The Lemon Index$1,400 middle bill · most between $985 and $2,100
211 owner reports on 72 models
Honda CR-V, Honda Civic, Mazda CX-7
Owners reported paying a median of $1,400 for a AC compressor replacement, with the middle half of bills between $985 and $2,100. That's 211 owner reports on 72 models (201 complaints to NHTSA and 10 YouTube videos). Costs vary by shop and region.
What owners paid
- Under $5005%
- $500–$1,00020%
- $1,000–$2,50056%
- $2,500–$5,00017%
- $5,000 and up2%
Share of the 211 owner reports in each price band.
Cars where it comes up most
Owner reports per model. Raw counts, not a failure rate: popular models get more reports.
Every model, what owners paid
| Model | Reports | Middle bill | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CR-V | 44 | $1,800 | $1,200–$3,000 |
| Honda Civic | 31 | $1,800 | $1,300–$2,000 |
| Mazda CX-7 | 21 | $1,100 | $900–$1,800 |
| Ford Freestyle | 5 | $1,000 | $800–$1,000 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | 5 | $2,300 | $2,000–$4,300 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Nissan Altima | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Toyota Sequoia | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 3 | too few for a range | |
| GMC Yukon | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Honda Odyssey | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Tesla Model X | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Toyota Sienna | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 3 | too few for a range | |
Models with 3+ reports. A model gets its own page and a range at 5+ reports. 58 more models with 1–2 reports count in the totals above.
Related repairs
Radiator replacement $1,300 · AC condenser replacement $800 · Water pump replacement $1,400 · Blend door actuator replacement $1,100 · AC evaporator replacement $2,000 · Thermostat replacement $1,000 · Heater core replacement $1,200
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.
Check the bills yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11772202, 11764886, 11764527, 11737955, 11723965, 11721824, 11717356, 11681910, 11610372, 11582388, 11566797, 11560546 and more.
Said out loud on YouTube: $410 ▶ · $460 ▶ · $750 ▶ · $750 ▶ · $800 ▶ · $1,100 ▶ · $1,200 ▶ · $1,500 ▶
Quick answers
How much does a AC compressor replacement cost?
Owners reported a median of $1,400, and the middle half paid $985 to $2,100, from 211 owner reports on 72 models. Costs vary by shop and region.
Which cars need a AC compressor replacement most?
The most owner reports come from the Honda CR-V, Honda Civic, Mazda CX-7. These are raw counts: popular models get more reports, so this isn't a failure rate.
Why do AC compressor replacement costs vary so much?
Shop labor rates differ by region, dealers usually charge more than independent shops, new, used and rebuilt parts cost different amounts, and some bills include other work done at the same time.
Where do these numbers come from?
From 201 complaints to NHTSA and 10 YouTube videos: the repair bills owners themselves reported. Owner reports, not a price quote.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints and YouTube videos (amounts said out loud), sorted by The Lemon Index. Owner reports, not a price quote. Costs vary by shop and region.