Same job at other shop types (everything else as set above): Independent shop (~$100/hr) $671–$1,661 · Chain shop / franchise (~$120/hr) $742–$1,802 (the headline above) · Dealership (~$175/hr) $937–$2,191. Each figure applies that shop type's hourly labor rate (market estimates, shown above) to the calculator's own hours and parts assumptions. It is modeled, not a quote.
Check a quote against these ranges
This sets your number beside published ranges and owner-written bills. It is not a verdict: ask the shop what the quote includes (parts grade, labor hours, fees, tax). It runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
How serious did it get for owners?
2% of the 703 complaints report a tow, the most common serious outcome; the other outcomes counted below are rarer, and an owner can file without mentioning one.
What it shows: Towed is the largest at 14, followed by Fire reported at 10; the smallest shown is Crash reported at 3.
Counts below are complaints filed with NHTSA, not failure rates: a longer bar means more owners reported it.
Is your car affected?
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is 3-5 years (50%). The biggest difference from all complaints is under 3 years old: 23% against 40%.
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
703 owner complaints name this part.
What it shows: Coolant or fluid leak is the largest at 31%, followed by Recall mentioned at 25%; the smallest shown is Smoke or burning smell at 3%.
What do owners say it led to?
Among the 703 owner complaints naming this part, owners most often say loss of power followed.
What owners say happened after the problem. Loss of power: 6 complaints (1%); Engine damage: 5 complaints (1%).
How fast were owners driving when it happened?
55 mph or faster is the largest group at 37%, out of 167 complaints.
Owners reported it most often at highway speed. Tell the shop what speed it happens at, because that narrows the diagnosis.
Which model years show up most in the complaints?
2016 is the most common model year in 703 complaints naming this part (22%); 3 model years account for 56%.
What it shows: 2016 is the largest at 157 (22%); the smallest shown is 2025 at 13 (2%).
When in the year do owners report it?
NHTSA owner complaints about this part run furthest above the usual seasonal share in June: about 94% more of them name an incident that month than complaints about any part would predict. A complaint is a report, not a measured failure.
What it shows: June is the largest at 17% (all: 9%), followed by January at 3% (all: 9%); the smallest shown is January at 3% (all: 9%).
Do car ac compressor replacement problems track days at 90°F or more across states?
Days at 90°F or more
Complaints against what the makes sold would predict (1.0× = expected)
left map: lower to higherright map: green fewer complaints than expected, red morefurthest from the pattern: CA, MA, MD, SC, VAfewer than 10 complaints
This describes states, not any one car, and it does not show that the left measure produces the right one.
Every state with 10 or more complaints, most over-reported first: state, days at 90°f or more, complaints against expected, complaints filed.
- CA 56 · 1.60× · 142
- AZ 116 · 1.57× · 24
- MD 30 · 1.20× · 22
- TX 105 · 1.18× · 68
- MA 10 · 1.18× · 19
- MO 36 · 1.16× · 13
- FL 91 · 1.06× · 58
- GA 64 · 1.02× · 26
- IN 17 · 1.02× · 12
- NC 38 · 1.00× · 25
- NJ 22 · 1.00× · 23
- TN 39 · 0.98× · 14
- SC 62 · 0.95× · 12
- OH 15 · 0.92× · 25
- IL 23 · 0.89× · 22
- PA 11 · 0.68× · 18
- WA 14 · 0.65× · 10
- NY 6 · 0.65× · 24
- VA 27 · 0.62× · 15
- MI 6 · 0.57× · 12
What it shows: States with more days at 90°f or more tend to sit higher on the chart across 20 states: a pattern in the data, not proof of cause.
- A moderate pattern, probably real but not certain: about 1 in 37 patterns this clear turn out to be false alarms. Weak spot: hold all-sky sunshine at the surface, kWh per square meter per day equal and the very hot days pattern disappears, so it may be mostly that factor.
What rules must a shop follow to open and refill my car's A/C?
