Same job at other shop types (everything else as set above): Independent shop (~$100/hr) $681–$1,524 · Chain shop / franchise (~$120/hr) $717–$1,596 (the headline above) · Dealership (~$175/hr) $816–$1,793. 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?
7% of the 826 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 58, followed by Injury reported at 17; the smallest shown is Death reported at 2.
Counts below are complaints filed with NHTSA, not failure rates: a longer bar means more owners reported it.
Is your car affected?
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
826 owner complaints name this part.
Owners most often describe "warning light", in 42% of these complaints.
Which trouble codes do owners report?
P0300 Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected is the largest group at 31, out of 826 complaints.
The code owners quote most is P0300. Read your own code from a scan and give the shop the exact code, not only "the light is on".
What do owners say it led to?
Among the 826 owner complaints naming this part, owners most often say loss of power followed.
What owners say happened after the problem. Loss of power: 44 (5%); Engine damage: 32 (4%); Stalled while driving: 6 (1%).
If your car shows the signs above, get it checked before it gets as far as loss of power.
Which other parts do owners name in the same complaint?
Among the 826 owner complaints naming this part, fuel injector is named in 4% of them, more than any other part.
Other parts named in the same complaints. Fuel injector: 4%; Catalytic converter: 3%.
Owners name the fuel injector most often in the same complaint, which is not proof that one caused the other. Ask the shop whether it checked the fuel injector too, so you are not quoted twice for one visit.
How fast were owners driving when it happened?
55 mph or faster is the largest group at 34%, out of 396 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?
2018 is the most common model year in 826 complaints naming this part (18%); 4 model years account for 60%.
What it shows: 2018 is the largest at 145 (18%), followed by 2015 at 121 (15%); the smallest shown is 2025 at 13 (2%).
Which engine sizes show up most in complaints about this part?
Among 814 owner complaints about this part where the VIN identifies the vehicle, 19% involve engines of under 1.6 L, against 11% of complaints about all the parts we track.
What it shows: 2.1 to 3.0 L is the largest at 29%, followed by 1.6 to 2.0 L at 19%; the smallest shown is 4.1 to 5.0 L at 3%.
Do engine control module replacement problems track registered cars and trucks per resident across states?
Registered cars and trucks per resident
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: IL, LA, MA, MI, NH, NV, VA, WAfewer 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, registered cars and trucks per resident, complaints against expected, complaints filed.
- NH 1 · 2.40× · 11
- LA 1 · 1.70× · 19
- IA 1 · 1.56× · 10
- SC 1 · 1.53× · 23
- OR 1 · 1.52× · 13
- MO 1 · 1.43× · 23
- NV 1 · 1.43× · 11
- IL 1 · 1.34× · 39
- CO 1 · 1.31× · 20
- NC 1 · 1.19× · 34
- TX 1 · 1.16× · 86
- AL 1 · 1.15× · 15
- FL 1 · 1.09× · 71
- KY 1 · 1.08× · 12
- WI 1 · 0.98× · 14
- MD 1 · 0.98× · 19
- GA 1 · 0.97× · 30
- IN 1 · 0.96× · 15
- PA 1 · 0.94× · 30
- TN 1 · 0.93× · 17
- OH 1 · 0.90× · 29
- CA 1 · 0.90× · 75
- MI 1 · 0.89× · 28
- AZ 1 · 0.89× · 17
- NJ 1 · 0.89× · 20
- VA 1 · 0.83× · 22
- NY 0 · 0.72× · 28
- WA 1 · 0.67× · 12
- MA 1 · 0.61× · 10
What it shows: States with more registered cars and trucks per resident tend to sit higher on the chart across 29 states: a pattern in the data, not proof of cause.
- A moderate pattern, probably real but not certain: about 1 in 6 patterns this clear turn out to be false alarms. Weak spot: hold vehicle miles driven per lane-mile of public road equal and only 25% of the registered cars and trucks per resident pattern remains, so part of it may be that factor.
Has the replacement part I am buying been recalled?
