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There are two heater hoses, but both are used for carrying coolant between the engine and the heater core. One of the hoses is an inlet hose, and the other is an outlet hose. If either hose is cracked or otherwise damaged, you’ll have to get it replaced.
You will pay about $150 for a heater hose replacement, though prices vary based on the mechanic you choose, the kind of car you have and what needs to be replaced. The labor for this job should cost you about $100, with parts costing about $50.
Heater Hose Replacement Cost Comparison
Your Mechanic
Work | Warranty | Price |
Parts & Labour | 12 months | $98-$316 |
Midas
Work | Warranty | Price |
Parts & Labour | 12 months | $104-$325 |
Mr. Tire
Work | Warranty | Price |
Parts & Labour | 12 months | $110-$304 |
NAPA
Work | Warranty | Price |
Parts & Labour | 24 months | $100-$299 |
Walmart
Work | Warranty | Price |
Parts | Limited | $39-$155 |
Amazon
Work | Warranty | Price |
Parts | Limited | $32-$169 |
What Is Heater Hose Replacement?
Usually, if you catch this problem early, you only have to change out the hoses themselves. It’s not a complex procedure or overly long, but there is the risk that the hoses have leaked coolant onto other parts of the engine. If you ran your car for a while after the problem started, whether you noticed it or not, you may have damaged a number of parts by allowing the vehicle to overheat. You may end up paying for more damage than you thought when you go to replace the hoses.
Benefits of Heater Hose Replacement
Since you probably won’t be able to drive your vehicle if the hoses are leaking or otherwise damaged, once you get the hoses replaced, you will have your vehicle back in a drivable state. You also protect your engine and many other essential parts of the vehicle when you change out damaged hoses. Your car will last longer, and you will spend less on repairs if you fix this problem quickly and don’t drive when the hoses start to leak.
What Is Done during Heater Hose Replacement?
Your mechanic will need to drain out the coolant first, to make the hoses safe to work with. Then the hoses will be unclamped and removed. Before putting in the new hoses, though, the mechanic will clean out the engine’s and heater core’s inlet and outlet flanges. Then the new hoses can be put in place, clamped in, and new coolant can be poured into the car.
Afterwards, the mechanic will want to test the vehicle to ensure there are no leaks and the hoses are working properly.
When to Get Heater Hose Replacement
You really should not drive your vehicle while the heater hose is leaking or damaged to the point where it could start leaking. There is just too much potential for serious damage to occur if you drive it in that condition. You need to have the vehicle towed and get it repaired as soon as you can.
Look for signs that the hose is having problems, such as a mildew or coolant smell in the car, an engine that runs hot and cylinder gasket head failure.
Your hoses are more likely to fail if the car runs hot a lot if it is overworked or doesn’t have enough coolant.
How to Save Money on Heater Hose Replacement
This is a good project for those who like to do car repairs on their own. You can save money this way and enjoy the reward of doing the work for yourself. There isn’t a lot that can go wrong if you follow an online guide and make sure not to remove coolant until the car has properly cooled down.
You can also compare rates for different mechanics for this service. You may save some money that way. Or you can source the hoses and other parts for yourself to get a better deal.
You have a few options for saving money on heater hose replacement, so look at your options for the best method for you.
Sample Heater Hose Replacement Costs
Model | Labor | Parts | Total |
Ford F-Series | $153-$195 | $72-$121 | $225-$316 |
Chevrolet Silverado | $99-$126 | $72-$121 | $171-$247 |
Ford Focus | $126-$161 | $88-$146 | $214-$307 |
Toyota Camry | $126-$161 | $44-$73 | $170-$234 |
Toyota Corolla | $54-$69 | $44-$73 | $98-$142 |
Nissan Altima | $126-$161 | $44-$67 | $170-$228 |
Honda CR-V | $54-$69 | $44-$73 | $98-$142 |
Honda Civic | $81-$103 | $44-$67 | $125-$170 |
Honda Accord | $63-$80 | $44-$67 | $107-$147 |
Ford Fusion | $153-$195 | $72-$121 | $225-$316 |