The Lemon Index

Repair costs

Car repair costs: what owners paid.

20,185 repair bills from owners, sorted into 69 repairs.

Owner repair bills20,18569 repairs · 834 car pages

Every number on these pages is a bill an owner reported: 19,728 from complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA) and 457 said out loud in YouTube videos. Each page shows the middle bill, the middle half and the sample size. Costs vary by shop and region.

Every repair, most reports first

Transmission replacement$4,500 middle bill2,366 reports · 175 models · Transmission and drivetrain Engine replacement$8,000 middle bill2,070 reports · 168 models · Engine Brake repair$700 middle bill1,861 reports · 203 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Steering rack replacement$2,000 middle bill1,017 reports · 112 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Fuel pump replacement$915 middle bill787 reports · 132 models · Engine ABS module replacement$2,000 middle bill733 reports · 88 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Throttle body replacement$600 middle bill681 reports · 76 models · Engine Steering column repair$1,100 middle bill599 reports · 82 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Wiring harness repair$1,200 middle bill598 reports · 139 models · Electrical and tech Clutch replacement$1,800 middle bill408 reports · 81 models · Transmission and drivetrain ECM (engine computer) replacement$1,200 middle bill406 reports · 91 models · Electrical and tech Radiator replacement$1,300 middle bill366 reports · 90 models · Cooling and A/C Timing chain replacement$2,500 middle bill347 reports · 63 models · Engine TIPM replacement$1,100 middle bill296 reports · 15 models · Electrical and tech Fuel injector replacement$1,700 middle bill296 reports · 75 models · Engine Spark plug replacement$865 middle bill292 reports · 82 models · Engine Strut and shock replacement$900 middle bill283 reports · 77 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Airbag module and clock spring replacement$590 middle bill264 reports · 74 models · Electrical and tech Car battery replacement$317 middle bill261 reports · 104 models · Electrical and tech Differential repair$2,600 middle bill258 reports · 72 models · Transmission and drivetrain Head gasket replacement$3,000 middle bill253 reports · 62 models · Engine CV axle replacement$1,000 middle bill253 reports · 79 models · Transmission and drivetrain Brake booster replacement$1,000 middle bill251 reports · 53 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Catalytic converter replacement$1,800 middle bill247 reports · 89 models · Exhaust and emissions Radio and infotainment screen repair$1,500 middle bill228 reports · 74 models · Electrical and tech Alternator replacement$800 middle bill220 reports · 77 models · Electrical and tech AC condenser replacement$800 middle bill212 reports · 44 models · Cooling and A/C AC compressor replacement$1,400 middle bill211 reports · 72 models · Cooling and A/C Water pump replacement$1,400 middle bill207 reports · 68 models · Cooling and A/C Window regulator replacement$400 middle bill205 reports · 43 models · Electrical and tech Starter replacement$788 middle bill194 reports · 60 models · Electrical and tech Ignition coil replacement$715 middle bill193 reports · 61 models · Engine Torque converter replacement$2,500 middle bill190 reports · 49 models · Transmission and drivetrain Wheel bearing replacement$600 middle bill185 reports · 67 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Control arm replacement$850 middle bill179 reports · 66 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Brake master cylinder replacement$1,000 middle bill167 reports · 55 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Engine mount replacement$900 middle bill164 reports · 40 models · Engine Intake manifold replacement$900 middle bill136 reports · 54 models · Engine Transfer case replacement$3,000 middle bill134 reports · 36 models · Transmission and drivetrain Lifter replacement$5,000 middle bill129 reports · 26 models · Engine Ball joint replacement$700 middle bill128 reports · 33 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Power steering pump replacement$1,000 middle bill127 reports · 37 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Blend door actuator replacement$1,100 middle bill124 reports · 14 models · Cooling and A/C Turbocharger replacement$3,000 middle bill119 reports · 46 models · Engine EVAP system repair$618 middle bill114 reports · 53 models · Exhaust and emissions Valve body replacement$1,900 middle bill100 reports · 39 models · Transmission and drivetrain AC evaporator replacement$2,000 middle bill99 reports · 38 models · Cooling and A/C BCM replacement$700 middle bill95 reports · 38 models · Electrical and tech O2 sensor replacement$600 middle bill85 reports · 48 models · Exhaust and emissions TCM replacement$1,600 middle bill84 reports · 36 models · Transmission and drivetrain Thermostat replacement$1,000 middle bill79 reports · 47 models · Cooling and A/C Tie rod replacement$914 middle bill76 reports · 44 models · Brakes, steering and suspension Crankshaft position sensor replacement$330 middle bill75 reports · 26 models · Engine EGR valve replacement$1,500 middle bill75 reports · 32 models · Exhaust and emissions Timing belt replacement$2,000 middle bill72 reports · 40 models · Engine Door lock actuator replacement$500 middle bill69 reports · 33 models · Electrical and tech Driveshaft replacement$1,200 middle bill69 reports · 43 models · Transmission and drivetrain Heater core replacement$1,200 middle bill67 reports · 25 models · Cooling and A/C Oil pan replacement$866 middle bill67 reports · 42 models · Engine Backup camera repair$1,000 middle bill53 reports · 35 models · Electrical and tech MAF sensor replacement$432 middle bill38 reports · 18 models · Engine Oil cooler replacement$1,000 middle bill38 reports · 21 models · Engine Camshaft position sensor replacement$400 middle bill37 reports · 16 models · Engine Hybrid battery replacement$3,700 middle bill36 reports · 23 models · Electrical and tech Cam phaser replacement$5,000 middle bill32 reports · 5 models · Engine Rear main seal replacement$1,800 middle bill25 reports · 15 models · Engine Valve cover gasket replacement$568 middle bill20 reports · 16 models · Engine Air suspension repair$2,000 middle bill19 reports · 13 models · Brakes, steering and suspension DPF replacement$3,000 middle bill16 reports · 5 models · Exhaust and emissions