NHTSA lists 3 equipment recalls coded to this part since 2015 (engine and vehicle speed control), covering 20,509 items sold as parts rather than whole vehicles; the largest, by Cummins, Inc. in 2022, covered 12,196.
| Year | Maker and product | NHTSA component | Defect | Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Cummins, Inc.: L9, X12 | engine engine control module. | certain X15, X12, L9, and B6.7 diesel engines. | 12,196 |
| 2022 | Power Solutions International, Inc.: Obd Hd Engines | engine engine control module. | Power Solutions International, Inc. (PSI)has submitted a Defect Information Report based upon recall. | 8,046 |
| 2021 | Cummins, Inc.: B6.7n | engine engine control module. | certain Cummins Westport Inc. B6.7N natural gas engines (part number D1H3001BX03) equipped with certain. | 267 |
Has this part been recalled abroad on cars that may share it?
Manufacturers filed 44 foreign recall campaigns that name engine control with NHTSA since 2015; the latest, from Chrysler (FCA US in 2025-10. These are recalls abroad, and they apply to U.S. cars only if the same model is sold here.
| Filed | Manufacturer | Foreign recall no. | What the filing says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | General Motors | 264 | The fuel pump power control modules in these vehicles may exhibit a condition that can cause the fuel pump to fail or operate intermittently if exposed to excess moisture. |
| 2023-10 | General Motors | 209 | The fuel pump power control modules in these vehicles may contain a condition that can cause the fuel pump to fail or operate intermittently if exposed to excess moisture. |
| 2024-07 | Mazda Motor. | 176 | That contain the subject condition: Approximately 0.02% Description of the Defect: On certain MHEV vehicles equipped with 3.3-liter diesel engines, the transmission control module (TCM) software programming may lead to improper clutch control or disengagement. |
| 2025-10 | Chrysler (FCA US) | 158 | May have been built Engine Control Module ("ECM") software that malfunctions due to the upstream oxygen sensor's internal fault. |
| 2024-05 | Mazda Motor. | 108 | Equipped vehicles, inappropriate clutch engagement/disengagement during deceleration (15 kph or under) may lead to a decrease in engine revolutions and cause an engine stall to occur. |
| 2024-05 | Mazda Motor. | 107 | Of the affected vehicles that contain the subject condition: Approximately 0.002% Description of the Defect: The engine control module may contain improper learning conditions for fuel vapor concentrations. |
How many recalled cars are actually fixed, so should I check mine?
Across 14 NHTSA recalls coded to this part filed 2015 to 2024, 88.3% of the 188,931 recalled vehicles had been repaired after 8 quarters, against 66.2% for all recalls, which leaves about 22,017 vehicles still carrying the defect.
| Year | Vehicles | Recalled vehicles | Repaired | Component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Bmw X6, 740xi | 105,588 | 87.1% | engine engine control module. |
| 2022 | Volvo S90, Xc90 | 15,674 | 100.0% | engine engine control module. |
| 2021 | Infiniti Q50, Q60 | 12,943 | 95.8% | engine engine control module. |
| 2021 | Porsche Taycan | 10,373 | 90.6% | engine engine control module. |
| 2021 | Mercedes-Benz S 580 | 8,669 | 96.8% | engine engine control module. |
| 2021 | Toyota Prius Prime, Prius | 8,411 | 96.7% | engine engine control module. |
| 2021 | Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, Murano Hybrid; | 7,634 | 63.6% | engine engine control module. |
| 2021 | Nissan Rogue | 5,905 | 72.7% | engine engine control module. |
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 19 recall campaigns for parts matched to a engine control module replacement since model year 2015, covering about 1,045,795 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 engine control module replacement since model year 2015 | 19 recall campaigns covering about 1,045,795 vehicles |
Can an independent shop get the same diagnostic data as the dealer?