EPA section 609 requires anyone who services a car air conditioner for payment to hold EPA certification and use approved recovery equipment, bans venting every refrigerant except carbon dioxide, and requires refrigerant to be recycled or reclaimed before reuse, whichever refrigerant the car uses.
| Topic | Federal requirement |
|---|---|
| Reusing refrigerant | Refrigerant removed from a car must be recycled or reclaimed before reuse, even when it goes back into the same car. |
| Shop filing | A shop servicing car air conditioners for the first time must certify to its EPA Regional Office that it has approved refrigerant handling equipment (a one-time filing). |
| Venting | Only carbon dioxide (R-744) may be released to the air; every other refrigerant venting is prohibited. |
| Which refrigerants | Section 609 certification is required whatever refrigerant the car uses, including R-1234yf. |
| Who may do the work | Anyone who works on a car air conditioner for payment of any kind must hold EPA section 609 certification and use approved refrigerant handling equipment. |
Has the replacement part I am buying been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 equipment recalls that name ac compressor since 2015 (visibility and equipment), covering 530 items sold as parts rather than whole vehicles; the largest, by Cummins, Inc. in 2022, covered 530.
| Year | Maker and product | NHTSA component | Defect | Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Cummins, Inc.: Pd7000 | propulsion system | certain PD7000 Electric Drivetrains containing an electric air compressor. | 530 |
What do owners who wrote down a dollar amount say they paid?
Among 42 NHTSA owner complaints about this part that name one component and one repair, the middle dollar amount an owner wrote was $1,800, with a quarter at $1,200 or less and a quarter at $2,300 or more; these are selected owner reports, not a representative price.
| Measure | Amount or count |
|---|---|
| A quarter of owners wrote this much or more | $2,300 |
| Middle amount owners wrote | $1,800 |
| A quarter of owners wrote this much or less | $1,200 |
| All complaints naming the part with any dollar amount, before the filter | 81 |
| Complaints with one component, no repeat or tow wording, and a dollar amount | 42 |
Which counties get the weather that wears this part?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Tulsa County, OK, Okmulgee County, OK and Muskogee County, OK highest for heat waves, about 26.26 events a year, against 4.53 in the median county. Heat-wave days are when an air conditioner works hardest.
| County | Heat wave events per year | Residents (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Tulsa County, OK | 26.26 | 669,277 |
| Okmulgee County, OK | 26.16 | 36,710 |
| Muskogee County, OK | 25.89 | 66,348 |
| Wagoner County, OK | 25.74 | 80,983 |
| Creek County, OK | 25.16 | 71,752 |
| Pittsburg County, OK | 24.84 | 43,773 |
| Le Flore County, OK | 24.63 | 48,130 |
| Rogers County, OK | 24.63 | 95,236 |
| Sebastian County, AR | 24.53 | 127,797 |
| Sequoyah County, OK | 24.21 | 39,289 |
| Median county (1,803 counties) | 4.53 |
If this part was recalled, is the repair free?
Federal law (49 U.S.C. 30120) requires a maker to fix a recalled defect without charge for cars first bought within 15 calendar years (tires within 5), and NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for parts matched to a car ac compressor replacement since model year 2015, covering about 150,392 vehicles.
| Rule or count | What it says |
|---|---|
| Age limits | The free-remedy duty does not apply to a car first bought more than 15 calendar years, or a tire first bought more than 5 calendar years, before the recall notice. |
| Failure to fix | A repair not done adequately within 60 days of presentation is prima facie evidence of failure to repair within a reasonable time; the maker must then replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price less depreciation. |
| Free remedy | A maker must fix a recall defect without charge. |
| NHTSA recalls matched to a car ac compressor replacement since model year 2015 | 3 recall campaigns covering about 150,392 vehicles |
Is it recalled or covered?
| Recall number | Vehicles | Cars recalled | What the recall says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15V-417 | Acura MDX 2015 | 106,439 | If a bolt was not coated, it may corrode and break as a result. |
| 21V-534 | Lincoln Aviator 2020–2021 | 33,298 | Damaged electrical wires may short-circuit, increasing the risk of a fire. |
| 19V-687 | Ford Explorer 2020 | 10,655 | The A/C pulley may rub through the wiring harness insulation and contact the unfused battery positive wire, resulting in a short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire. |
A bulletin is a repair procedure a maker sends its dealers, not a safety defect: if your maker is listed, ask the dealer whether one covers your car and quote its number.