The details

How we count

Every number here is a repair bill an owner reported, never a shop's price list. Two sources: the bills owners wrote in their own complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), and the dollar amounts owners said out loud in YouTube repair and ownership videos. A figure counts for a repair when that repair is the part named nearest to it. Left out: purchase prices, payments, rentals, towing, warranties and deductibles, amounts under $50 or over $15,000, parts-only prices ("the part was $80 on Amazon"), bills for two different repairs named together, and money someone else paid. One number per complaint (or video) and repair: the biggest, so it's the bill, not the diagnosis fee.

The range is the middle half of the bills (the 25th to the 75th percentile), so one wild number can't swing it. Owners who complain to the government often had expensive repairs, so a typical bill can be lower. Costs vary by shop and region, by dealer vs independent shop, by parts and by miles. This is what owners reported, not a quote for your car.

Quick answers

How much do car repairs cost?

It depends on the repair. Owners reported a median of $4,500 for a transmission replacement, $8,000 for a engine replacement, $700 for a brake repair. Each repair page has the range, the sample size and the cars it comes up on most.

Where do these repair costs come from?

From repair bills owners named in their own complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA) and amounts owners said out loud in YouTube videos. They are owner reports, not a shop's price list or a quote for your car.

Why is my quote different?

Costs vary by shop and region, by dealer vs independent shop, by parts (new, used or rebuilt) and by what else was done at the same time. Use these numbers to know if a quote is in the usual range, then get a second quote.

Which repair costs the most?

Among the repairs with 30+ reports, owners reported the highest middle bills for engine replacement ($8,000), lifter replacement ($5,000), cam phaser replacement ($5,000).

Sources: NHTSA owner complaints and YouTube videos, sorted by The Lemon Index. Owner reports, not a price quote.

Updated Nov 15, 2026

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