What does this cost in your state?
California is the costliest state and Arkansas the cheapest; each square shows that state's midpoint of the estimate.
Lower-cost states ($2,009)MiddleHigher-cost states ($2,559)
What it shows: CA is the highest at $2,559 and AR the lowest at $2,009, across 51 states.
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 50,000-100,000 (48%). The biggest difference from all complaints is under 50,000: 19% against 60%.
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is 6-9 years (53%), against 23% for all complaints: the biggest difference between the two.
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
2,215 owner complaints name this part.
Use the owners' words ("warning light") when you describe the problem to a shop, and ask what test they ran.
Which trouble codes do owners report?
P0303 Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected leads at 10.
Trouble codes owners quote in complaints about this part. P0303 Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected: 10; P0016 Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation: 5; P0302 Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected: 5.
The code owners quote most is P0303. 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 2,215 owner complaints naming this part, owners most often say engine damage followed.
What owners say happened after the problem. Engine damage: 2,147 (97%); Loss of power: 88 (4%).
If your car shows the signs above, get it checked before it gets as far as engine damage.
Which other parts do owners name in the same complaint?
Among the 2,215 owner complaints naming this part, spark plug is named in 6% of them, more than any other part.
Other parts named in the same complaints. Spark plug: 139 complaints (6%); Head gasket: 106 complaints (5%).
What did owners say they paid?
Half of the 209 owners who wrote a dollar amount gave $9,000 or less; one in ten wrote more than $12,000.
These are bills owners wrote down, often covering more than this one repair. They show how far a job can run; get written quotes for your own car.
How fast were owners driving when it happened?
55 mph or faster leads at 52%.
Owners reported it most often at highway speed. Tell the shop what speed it happens at, because that narrows the diagnosis.
How serious did it get for owners?
Among the 2,215 owner complaints naming this part, being towed is the outcome owners report most often.
What it shows: Towed is the largest at 111, followed by Fire reported at 15; the smallest shown is Crash reported at 7.
Which model years show up most in the complaints?
Among the 2,215 owner complaints naming this part that state a model year, complaints cluster in a few model years instead of spreading evenly.
What it shows: 2017 is the largest at 462 (21%), followed by 2015 at 189 (9%); the smallest shown is 2025 at 30 (1%).
Are cars still worth repairing at this age?
The average light vehicle on U.S. roads is 12.8 years old in 2025, up from 8.4 years in 1995, and the average passenger car is 14.5 years old.
What it shows: 2025 is the largest at 12.8 years, followed by 1995 at 8.4 years; the smallest shown is 1995 at 8.4 years.
Do engine overhaul problems track spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident across states?
Across U.S. states, NHTSA owner complaints about engine overhaul run higher where spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident is higher, after adjusting for the makes sold in each state. This is an association across states, not proof that spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident causes this repair.
How to read it: Each dot is a state. Further right means more spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident (dollars); higher up means more complaints for this repair than expected (1.0 is average). If the dots climb to the right, reports of this repair rise with spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident (dollars).
What it shows: States with more spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident (dollars) tend to sit higher on the chart across 39 states: a pattern in the data, not proof of cause.
- The 10 states with the most spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident (New Hampshire, Colorado, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Missouri, California, Utah, Maryland): reports of this repair run 12% above what the makes sold there would predict, and 6 of 10 are above expected. The 10 with the least (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, Florida, New York, Ohio, South Carolina): 16% below, and 2 of 10 are above expected.
- Exceptions: New Hampshire, Massachusetts and California are among the highest in spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident but report below expected.
- Split the states into thirds: the third with the least spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident runs 10% below what the makes sold there would predict, the middle third 13% above, and the third with the most 13% above. Most of the spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident effect sits between the lowest and the middle third.
- For spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident, after allowing for the 1562 comparisons we ran, luck alone would produce a pattern this strong about 1 time in 17. Take out any single state and the spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident pattern still holds.
- Weak spot: compare only states with similar freezing days and the pattern keeps about 40% of its strength, so part of it may come from freezing days instead of spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident.
- For spending on vehicle maintenance and repair per resident, of the 5 exception states, 0 read the same way for the other parts of the system (so that is the system there, not this repair) and 5 are specific to this repair.
Residents who spend more on vehicle repair are fixing more or paying more per fix, which changes how many repair problems are reported.
Are the parts for this repair getting more expensive, or only the labor?
The federal producer price index for new gasoline engines and engine parts rose 13.7% from December 2019 to August 2026, while the consumer price index for motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together, rose 55.2% (BLS, national).
What it shows: Motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together is the largest at +55.2%, followed by New gasoline engines and engine parts at +13.7%; the smallest shown is New gasoline engines and engine parts at +13.7%.
How common is a bill this size for a household?
