Same job at other shop types (everything else as set above): Independent $831–$1,480 · Chain shop $900–$1,591 (the headline above) · Dealer $1,058–$1,843. 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?
3% of the 586 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 18, followed by Injury reported at 16; the smallest shown is Fire 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 3-5 years (47%), against 35% for all complaints: the biggest difference between the two.
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
586 owner complaints name this part.
Owners most often describe "noise", in 33% of these complaints.
Which other parts do owners name in the same complaint?
Among the 586 owner complaints naming this part, control arm is named in 9% of them, more than any other part.
Owners name the control arm most often in the same complaint, which is not proof that one caused the other. Ask the shop whether it checked the control arm too, so you are not quoted twice for one visit.
How fast were owners driving when it happened?
5-24 mph is the largest group at 30%, out of 239 complaints.
Owners reported it most often in parking lots and slow traffic. Tell the shop what speed it happens at, because that narrows the diagnosis.
Which model years show up most in the complaints?
2015 is the most common model year in 586 complaints naming this part (22%); 4 model years account for 56%.
What it shows: 2015 is the largest at 130 (22%), followed by 2016 at 66 (11%); the smallest shown is 2025 at 14 (2%).
When in the year do owners report it?
NHTSA owner complaints about this part run furthest above the usual seasonal share in April: about 44% 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: April is the largest at 11% (all: 8%), followed by January at 10% (all: 9%); the smallest shown is November at 6% (all: 7%).
Are the parts for this repair getting more expensive, or only the labor?
The federal producer price index for new steering and suspension parts rose 10.9% from December 2019 to August 2026, while the consumer price index for motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together, rose 55.2% (BLS, national).
Prices of new steering and suspension parts, as shops buy them from makers, since December 2019, against consumer prices for motor vehicle repair. New steering and suspension parts: +10.9%; All motor vehicle parts: +17.4%; Motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together: +55.2%.
Has the replacement part I am buying been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 equipment recalls that name strut since 2015 (suspension and steering), covering 584 items sold as parts rather than whole vehicles; the largest, by Tenneco Automotive in 2020, covered 584.
| Year | Maker and product | NHTSA component | Defect | Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Tenneco Automotive: 911 Carrera, 911 Turbo | front macpherson strut | certain Front Struts, part number POS 5N20. These struts were sold as part of Ohlins strut kits part number. | 584 |
Has this part been recalled abroad on cars that may share it?
Manufacturers filed 9 foreign recall campaigns that name strut with NHTSA since 2015; the latest, from Mercedes-Benz USA in 2024-04. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09 | Daimler Coaches | 177 | Number of Vehicles Potentially Affected: 573.6(c)(5) Defect Description: Due to an assembly fault, the bolted connection on the fuel tank struts could loosen and thus the fuel tank could become offset. |
| 2019-08 | Mercedes-Benz | 166 | Therefore, the wheel carrier might have inclusions and/or cracks in the area of the camber strut connection. |
| 2018-09 | Mercedes-Benz | 163 | This might lead to chafing of the wiring harness at a brace strut while driving. |
| 2019-05 | BMW of | 108 | Over time, vehicle vibration may lead to a crack in the clamp PO Box 1227 which secures the strut within the bearing. |
| 2024-04 | Mercedes-Benz | 085 | In the event of a crash, the positive battery post could contact a reinforcement strut in the engine compartment during the collision. |
How many recalled cars are actually fixed, so should I check mine?
Across 4 NHTSA recalls that name strut filed 2015 to 2024, 85.4% of the 15,678 recalled vehicles had been repaired after 8 quarters, against 66.2% for all recalls, which leaves about 2,295 vehicles still carrying the defect.
| Year | Vehicles | Recalled vehicles | Repaired | Component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Atlas | 10,303 | 96.6% | steering |
| 2022 | Bmw K 1600 Gtl, K 1600 Gt | 5,063 | 61.9% | rear |
| 2024 | Bmw K 1600 Gtl, K 1600 Gt | 191 | 99.5% | front |
| 2024 | Ford Explorer | 121 | 87.5% | front macpherson strut |
Which counties have the roughest roads?
FHWA's road-condition records show poor ride quality (above 170 inches per mile of roughness) on 89.1% of measured road miles in District of Columbia, DC, 74.1% in Baltimore city, MD and 65.4% in Marion County, WV, against 13.8% in the median county.
What it shows: District of Columbia, DC is the largest at 89.1%, followed by Baltimore city, MD at 74.1%; the smallest shown is New Castle County, DE at 51.9%.
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 11 recall campaigns for parts matched to a strut replacement since model year 2015, covering about 3,986 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 strut replacement since model year 2015 | 11 recall campaigns covering about 3,986 vehicles |
How often does this part fail a real inspection, by car age?
In 181,687 New Jersey initial inspections in 2025 of vehicles sent through the safety lane, 1.0% of cars aged 16+ years failed the steering and suspension test against 0.0% of cars under 3 years (record counts, not a sample).
What it shows: 16+ is the largest at 1.0%, followed by <3 at 0.0%; the smallest shown is <3 at 0.0%.
