Same job at other shop types (everything else as set above): Independent shop (~$100/hr) $609–$1,876 · Chain shop / franchise (~$120/hr) $650–$2,001 (the headline above) · Dealership (~$175/hr) $767–$2,347. 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?
8% of the 870 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 70, followed by Injury reported at 28; the smallest shown is Crash 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?
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is 50,000-100,000 (45%). The biggest difference from all complaints is under 50,000: 26% against 60%.
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is 6-9 years (43%). The biggest difference from all complaints is under 3 years old: 20% against 40%.
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
870 owner complaints name this part.
What it shows: Smoke or burning smell is the largest at 46%, followed by Coolant or fluid leak at 45%; the smallest shown is Overheating at 7%.
Which trouble codes do owners report?
P0420 Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold is the largest group at 7, out of 870 complaints.
Trouble codes owners quote in complaints about this part. P0420: Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold: 7 complaints (1%).
What do owners say it led to?
Among the 870 owner complaints naming this part, owners most often say engine damage followed.
What owners say happened after the problem. Engine damage: 17 (2%); Loss of power: 13 (1%).
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 870 owner complaints naming this part, catalytic converter is named in 8% of them, more than any other part.
Owners name the catalytic converter most often in the same complaint, which is not proof that one caused the other. Ask the shop whether it checked the catalytic converter 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 43%, out of 233 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?
2017 is the most common model year in 870 complaints naming this part (20%); 3 model years account for 50%.
What it shows: 2017 is the largest at 174 (20%), followed by 2015 at 101 (12%); the smallest shown is 2025 at 5 (1%).
Which engine sizes show up most in complaints about this part?
Among 845 owner complaints about this part where the VIN identifies the vehicle, 17% involve engines of under 1.6 L, against 11% of complaints about all the parts we track.
What it shows: 1.6 to 2.0 L is the largest at 26%, followed by 3.1 to 4.0 L at 26%; the smallest shown is Over 5.0 L at 13%.
How much of a repair bill is labor and how much is parts?
In the 2017 Economic Census, exhaust system repair shops took 50.6% of their repair revenue from labor charges and 49.4% from parts installed, close to the 51.0% labor share of all auto repair shops (U.S. Census Bureau, national, 1,585 shops).
| Shop type (NAICS) | Labor charges | Parts installed | All revenue of the shop type | Establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive repair and maintenance (all shop types) | 51.0% | 49.0% | $115.3 billion | 162,185 |
| Automotive exhaust system repair | 50.6% | 49.4% | $0.6 billion | 1,585 |
| Automotive body, paint, interior, and glass repair | 50.6% | 49.4% | $43.0 billion | 41,542 |
| Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance | 50.4% | 49.6% | $54.9 billion | 92,088 |
Has the replacement part I am buying been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 equipment recalls that name exhaust pipe since 2015 (engine and vehicle speed control), covering 494 items sold as parts rather than whole vehicles; the largest, by Cummins, Inc. in 2021, covered 494.
| Year | Maker and product | NHTSA component | Defect | Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Cummins, Inc.: L9 | exhaust system. | certain L9 Diesel Engines, with part number D563027BX03. | 494 |
Has this part been recalled abroad on cars that may share it?
Manufacturers filed 7 foreign recall campaigns that name exhaust pipe with NHTSA since 2015; the latest, from Hino Motors Sales U.S.A. in 2022-07. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-12 | Mazda Motor. | 233 | In certain cases, the coolant pipe may separate from the coolant distribution body and cause coolant to leak onto the exhaust manifold, increasing the risk of a fire. |
| 2019-10 | Chrysler (FCA US) | 222 | The incorrect wiring harness is longer than the wiring harness designed for this application and interferes with the exhaust pipe, potentially resulting in thermal degradation of the wiring harness. |
| 2020-09 | Mercedes-Benz | 166 | MBAG has determined that certain MY20 C-Class vehicles (platform 205) might be equipped with an exhaust system that is not specified for the vehicle type due to incorrect documentation during production. |
| 2019-07 | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) | 139 | 573.6(c)(3) Total Number of Vehicles Potentially Affected: 95 573.6(c)(5) Defect Description: Certain vehicles were manufactured with an exhaust pipe that had one catalyzer stamp covering two catalytic converters whereas the regulatory intent was to have. |
| 2022-07 | Hino Motors Sales U.S.A. | 112 | Of Consequence(s) of Defect or Noncompliance Condition The air horn supply line may develop an air leak due to high heat exposure from the exhaust pipe and the lack of protective wrap. |
| 2018-03 | Mercedes-Benz | 060 | As a consequence, the pipes could become loose while driving which could lead to a transmission fluid leak. |
How many recalled cars are actually fixed, so should I check mine?
Across 2 NHTSA recalls that name exhaust pipe filed 2015 to 2024, 90.4% of the 4,755 recalled vehicles had been repaired after 8 quarters, against 66.2% for all recalls, which leaves about 455 vehicles still carrying the defect.
