Caribou survey shows 38% of US drivers face $500-plus unexpected car repair costs

• Caribou market analysis flagged rising US auto repair costs, citing 4.9% CPI inflation for maintenance and repair from January 2025 to January 2026.
• Survey of 2,000 US car owners showed 67% faced unexpected car expenses in the past year; 38% reported at least USD 500.
• Cost shocks skewed higher for used vehicles, with 48% of used-car owners surprised by a single repair versus 41% of new-car owners.
• Maintenance deferral remained common, with 28% leaving a dashboard warning light on for a month or longer before checking it.
• Repair complexity tightened service options, with 51% of independent shops sending up to five vehicles per month to dealerships due to data limits.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Caribou Financial Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief on September 17, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.