Massachusetts requires car makers to sell owners and independent shops the same diagnostic and repair information they give dealers for model year 2002 and later, Maine added a standardized owner-authorized data platform from January 5, 2025, and the FTC reported to Congress in 2021 on how repair restrictions raise costs and limit choice.
| Where | Rule or report | What it requires or found |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | FTC report to Congress, May 2021 | Congress directed the FTC to examine how car and phone makers may limit repairs by consumers and repair shops and how those limits increase costs and limit choice. |
| Maine | 29-A M.R.S.A. 1810 (in force January 2025) | Since January 5, 2025, makers of vehicles with telematics sold in Maine must provide a standardized, owner-authorized access platform; owners can let an independent shop read the vehicle mechanical data. |
| Massachusetts | M.G.L. c.93K s.2 | Car makers selling in Massachusetts must sell owners and independent shops the same diagnostic and repair information they give their dealers (model year 2002 and later). |
| NCSL 2023 session list | Automotive right-to-repair bills | NCSL lists two Maine automotive right-to-repair measures in its 2023 session summary (H 1227 and IB 3), shown as pending. |
Is it recalled or covered?
| Recall number | Vehicles | Cars recalled | What the recall says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V-264 | Subaru Crosstrek 2018–2019; Subaru Impreza 2017–2019 | 466,205 | A short circuit in the ignition coils may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 26V-081 | Nissan Rogue 2024–2025 | 318,782 | Broken throttle body gears can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 24V-576 | BMW X6 2020; BMW 740xi 2020–2021; BMW 840xi 2020 and 5 more | 105,588 | A starter motor that overheats can ignite nearby combustible material in the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire. |
| 24V-815 | Mazda CX-90 2024; Mazda CX-70 2025 | 31,488 | Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. |
| 24V-704 | Mercedes-Benz S 580 2021–2023 | 27,190 | An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. |
| 22V-793 | Volvo S90 2022–2023; Volvo XC90 2022–2023; Volvo XC60 2022–2023 and 2 more | 15,674 | The vehicle may lose drive power as the high voltage battery is depleted, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 25V-508 | Nissan Frontier 2025 | 13,719 | Daytime running lights that dim unexpectedly may cause confusion to other vehicles or pedestrians, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 21V-234 | Infiniti Q50 2021; Infiniti Q60 2021 | 12,943 | A lack of fuel may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. |
11 more recalls name this part, on smaller fleets. The car finder at the top checks yours.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai | Tucson 2016–2021 | 26-EM-014H TSB | Sep 16, 2026 | Some Tucson (TL) vehicles equipped with a 2.0L engine may exhibit a continued DTC P132600 after an ECM logic update has been performed per TSB 24-01-068H, Engine Monitoring Logic (Service Campaign 966). |
| Subaru | Ascent 2019–2022 | 09-98-22R | Aug 31, 2026 | This bulletin announces the availability of new reprograming files for the Engine Control Module (ECM) developed to remedy the following DTCs: P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0014, P0024, P0128, P2109. |
| RAM | 1500 2025 | 18-077-26 | Aug 19, 2026 | Flash: Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination and the vehicle may SYMPTOM: Exhibit/set the following Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC): P0300 - Multiple Cylinder Misfire. |
| KIA | Stinger 2022–2023 | SC369_TSB | Jul 24, 2026 | Technical service bulletin: Voluntary emissions service campaign: THETA III 2.5L t-gdi ecm software logic improvement (SC369) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the engine control module (ECM) software to improve combustion stability. |
| Jeep | Grand Wagoneer 2026 | 18-074-26 | Jul 24, 2026 | Flash: Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination and the vehicle must SYMPTOM: Exhibit/set one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): P2AF6-00 - Starter Relay 3 Stuck. |
| RAM | 1500 2026 | 18-075-26 | Jul 24, 2026 | Flash: Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination and the vehicle must SYMPTOM: Exhibit/set one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): **P0111-00 - Intake Air. |
53 more bulletins name this part; the car finder at the top checks yours, and the NHTSA bulletin file linked below lists them all.