Recall completion after 8 quarters, recalls that name exhaust pipe filed 2015 to 2024: the largest campaigns. Freightliner 2020: 92.7%; Honda 2022: 60.1%.
How often does this part fail a real inspection, by car age?
In 2,102,125 New Jersey initial inspections in 2025, 14.3% of cars aged 16+ years failed the emissions test against 2.8% of cars under 3 years, about 5 times as often (record counts, not a sample).
What it shows: 16+ is the largest at 14.3%, followed by <3 at 2.8%; the smallest shown is 3-4 at 2.6%.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru | Ascent 2019–2023; Outback 2020–2023 and 2 more | 09-106-23R | Aug 24, 2023 | This bulletin announces design changes made to the Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) to address concerns of rattle-type or fluttering sounds coming from the undercarriage during acceleration caused by crackingin the EPF. |
| Chevrolet | Traverse 2018–2022 | PIP5681C | Apr 27, 2022 | This Preliminary information communicates a poor weld or low weld adhesion for the bracket on the Bank 2 front exhaust pipe causing multiple possible concerns and the recommended repairs. |
| Chevrolet | Traverse 2019 | N212356540 | Mar 23, 2022 | Special Coverage Adjustment. |
| Subaru | Forester 2017–2018 | 09-84-22 | Jan 20, 2022 | This bulletin announces design changes made to the front exhaust pipe and covers to address the small number of customer concerns regarding a rattle-type noise from the undercarriage during acceleration. |
| Porsche | Cayenne 2018 | D527 | Oct 15, 2020 | Parts withdrawal information for an exhaust pipe. |
| Subaru | Forester 2015–2018; WRX 2016–2018 | Subarunet Announ | Feb 7, 2020 | Owner notification WUK-96 DIT exhaust pipe front (EPF) nut torque service campaign/voluntary emission recall. |
21 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 (3)
| Maker | Vehicles | Date | Notice number | What the maker extended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buick | Enclave 2022; Enclave 2021; Enclave 2019 and 3 more | Jun 12, 2024 | N242445280 | Front exhaust pipe bracket separation causing hole. |
| Subaru | Forester 2017–2018 | Dec 1, 2022 | 09-84-22R | Front exhaust pipe rattle noise or fluttering from. |
What do owners say?
4 complaints quoted word for word, each with its NHTSA number.
The front exhaust pipe on my 2022 Subaru Ascent cracked at approximately 77,800 miles.
Warranty should be extended to 15 years, 150,000 miles as was done on identical part 2017-2018MY Subaru Forrester Exhaust Pipe Front (EPF) Bellows Cracking.
Shortly after I bought this truck, At about 3,000miles I thought it had an exhaust leak, I took it in to Chevy and they kept it for a few days.
Exhaust flange clamp improperly installed during manufacturing process causing exhaust leak not identified until consumer noticed after approximately 40 miles of use.
Check your car
Exhaust pipe replacement costs $650–$2,001 for a flex pipe or mid-section on a midsize car at a $120-an-hour shop. The section you replace moves that number most, then the vehicle and the shop.
What does exhaust pipe replacement cost, and what does it leave out?
The estimate is for one section, a flex pipe or mid-section, on a midsize or standard vehicle. It includes the part and the labor at $120 an hour.
It leaves out taxes, new gaskets and hangers beyond what the job needs, oxygen sensors, and any rusted bolts that have to be cut free. It also leaves out a catalytic converter or muffler. If the quote lists either one, you're pricing a bigger repair than this one.
How much does each choice change the exhaust pipe replacement price?
Three choices move the number: which section, which vehicle, and which shop. Each row changes one setting from the default.
| Setting | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Default: flex pipe or mid-section, midsize car, $120/hr shop | $650–$2,001 |
| Independent shop (about $100/hr) | $609–$1,876 |
| Dealership (about $175/hr) | $767–$2,347 |
| Economy car (Civic, Corolla, Focus) | $584–$1,792 |
| SUV or truck (Tahoe, Ram 1500, 4Runner) | $750–$2,313 |
| Luxury or performance (BMW, Mercedes, Corvette) | $750–$2,313 |
| Cat-back system | $1,500–$5,252 |
| Full exhaust system | $3,001–$9,503 |
A quote near the bottom of a row usually means an aftermarket pipe. One near the top usually means a dealer part.
Frequently asked questions
Can you drive with a leaking exhaust pipe?
Short term, a small leak behind the cabin is usually survivable, but fumes that reach the cabin are a safety problem. Get fumes or a leak under the seats checked right away.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- NHTSA owner complaint file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) 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
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 Economic Census, Other Services, revenue from labor charges and parts installed (EC1781LABOR) downloaded 2017 data, published 2021
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall flat file (equipment recalls, report type E) downloaded 2026-10-05
- 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
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Vehicle Inspection Data downloaded 2026-10
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.
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 ($1,297–$1,354) 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