| Maker | Vehicles | Bulletin number | Date | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda | Passport 2019–2021; Pilot 2019–2021 and 1 more | A23-050 | Jan 24, 2024 | Service Bulletin - Customers have complained that the air conditioning system is not blowing cold air due to Oil/Refrigerant leaking from the A/C compressor shaft seal. |
| GMC | Acadia 2023 | N232413380 | Jan 17, 2024 | Customer Satisfaction Program. |
| Cadillac | Lyriq 2023 | PIC6537A | Jan 17, 2024 | This Preliminary information communicates that a noise or vibration maybe heard from the A/C compressor and that Engineering is working on a resolution. |
| Audi | A7 E 2021–2022; A6 Allroad 2020–2024 and 5 more | A8723642061277_3 | Dec 13, 2023 | This bulletin provides information when the air conditioning cooling is diminished, and/or the compressor is noisy. |
| Volkswagen | Passat 2015–2024; Beetle Convertible 2015–2019 and 19 more | V871810204370421 | Nov 13, 2023 | Reporting procedure for A/C compressor replacement regardless of the reason for failure. |
| Mitsubishi | Outlander Phev 2018–2020 | TSB-23-55-006 | Oct 24, 2023 | Service Manual Revision - This Technical Service Bulletin provides revisions to the procedure for the oil refill amount of the A/C compressor section in the applicable Service Manual. |
52 more bulletins name this part; the car finder at the top checks yours, and the NHTSA bulletin file linked below lists them all.
What do owners say?
4 complaints quoted word for word, each with its NHTSA number.
So upon diagnosing the vehicle was told that the ac compressor has went out and it will be $1800.
Honda service says its an internal failure of the compressor and the entire system needs to be replaced at the cost of $5,500.
This follows the replacement of a faulty A/C compressor for $2200 a year ago when the car had around 45000 miles.
Replacing a Supermanifold ($450.37) & A/C compressor ($1273.53) +tax =$1792.
Check your car
Car AC compressor replacement costs $742–$1,802 for a standard belt-driven compressor, with parts and labor at $120 an hour. Shop type, vehicle class and whether your car uses an electric compressor move that range most.
What does a car AC compressor replacement cover?
The estimate is for a standard belt-driven compressor, installed at a shop charging $120 an hour. It includes the part and the labor to remove the old unit, fit the new one, and put the system back together.
The estimate leaves out anything the shop finds once the system is open. That usually means a new receiver drier or expansion valve, a condenser, a system flush and a fresh refrigerant charge. A shop that sees metal flakes in the oil will want to replace those parts too, because debris from the old compressor can kill the new one.
How much does car AC compressor replacement change by shop and vehicle?
Two choices move the number: who does the work and what you drive. Each row changes one setting from the default.
| Setting | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Default: standard compressor, $120/hr shop | $742–$1,802 |
| Independent shop (about $100/hr) | $671–$1,661 |
| Dealership (about $175/hr) | $937–$2,191 |
| Economy car (Civic, Corolla, Focus) | $689–$1,643 |
| SUV or truck (Tahoe, Ram 1500, 4Runner) | $809–$2,002 |
| Luxury or performance car | $809–$2,002 |
| Electric compressor (EV or hybrid) | $1,484–$3,817 |
Compressors differ in price by model, and some sit behind other parts, which adds labor hours.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- NHTSA owner complaint file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA recall file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA service bulletin file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) downloaded 2026-10-05
- NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, joined to NHTSA owner complaints downloaded 2026-10-12
- U.S. EPA: Regulatory Requirements for MVAC System Servicing (Clean Air Act section 609) data from 2025
- FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county table: annualized frequency per hazard downloaded 2025-12
- 49 U.S.C. 30120 (Remedies for defects and noncompliance), text via Cornell Legal Information Institute; NHTSA recall campaigns data from 2026
Terms: US government data, public domain.
Observed: records as filed; owner reports are unverified and are not failure rates. Derived: computed from the records; an association, not a cause. Rule: a published legal rule, not a measurement; whether it covers a given repair depends on the car and the facts.
What is our own estimate
The price range comes from our calculator's formula. Its parts prices, labor hours per job and shop-rate tiers are CalcScrape estimates, not a published price dataset. Checked against RepairPal's range ($1,081–$1,463) on 2026-10-10: our default's midpoint is 0% above the middle of that range. Price evidence grade C: one outside published range; the hours and parts prices behind the estimate are CalcScrape assumptions and have not been checked against repair invoices. Methodology