Manufacturer warranty extensions naming this part (6)
| Maker | Vehicles | Date | Notice number | What the maker extended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen | Atlas 2020–2021; Atlas Cross Sport 2020–2021 | Jan 4, 2024 | VWP-23 | Engine control module software update. |
| Hyundai | Sonata 2015–2019 | Jul 1, 2023 | 23-FL-004H | Fuel pump filter assembly failure causing reduced power or no-start. |
| Nissan | Altima 2010–2012 | Apr 9, 2020 | R1720 2010-12 Al | Front exhaust tube emissions warranty with DTC. |
| Honda | Accord Hybrid 2006–2007 | Jul 16, 2018 | A18-022 | Catalytic converter efficiency fault causing MIL illumination with DTC P0420. |
| Ford | Escape 2011–2014; F-250 SD 2011–2014; F-350 SD 2011–2014 and 3 more | Feb 6, 2015 | CSP-14N02 | ABS speed signal communication loss disabling OBDII monitors requiring PCM. |
1 more extension notices name this part: Lincoln. Ask the dealer whether one covers your car.
What do owners say?
4 complaints quoted word for word, each with its NHTSA number.
Dealer reflashed ECM and used a borescope, claiming a metal piece on a piston was "unrelated to the recall." They refused to inspect the bearings per protocol and demanded $8,000 for repair without a diagnostic breakdown.
I had to pay over $2000 to have the fuel pump replaced, ECM reprogrammed.
The Subaru dealer then suggested the problem might be the ECM and they charged us $203 for a software update.
Dealer confirmation: The problem has been diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized Ford dealer, who quoted approximately $2,800 for repair (torque converter replacement and PCM reprogram).
Check your car
Engine control module replacement cost comes to $717–$1,596 in our calculator for a midsize or import car with a new aftermarket module at a $120-an-hour shop. That's our estimate, not a quote.
How much is the typical engine control module replacement cost?
Our calculator's default lands at $717–$1,596 (new aftermarket ECM, midsize/import, $120/hr shop). Change one setting at a time and the range moves like this:
| What you change | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Economy car (Civic, Corolla, Focus) | $574–$1,327 |
| SUV / truck (Tahoe, Ram 1500, 4Runner) | $843–$1,865 |
| Luxury / performance (BMW, Mercedes, Corvette) | $1,112–$2,044 |
| Remanufactured / rebuilt module | $574–$1,327 |
| OEM / dealer original module | $1,381–$2,582 |
| Independent shop (~$100/hr) | $681–$1,524 |
| Dealership (~$175/hr) | $816–$1,793 |
| Dealer/shop flash needed | $914–$2,080 |
Part grade moves engine control module replacement cost the most. Shop type matters less: the dealership-to-independent gap is about $75 at the low end and $150 at the high end.
The programming line is the one people miss. A replacement module usually has to be matched to your car, and that flash is a real line on the ticket. Ask whether it's included. If a quote lists a module and labor but no programming, ask who does it and what it costs.
Technician pay drives the hourly rate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes what the job involves and pays, and that labor side is why the same module costs more in a high-rate city.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average engine control module replacement cost?
Most cars run $717–$1,596 in our estimate, for a new aftermarket module at a $120/hr shop.
Is ECM replacement worth it?
Sometimes. If the module has failed a proper test and the car stalls, yes.
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
- NHTSA owner complaint files with VINs decoded by NHTSA vPIC data from 2025
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2023 Table MV-1 with Census 2023 population, joined to NHTSA owner complaints downloaded 2026-10-12
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, Foreign Campaigns (filings under 49 CFR 579.11, public API) downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall quarterly reports (basis of the Annual List of Recall Completion Rates) downloaded 2026-10-05
- 49 U.S.C. 30120 (Remedies for defects and noncompliance), text via Cornell Legal Information Institute; NHTSA recall campaigns data from 2026
- Massachusetts General Laws c.93K s.2; Maine Secretary of State right-to-repair notice (29-A MRSA 1810); FTC report to Congress "Nixing the Fix" (May 2021 release); NCSL Right to Repair 2023 Legislation data from 2025
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.
Other sources
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 ($1,122–$1,192) on 2026-10-10: our default's midpoint is 0% below 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