The Lemon Index$1,200 middle bill · most between $800 and $2,000
406 owner reports on 91 models
Toyota RAV4, Toyota Sequoia, Toyota Corolla
Owners reported paying a median of $1,200 for a ECM (engine computer) replacement, with the middle half of bills between $800 and $2,000. That's 406 owner reports on 91 models (403 complaints to NHTSA and 3 YouTube videos). Costs vary by shop and region.
What owners paid
- Under $50012%
- $500–$1,00021%
- $1,000–$2,50050%
- $2,500–$5,00012%
- $5,000 and up4%
Share of the 406 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota RAV4 | 67 | $1,300 | $1,200–$1,600 |
| Toyota Sequoia | 63 | $2,000 | $1,300–$2,400 |
| Toyota Corolla | 20 | $800 | $635–$900 |
| Toyota Prius | 19 | $1,500 | $964–$1,900 |
| Ford Escape | 13 | $1,100 | $1,000–$2,300 |
| Ford Windstar | 13 | $1,000 | $700–$1,200 |
| Nissan Altima | 12 | $308 | $228–$462 |
| Ford Edge | 10 | $1,800 | $1,500–$2,700 |
| Ford F-Series | 8 | $1,200 | $945–$2,200 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | 8 | $1,100 | $775–$1,700 |
| Ford Fusion | 7 | $1,300 | $1,100–$2,000 |
| Toyota Camry | 7 | $900 | $690–$2,500 |
| Cadillac CTS | 5 | $791 | $265–$800 |
| Dodge Durango | 5 | $2,400 | $1,300–$3,000 |
| Honda Accord | 5 | $1,000 | $960–$2,000 |
| Nissan Pathfinder | 5 | $1,300 | $1,000–$2,200 |
| Ram pickup | 5 | $2,000 | $1,200–$3,500 |
| Toyota Sienna | 5 | $1,800 | $1,000–$1,900 |
| Volkswagen Passat | 5 | $1,300 | $804–$1,700 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Chrysler Town & Country | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Nissan Maxima | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Nissan Quest | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Nissan Sentra | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Tesla Model X | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Toyota Highlander | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Audi A6 | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Cadillac SRX | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Dodge Caliber | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Honda Odyssey | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Jeep Wrangler | 3 | too few for a range | |
Models with 3+ reports. A model gets its own page and a range at 5+ reports. 60 more models with 1–2 reports count in the totals above.
Related repairs
Wiring harness repair $1,200 · TIPM replacement $1,100 · Airbag module and clock spring replacement $590 · Car battery replacement $317 · Radio and infotainment screen repair $1,500 · Alternator replacement $800 · Window regulator replacement $400 · Starter replacement $788
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): 11776462, 11756948, 11745175, 11738147, 11733766, 11726039, 11715812, 11709103, 11693377, 11692496, 11692209, 11684770 and more.
Quick answers
How much does a ECM (engine computer) replacement cost?
Owners reported a median of $1,200, and the middle half paid $800 to $2,000, from 406 owner reports on 91 models. Costs vary by shop and region.
Which cars need a ECM (engine computer) replacement most?
The most owner reports come from the Toyota RAV4, Toyota Sequoia, Toyota Corolla. These are raw counts: popular models get more reports, so this isn't a failure rate.
Why do ECM (engine computer) 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 403 complaints to NHTSA and 3 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.