30% of U.S. adults had a major vehicle repair or replacement in the 12 months before the Federal Reserve's 2025 survey, the most common unexpected expense, with a median cost of $1,000 to $1,999 among those who knew the amount.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Adults with a major vehicle repair or replacement | 30% |
| Adults with any major unexpected expense | 59% |
| Any major unexpected expense, family income $100,000 or more | 62% |
| Any major unexpected expense, family income $25,000 to $49,999 | 61% |
| Any major unexpected expense, family income $50,000 to $99,999 | 62% |
| Any major unexpected expense, family income under $25,000 | 47% |
| Usual amount paid for a major vehicle expense (median) | $1,000 to $1,999 |
Is shop labor getting more expensive, and are shops short of workers?
Wages of private-industry installation, maintenance and repair workers rose 31.3% from late 2019 to 2026 quarter 2, against 29.3% for all private workers, and 2.3 of every 100 employees in other services, the sector holding repair shops, quit each month against 1.9 across all jobs (BLS, national).
| Measure | Repair workers (pay) and other services (turnover) | All private workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hires a month per 100 employees (12-month average) | 3.6 | 3.3 |
| Job openings per 100 jobs (12-month average) | 4.4 | 4.3 |
| Quits a month per 100 employees (12-month average) | 2.3 | 1.9 |
| Total pay and benefits, change over the last 12 months | +3.6% | +3.3% |
| Wages and salaries, change over the last 12 months | +3.7% | +3.1% |
| Wages and salaries, change since the fourth quarter of 2019 | +31.3% | +29.3% |
How often do owners actually win a lemon-law case?
In Connecticut's 2025 lemon-law program, 113 of 141 arbitration hearings (80%) ended in a refund or replacement vehicle, while Texas ordered 14 repurchases or replacements after hearings among 576 complaints filed in fiscal 2020; these are program totals for all vehicles and defects, not for engine overhaul.
| Program and year | Cases | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut decisions on Ford (since 2018) | 35 of 357 | a make from this page's top owner complaints; the file lists the case, not the outcome |
| Connecticut decisions on Gmc (since 2018) | 5 of 357 | a make from this page's top owner complaints; the file lists the case, not the outcome |
| Connecticut, 2025 | 141 hearings | 113 refund or replacement (80%), 15 cash and keep, 13 no action |
| New York, 1998 | all cases | consumers prevailed in 68% of new-car cases and 63% of used-car disputes (awards and settlements combined) |
| Texas, fiscal 2020 | 576 complaints filed | 302 settled before a decision; 14 vehicles ordered repurchased or replaced after hearings (78 post-hearing orders) |
Did a maker pay a penalty for recalling a failing engine too late?
NHTSA's consent orders put a combined $210 million penalty on Hyundai ($140 million) and Kia ($70 million) for untimely recalls of over 1,600,000 vehicles with Theta II engines and for inaccurate reporting to NHTSA.
NHTSA consent orders over late Theta II engine recalls: penalties by maker, in millions of dollars. Hyundai: $140M; Kia: $70M.
Has the maker published a fix?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KIA | Sorento 2025 | SC353_TSB | Nov 11, 2025 | Technical service bulletin: Voluntary service campaign: Engine replacement for coolant leak (SC353) - This bulletin provides information to address an engine coolant leak concern on certain 2025MY Sorento (MQ4a) vehicles equipped with a 2.5L Theta III T-GDI. |
| Maserati | Granturismo 2015–2025; Levante 2015–2024 and 13 more | MAS004490 MTB 24-30 | Dec 12, 2024 | His Technical bulletin serves as a guideline and outlines requirements when considering a possible engine replacement on Maserati vehicles. |
| KIA | Forte 2017–2018 | PI2106YZ_TSB_R1 | Nov 8, 2024 | Technical service bulletin: Product improvement campaign: Subsequent repair action: Engine replacement instructions for dtc P1326 (PI2106Y/Z) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. |
| KIA | Soul 2017–2019 | PI2107YZ_TSB_R1 | Nov 8, 2024 | Technical service bulletin: Product improvement campaign: Subsequent repair action: Engine replacement instructions for dtc P1326 (PI2107Y/Z) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. |
| KIA | Optima Hybrid 2019–2020; Optima Phev 2019–2020 | PI2108YZ_TSB_R1 | Nov 8, 2024 | Technical service bulletin: Product improvement campaign: Subsequent repair action: Engine replacement instructions for dtc P1326 (PI2108Y/Z) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. |
| KIA | Soul 2015–2016; Forte 2015 | PI2002YZ_TSB_R3 | Nov 7, 2024 | Technical service bulletin: Product improvement campaign: Engine replacement instructions for dtc P1326 (PI2002Y/Z) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. |
42 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.
No prior warning of engine failure until the engine failed.Kia warranty refuses to cover cost of $8000 engine replacement because I didn’t keep receipts proving the oil was changed in a timely manner.
If you don’t catch this issue in time and the engine fails that same $14.00 part will cost you $6100 for an engine replacement.
