The Lemon Index$600 middle bill · most between $440 and $800
681 owner reports on 76 models
Ford Escape, Ford Fusion, Ford Freestyle
Owners reported paying a median of $600 for a throttle body replacement, with the middle half of bills between $440 and $800. That's 681 owner reports on 76 models (681 complaints to NHTSA). Costs vary by shop and region.
What owners paid
- Under $50030%
- $500–$1,00055%
- $1,000–$2,50014%
- $2,500–$5,0001%
- $5,000 and up0%
Share of the 681 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 Escape | 138 | $474 | $366–$600 |
| Ford Fusion | 120 | $500 | $400–$600 |
| Ford Freestyle | 113 | $800 | $700–$900 |
| Ford Edge | 25 | $600 | $542–$698 |
| Ford Expedition | 24 | $625 | $500–$800 |
| Ford F-Series | 22 | $591 | $462–$710 |
| Toyota Camry | 20 | $1,000 | $1,000–$1,200 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 14 | $555 | $512–$670 |
| Ford Focus | 13 | $600 | $400–$800 |
| Volvo S80 | 13 | $1,000 | $895–$1,200 |
| Ford Mustang | 10 | $467 | $390–$680 |
| Jeep Patriot | 10 | $758 | $606–$870 |
| Toyota Tacoma | 10 | $1,000 | $1,000–$1,200 |
| Chevrolet Traverse | 8 | $520 | $510–$602 |
| Dodge Caliber | 8 | $586 | $467–$700 |
| Ford Explorer | 8 | $572 | $448–$662 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 6 | $542 | $425–$671 |
| Chevrolet Impala | 6 | $474 | $300–$687 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 5 | $450 | $220–$535 |
| Dodge Avenger | 5 | $550 | $500–$750 |
| Jeep Compass | 5 | $800 | $700–$993 |
| Nissan Altima | 5 | $1,000 | $880–$1,200 |
| Toyota Corolla | 5 | $1,300 | $619–$1,400 |
| Chevrolet Cruze | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Ford Taurus | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Volvo S60 | 4 | too few for a range | |
| Ford Fiesta | 3 | too few for a range | |
| GMC Terrain | 3 | too few for a range | |
| GMC Yukon | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Honda Accord | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Honda CR-V | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Kia Sorento | 3 | too few for a range | |
| Lincoln Navigator | 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. 42 more models with 1–2 reports count in the totals above.
Engine codes that can lead here: P2135 P2111 P2112 P2101 P2119 P0121 P0122. A code is where a shop starts, not proof the part failed.
Related repairs
Engine replacement $8,000 · Fuel pump replacement $915 · Timing chain replacement $2,500 · Fuel injector replacement $1,700 · Spark plug replacement $865 · Head gasket replacement $3,000 · Ignition coil replacement $715 · Engine mount replacement $900
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): 11757117, 11731732, 11679356, 11656442, 11629020, 11616772, 11601521, 11595071, 11556199, 11549005, 11538277, 11508679 and more.
Quick answers
How much does a throttle body replacement cost?
Owners reported a median of $600, and the middle half paid $440 to $800, from 681 owner reports on 76 models. Costs vary by shop and region.
Which cars need a throttle body replacement most?
The most owner reports come from the Ford Escape, Ford Fusion, Ford Freestyle. These are raw counts: popular models get more reports, so this isn't a failure rate.
Why do throttle body 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 681 complaints to NHTSA: 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.