Is it recalled or covered?
| Recall number | Vehicles | Cars recalled | What the recall says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16V-367 | Toyota Yaris 2015 | 3,106 | A damaged strut mounting bearing may cause the strut rod to separate, causing a loss of vehicle stability and increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 25V-415 | Porsche Taycan 2025; Porsche Panamera 2026; Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid 2025 | 284 | An air suspension strut failure may cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 22V-090 | Lucid AIR 2022 | 203 | A sudden drop in ride height while driving can cause a loss of vehicle control. |
| 24V-091 | Ford Explorer 2023 | 121 | A loose or missing connection between the knuckle and strut can cause improper tire alignment, resulting in a steering pull or require increased steering effort. |
| 22V-927 | Audi E-Tron GT 2022 | 96 | An air suspension strut failure may cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 23V-437 | Volkswagen Golf R 2023; Volkswagen GTI 2023 | 59 | Loose suspension connections can cause steering instability, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 20V-329 | Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 2020; Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 2020; Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 4matic 2020 | 38 | Premature wear of the front struts and rear shock absorbers can affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 23V-849 | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 2023; Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 2023; Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 2023 | 33 | A loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash. |
3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota | BZ4X 2023–2025 | T-SB-0043-26 | Aug 5, 2026 | Some 2023 2025 model year bZ4X vehicles may exhibit a creaking noise coming from the strut mounting bearing of the front suspension when turning. |
| BMW | 750i 2015–2020; 745e 2020–2022 and 2 more | B010522 | Mar 27, 2026 | The front and rear air suspension strut assemblies limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 8 years /80,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date. |
| Jeep | Wagoneer S 2024–2026 | 9100748 | Dec 18, 2025 | Before replacing front strut assembly components for a noise issue, please inspect the front upper strut mount bushings (LT/RT) by removing the plastic push pins and inspecting the mount BUSHING under the plastic cowl plenum (screen). |
| Volkswagen | Golf 2015–2021; Taos 2022–2025 and 15 more | V4016012043146_4 | Nov 18, 2025 | What is and what is not a leaking suspension strut. |
| Jeep | Grand Cherokee 4xe 2021–2025; Cherokee 2019–2023 and 9 more | 02-002-25 REV. A | Sep 12, 2025 | Shock And Strut Diagnosis And Replacement Guidelines Leaking, noisy, or weak shocks or struts. |
| Ford | Bronco Sport 2021–2025 | TSB 25-2347 | Jul 25, 2025 | Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit a clicking, creaking, clunking, rattle, rotational noise from the front strut area when turning the steering wheel. |
50 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.
While driving at highway speed, my 2022 Porsche Cayenne S experienced an air suspension / air spring strut failure requiring a dealer repair costing approximately $4,000.
I took it to 3 different dealers and they all suggested throwing parts at it (replacing the rear subframe for $3000 or a front driver strut for $1400) telling me that they don’t know if it’d fix it or not.
They wanted to charge $3,500 to replace the module as well as $2,300 to repair both front struts.
At approximately 55,000 miles the service tech found that all four struts were leaking and required $4,500 to repair and replace.
Check your car
A front pair of standard struts with an alignment costs $900–$1,591 at a shop charging $130 an hour. The biggest swings come from the shop's hourly rate, whether you replace one strut or two, and whether the shop installs loose struts or pre-assembled quick-strut units.
What does a strut replacement price cover?
The estimate covers two standard struts on one axle, the labor to remove and refit them, and a wheel alignment afterward. Struts hold the spring and set the ride height, so taking one off changes the wheel angles. That is why the alignment is part of the price rather than an add-on.
The estimate does not include a part the shop finds worn once the old strut is out. Upper mounts, bearings and bump stops are the usual extras.
How much does each option change the price?
One table covers every setting in the calculator.
| Option | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Front pair, standard struts, $130/hr | $900–$1,591 |
| Rear pair, standard struts, $130/hr | $900–$1,591 |
| Single strut only | $451–$796 |
| Quick-strut assemblies, front pair | $942–$1,598 |
| Independent shop, $110/hr | $831–$1,480 |
| Dealer, $175/hr | $1,058–$1,843 |
Front and rear pairs price the same here. A single strut costs about half, but it leaves the other side with a worn damper, so the car rides unevenly. Quick-strut assemblies add little to the total because the spring comes attached, which cuts labor time. The shop type is the largest lever: the dealer tops out at $1,843 against $1,480 for an independent shop.
What does the estimate leave out?
Anything beyond struts and alignment: mounts, bearings, a damaged sway-bar link, or a seized bolt that adds labor time. Ask the shop to call you before it does any work outside the quote, and ask to see the old struts when they are done.
Frequently asked questions
Can I replace just one strut?
A single strut is estimated at $451–$796, but a new strut beside a worn one gives uneven handling, so pairs are the norm.
Do I need an alignment after new struts?
Yes. Removing the strut disturbs the wheel angles, and the estimate includes the alignment for that reason.
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
- USDA ERS Rural-Urban Continuum Codes 2023 (codes 4 to 9) with 2020 Census county population, joined to NHTSA owner complaints downloaded 2026-10-12
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year 2019-2023, counties summed to states (B08301), joined to NHTSA owner complaints downloaded 2026-10-12
- BLS Producer Price Index, commodity data for motor vehicle parts (series WPU14120502); BLS Consumer Price Index item SETD for the repair row downloaded August 2026
- 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
- FHWA Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) national section data, roughness (IRI) by county; poor-ride cut from the FHWA Conditions and Performance Report data from 2026
- 49 U.S.C. 30120 (Remedies for defects and noncompliance), text via Cornell Legal Information Institute; NHTSA recall campaigns data from 2026
- 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. 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 ($1,144–$1,348) 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