The Lemon Index$1,800 middle bill · most between $1,200 and $2,500
408 owner reports on 81 models
Ford Focus, Hyundai Tiburon, Volkswagen Jetta
Owners reported paying a median of $1,800 for a clutch replacement, with the middle half of bills between $1,200 and $2,500. That's 408 owner reports on 81 models (385 complaints to NHTSA and 23 YouTube videos). Costs vary by shop and region.
What owners paid
- Under $5003%
- $500–$1,00012%
- $1,000–$2,50056%
- $2,500–$5,00023%
- $5,000 and up6%
Share of the 408 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Focus | 88 | $2,100 | $1,500–$3,000 |
| Hyundai Tiburon | 45 | $1,800 | $1,200–$2,000 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 38 | $2,000 | $1,500–$2,500 |
| Mitsubishi Lancer | 16 | $1,100 | $867–$1,500 |
| Ford Fiesta | 13 | $3,700 | $2,000–$4,100 |
| Fiat 500 | 10 | $1,500 | $1,000–$2,300 |
| Honda Civic | 10 | $1,700 | $1,200–$2,800 |
| Subaru Impreza | 10 | $1,600 | $925–$3,200 |
| Mazda3 | 9 | $1,000 | $700–$1,100 |
| Nissan Altima | 8 | $860 | $707–$1,000 |
| GMC Envoy | 6 | $800 | $672–$950 |
| Hyundai Elantra | 6 | $1,500 | $1,000–$1,500 |
| Jeep Wrangler | 6 | $3,600 | $2,100–$3,700 |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 5 | $1,700 | $1,700–$2,000 |
| Chevrolet Cobalt | 5 | $1,600 | $1,600–$2,000 |
| Ford Explorer | 5 | $1,400 | $1,100–$1,500 |
| Ford F-Series | 5 | $2,800 | $2,300–$6,200 |
| Ford Mustang | 5 | $1,600 | $600–$2,800 |
| Mini Cooper | 5 | $3,300 | $3,000–$5,400 |
| Nissan Xterra | 5 | $1,600 | $1,500–$2,000 |
| Subaru Outback | 5 | $1,800 | $1,300–$2,500 |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Jeep Cherokee | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Nissan 350Z | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Chevrolet Corvette | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Ford Escape | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Ford Fusion | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Honda CR-V | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Jeep Patriot | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Kia Rio | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Nissan Maxima | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Saturn Vue | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Volkswagen Golf | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Volkswagen Passat | 3 | too few for a range | |
Models with 3+ reports. A model gets its own page and a range at 5+ reports. 47 more models with 1–2 reports count in the totals above.
Related repairs
Transmission replacement $4,500 · Differential repair $2,600 · CV axle replacement $1,000 · Torque converter replacement $2,500 · Transfer case replacement $3,000 · Valve body replacement $1,900 · TCM replacement $1,600 · Driveshaft 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): 11773881, 11771039, 11763653, 11761881, 11748726, 11748613, 11745829, 11739377, 11738336, 11728288, 11727541, 11720874 and more.
Said out loud on YouTube: $200 ▶ · $270 ▶ · $300 ▶ · $300 ▶ · $490 ▶ · $500 ▶ · $500 ▶ · $500 ▶
Quick answers
How much does a clutch replacement cost?
Owners reported a median of $1,800, and the middle half paid $1,200 to $2,500, from 408 owner reports on 81 models. Costs vary by shop and region.
Which cars need a clutch replacement most?
The most owner reports come from the Ford Focus, Hyundai Tiburon, Volkswagen Jetta. These are raw counts: popular models get more reports, so this isn't a failure rate.
Why do clutch 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 385 complaints to NHTSA and 23 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.