AC & Heating · important priority
Heater Core Replacement Cost & Pricing
Replace the heater core — the small radiator inside the dashboard that transfers engine heat to the cabin. A failed heater core causes no heat, a sweet antifreeze smell inside the car, or a fogged windshield from coolant vapor.
Typical Heater Core Replacement cost
$600–$2,000, with an average estimate of $1,100 before vehicle-specific adjustments.
What to expect
Difficulty: complex. Typical labor time: 4–12 hours.
Mechanic's tip
The heater core itself is inexpensive ($50–150) — the entire bill is labor since accessing it requires removing most of the dashboard. A sweet or greasy film on the inside of the windshield, or a consistently low coolant level with no external leak, are classic symptoms. If a coolant smell inside the car is causing you to sleep, pull over — even a small heater core leak can cause CO-like symptoms.