AC Evaporator Replacement Cost

Your AC evaporator is one of several parts of the AC system that helps keep the system from producing warm air. More specifically, it takes hot air and turns it into cold air in a sort of heat exchange.

If your evaporator needs to be replaced, then you can expect to pay anywhere from $850 to $1,100. This includes parts and labor, and you can expect the price to vary based on what kind of car you need this service done in and whether the problem has damaged other parts of the car or AC system.

AC Evaporator Replacement Cost Comparison

Your Mechanic

Work	Warranty	Price
Parts & Labour	12 months	$400-$1658

Midas

Work	Warranty	Price
Parts & Labour	12 months	$416-$1278

 

Mr. Tire

Work	Warranty	Price
Parts & Labour	12 months	$388-$1421

 

NAPA

Work	Warranty	Price
Parts & Labour	24 months	$414-$1515

 

Walmart

Work	Warranty	Price
Parts	Limited	$166-$619

 

Amazon

Work	Warranty	Price
Parts	Limited	$171-$715

What Is AC Evaporator Replacement?

Having your AC evaporate replaced essentially just means taking out this one component, checking for damage to surrounding components and then replacing anything that’s damaged. It’s much more complicated than that, and not something you should try to do on your own, but if you catch the problem quickly, then you shouldn’t have to pay for a lot of extra repairs. If you have driven your car over 100,000 miles and have not had the AC unit checked, you shoulddefinitely get it looked at to avoid problems like a bad evaporator turning into something much worse.

Benefits of AC Evaporator Replacement

The immediate benefit of having your AC evaporator replaced is that you will feel colder air coming through your car’s vents. Without this component working as it should, the air will be unnaturally warm and almost useless for cooling the car. You will also protect your AC system and other components of your car over the long term by having this repair done.

What Is Done During Ac Evaporator Replacement?

In order to replace the evaporator, the technician is going to want to check the entire AC system. He will be looking for signs of leakage, bad connectors, broken or worn seals and other problems that may not be as severe as a busted evaporator. Once he is satisfied that it is the evaporator that is the problem, the technician will have to open up the refrigerant passage in the air conditioning system and evacuate the entire system. This is a complex and potentially dangerous process, as the refrigerant can cause severe chemical burns.

To take out the evaporator coil itself, the technician will need to access it through either the foot pedal area or the dashboard. All the mounting hardware will have to be disconnected to get to it. This can take a while, depending on the kind of car you have. The air conditioner lines will need to be refitted and all the components replaced, once the new evaporator is installed. Then the technician will test the AC unit to make sure it is working properly before finalizing the work.

When to Get an AC Evaporator Replacement

You can run your car for as long as you like once the evaporator stops working, but it is not a good idea to run your AC unit with a broken evaporator. You should stop using the AC system until you get the problem fixed. Not only will it start producing warm air, in most cases, but it can damage the other parts of AC system until it is repaired or replaced.

You’ll likely notice problems with your evaporator when the AC starts to pump out warm air or when it makes odd sounds, leaks or stops working entirely. If you have small children in the car and the evaporator breaks down in the summer, then you need to get it changed fast to ensure that the children are not only comfortable but also safe.

In newer cars, there may be some dashboard indicator that the AC unit needs to be replaced.

How to Save Money on AC Evaporator Replacement

You should not attempt to do the replacement on your own just to save some money. There is a complex process that goes into this, and if you try to do the work yourself, you could end up seriously hurting yourself or damaging your car. The coolant needs to be handled with care and disposed of according to federal regulations. You also have to consider all the tools required for this job, such as a coolant evacuator and a manifold.

You may also want to do some price comparisons. That simply means sourcing quotes from a few different car repair shops to see who has the best price. If there is an outlier that’s incredibly low, you probably want to choose something else, but you can save money by comparing rates among the competition.

Sample AC Evaporator Replacement Costs

Below are some sample costs for replacing the AC Evaporator:

Model	Labor	Parts	Total
Ford F-Series	$621 – $792	$171 – $254	$792 – $1046
Chevrolet Silverado	$666 – $849	$248 – $420	$914 – $1269
Ford Focus	$666 – $849	$202 – $524	$868 – $1373
Toyota Camry	$352 – $444	$536 – $601	$888 – $1045
Toyota Corolla	$352 – $444	$536 – $601	$888 – $1045
Nissan Altima	$459 – $585	$258 – $309	$717 – $894
Honda CR-V	$234 – $298	$189 – $249	$423 – $547
Honda Civic	$234 – $298	$189 – $249	$423 – $547
Honda Accord	$234 – $298	$176 – $207	$410 – $505
Ford Fusion	$666 – $849	$202 – $524	$868 – $1373