Honda Dealership (First Texas Honda Austin ) is quoting around $10000 for a new engine replacement for 3 - 4 grand for an older engine of similar miles.
Dealer responded by text to owner, new engine replacement, at the cost of $7000; used engine with 91,000 miles at $5000.
Check your car
Our calculator's default estimate is $1,552–$3,072. That is a top-end rebuild on a midsize car at a chain or franchise shop. How deep the shop goes into the engine moves the price far more than the car or the shop does, so a full rebuild lands in a different range altogether.
What does an engine overhaul price cover?
The estimate has two lines: parts and labor. Parts are the gaskets, seals, bearings, rings or whole assemblies that the chosen job needs. Labor is the shop's hours at its hourly rate, which is why a dealership and an independent shop quote different totals for the same work.
An overhaul is not one job. A top-end rebuild works on the cylinder head and the parts above the pistons. A short block rebuild goes into the pistons, rings and bearings.
A full rebuild does both. Replacing the engine with a remanufactured one swaps the whole unit instead. Each is a separate row in the calculator, so name the job you were quoted before you compare prices.
How much does the price change by job, car and shop?
The job type moves the total most. These are the calculator's ranges by setting.
| Setting | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Default: top-end rebuild, midsize car, chain shop | $1,552–$3,072 |
| Short block rebuild | $2,528–$4,808 |
| Full engine rebuild | $3,900–$6,900 |
| Remanufactured engine installed | $5,652–$9,372 |
| Economy car | $1,472–$2,832 |
| SUV or truck | $1,672–$3,432 |
| Luxury or performance car | $1,832–$3,912 |
| Independent shop | $1,360–$2,760 |
| Dealership | $2,080–$3,930 |
The car and shop rows change one setting at a time and keep the default top-end rebuild. Notice that in the calculator a remanufactured engine costs more than a full rebuild, because it is a whole unit installed. If a shop quotes one, ask whether it is new, rebuilt or remanufactured and what the warranty covers.
How do I know a rebuild is the right fix?
Some engine symptoms come from smaller faults: a misfire from a worn part, a leak from a gasket, a noise from something bolted to the engine. Fixing the small part is far cheaper than a rebuild.
Ask the shop what it measured and what it found. Ask whether the fault could sit in a part outside the engine block. Ask what happens if you approve only the smallest repair that stops the problem, and what the shop will not promise if you choose it. A shop that cannot say which test points to the engine has not earned a rebuild-sized bill.
How do I get a fair quote?
Get at least two written quotes for the same named job on the same car. Give each shop your year, make and model and the engine size.
Ask for parts and labor as separate lines. Ask whether the parts are new, used or remanufactured, and who covers the warranty if the engine fails again. Compare the warranty terms as carefully as the price.
What does the estimate leave out?
It is a range for a typical car, not a quote for yours. It does not include taxes, shop fees, towing, a diagnostic fee, or other worn parts the shop finds once the engine is open.
If a quote lands well above the range for the job it names, ask what is being added before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
Is rebuilding an engine cheaper than replacing it?
It depends on the job. In the calculator a full rebuild is cheaper than a remanufactured engine installed, and a top-end rebuild is cheaper still.
Does the type of car change the price?
Yes, but less than the job does. Economy cars sit at the low end of the calculator and luxury or performance cars at the high end.
Can I get a better price at an independent shop?
Usually, because its labor rate is lower. The calculator's independent shop row is lower than the dealership row for the same job.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- NHTSA owner complaint file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA service bulletin file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- CalcScrape calculator model scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities data from 2024
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 1-26a: Average Age of Automobiles and Trucks in Operation in the United States data from 2025
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates file downloaded May 2024
- BEA Personal Consumption Expenditures by State 2024, motor vehicle maintenance and repair, joined to NHTSA owner complaints file downloaded 2026-10-06
- BLS Producer Price Index, commodity data for motor vehicle parts (series WPU14120501); BLS Consumer Price Index item SETD for the repair row file downloaded August 2026
- Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (SHED), tables 23 and 24, figure 23 file downloaded 2026 report on 2025 survey
- BLS Employment Cost Index (installation, maintenance and repair occupations, private industry) and Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (other services, NAICS 81) file downloaded 2026 Q02
- Connecticut DCP Lemon Law annual report (2025), data.ct.gov Lemon Law Arbitration Decisions, Texas DMV Lemon Law Annual Report FY2020, New York Attorney General (1999 release on 1998 results) data from 2026
- NHTSA press release: NHTSA Announces Consent Orders with Hyundai and Kia Over Theta II Recall file downloaded 2026-10-05
Terms: US government data, public domain; Federal Reserve Board data, cite the source.
Observed: records as filed; owner reports are unverified and are not failure rates. Modeled: our estimate, not a quote. Derived: computed from the records; an association, not a cause. Reported: figures as reported by the publisher, not independently verified.
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. Not independently checked: no established price guide publishes a general range for this exact job (looked 2026-10-06), so the default has no outside comparison. Methodology