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How Much Does Spark Plug Replacement Cost?

Updated October 2026 By RepairCostLab Editorial Team

Expect to pay $120 to $520 at an independent shop for a typical car, and up to $695 at a dealership. Fresh spark plugs restore smooth idle and fuel economy. On a 4-cylinder it is a quick job; on V6 engines the rear plugs can sit under the intake manifold.

Parts$30–$120
Labor$90–$400
Shop time0.8–2.5 hours
DIY difficultyModerate (2/5)

Estimate your cost

Vehicle type Where you'll get it fixed Your area

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Parts –

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Ranges cover aftermarket to OEM parts and typical book labor times. How we calculate this.

Spark Plug Replacement cost by vehicle type

Vehicle	Parts	Labor	Total
Compact / economy car e.g. Civic, Corolla, Elantra	$30–$120	$90–$400	$120–$520
Midsize sedan / crossover e.g. Camry, Accord, RAV4, CR-V	$35–$140	$95–$440	$130–$580
Truck / full-size SUV e.g. F-150, Silverado, Tahoe	$40–$155	$100–$460	$140–$615
Luxury / European e.g. BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus	$55–$215	$115–$520	$170–$735

Independent shop, average US labor rates. Iridium plugs for 4-cylinder engines at the low end; V6/V8 sets at the high end.

Independent shop vs. dealer vs. chain

Where	Hourly rate	Typical total
Independent shop	$110–$160	$130–$580
Chain (Midas, Firestone…)	$120–$175	$140–$620
Dealership	$160–$230	$175–$770

Shown for a midsize sedan or crossover.

What does it do?

Spark plugs ignite the air-fuel mixture in each cylinder thousands of times per minute.

Signs you need this repair

Rough idle or engine shaking
Misfire or check engine light (P0300–P0308 codes)
Hard starting
Poor acceleration or drop in fuel economy

Can you do it yourself?

Difficulty: Moderate (2/5). Straightforward on most 4-cylinder engines with a spark plug socket and torque wrench. Transverse V6 engines are much harder.

Doing it yourself saves the labor portion, roughly $90–$400, so you would pay only for parts ($30–$120).

Is it worth fixing?

Yes, when the plugs reach their service interval or cause misfires. Fresh plugs protect the ignition coils and catalytic converter, which are far more expensive.

How to save money

Use the plug type in your owner's manual: upgrading rarely adds value.
Replace ignition coils only if they test bad, not by default.

Questions to ask your mechanic

Which plug type are you using, and does it match the manual?
Do any coils or plug wells show oil or damage?
On my V6, does the intake need to come off to reach the rear plugs?

Asking for a written, itemized estimate (parts, labor hours and hourly rate) is your right in most states and makes quotes easy to compare.

Frequently asked questions

How often should spark plugs be changed?

Modern iridium plugs last 60,000 to 120,000 miles; older copper plugs about 30,000 miles.

Why is my V6 quote so much higher?

On many V6 engines the intake manifold must be removed to reach the rear three plugs, tripling labor time.

Can bad plugs damage the engine?

Persistent misfires can overheat and damage the catalytic converter, a far more expensive repair.

Related repair costs

Helpful guides

Bad Ignition Coil Symptoms: Signs and How to Confirm

Sources and methodology

Estimates combine typical book labor times, current aftermarket and OEM parts prices, and 2026 US shop labor rates. See exactly how we calculate them.

Found a price that looks wrong for your area? Tell us: we review every correction.