Skip to main content

Launching in Surrey

Car electrical repair quotes

Cars run almost everything through wiring and electronics, from the starter motor and alternator to the lights, windows, locks and screens. Some faults are a bulb or a fuse; others take time to trace, so the more you can say about what happens, the better.
Post your electrical job

Post the job free with your registration and postcode. Garages on Matchanic can see it and choose whether to quote, and you only go ahead if you accept one. Matchanic is new and launching in Surrey, so there may be few or no garages on Matchanic near the car yet.

Signs your car may need this

  • The battery or charging light on while you drive, which can point to the alternator.
  • A click but no start with a battery you know is good, which can point to the starter motor.
  • A bulb out, or a headlight that looks dim or points too high or too low.
  • Windows, central locking, wipers or the horn not working.
  • A key fob that doesn’t work, or an immobiliser warning.
  • Gauges or screens that flicker or go blank.
  • A fuse that keeps blowing.

Jobs you can ask garages to quote for

The jobs you can choose for this when you post. Pick the one that fits, or the closest, and add the detail under ‘Anything else’.

  • Alternator replacement
  • Starter motor replacement
  • Headlight bulb replacement
  • Rear light bulb replacement
  • Indicator bulb replacement
  • Headlight unit replacement
  • Rear light unit replacement
  • Headlight alignment
  • Fuse replacement
  • Wiring repair
  • Electric window repair
  • Window regulator replacement
  • Central locking repair
  • Wiper motor replacement
  • Wiper linkage repair
  • Horn replacement
  • Parking sensor replacement
  • Reversing camera repair
  • Immobiliser fault
  • Key fob battery or programming
  • Stop-start system fault
  • Charging system test
  • Ignition switch or barrel replacement
  • Heated seat repair
  • Infotainment or radio fault
  • Dashboard instrument cluster repair

What affects the price

Each garage sets its own price. These are the things that usually make the difference.

  • Whether it’s a part to swap, such as a bulb or a window regulator, or a fault to trace through the wiring.
  • How much has to come apart. Some headlight bulbs are quick to change; on other cars the bumper or the headlight has to come off.
  • Whether a new part has to be programmed to the car, as key fobs do.
  • Parts from the car’s maker or from other brands.
  • Whether the fault comes and goes, which can take longer to find.

Lights and the law

  • The Highway Code says lights, indicators, reflectors and number plates must be kept clean and clear, and lights must be properly adjusted so they don’t dazzle other road users.
  • Lights are part of the MOT. A headlamp that’s missing or doesn’t work, or whose aim is outside the limits, is a major defect, which fails the test.
  • The MOT also checks the side and brake lights, indicators and hazard lights, fog and reversing lamps, the number plate lamp, reflectors, wiring and the battery.

Sources

Checked against GOV.UK in September 2026.

What to tell the garage

Say exactly what does and doesn’t work, and when: all the time, only in the wet, or only after the car has stood. For a bulb, say which one: dipped or main beam, front or rear, left or right.

For a key fob, say how many keys you have. If a warning light is on, name it, and include any fault codes you’ve been given.

Questions about car electrics

  • Why does my battery keep going flat?

    It can be the battery itself, the alternator not charging it, or something drawing power while the car is parked. ‘Charging system test’ checks the charging side, the Car batteries page covers testing the battery, and ‘Electrical fault diagnosis’ under Diagnostics is for a drain that’s harder to place.

  • Can I change a bulb myself?

    On some cars, and the handbook shows how. On others the headlight or bumper has to come off. If the beam needs setting after a new bulb or headlight, ‘Headlight alignment’ is a separate job.

  • My key fob has stopped working. What should I post?

    Try a new battery in the fob first if you can. If that doesn’t help, or a new or spare key needs programming to the car, choose ‘Key fob battery or programming’. If the car won’t start and shows an immobiliser warning, choose ‘Immobiliser fault’.

Related jobs

Start with your registration

Posting a job is free, and you don’t have to accept a quote.

Post your electrical job

Matchanic is launching in Surrey. How Matchanic works · Matchanic in Surrey