

Lighting units – 3%

Tim Rankin, Managing Director of AA Accident Assist, said: “Fixing a car is more advanced than just replacing parts.

“With every evolution of vehicle technology comes more sophisticated and high-tech repairs.”

He added: “Wiring looms might seem innocuous, but the wires do more than just carry power around the car.

“The wires help run fundamental safety features around the car, such as images, speed data and radar technology.

“With more semi-autonomous driving assistance packages being placed on cars as standard, repairers are being tasked to fix and calibrate, as opposed to simply replace and fit.”

Mr Rankin added: “As Accident Assist celebrates its fifth anniversary, we are gathering more insight into how and why people crash on our roads. From tailgating to being distracted, there are a wide range of reasons why collisions continue to happen.”