How much does an oxygen sensor replacement cost

Oxygen sensor replacement cost depends on the type of sensor and where it’s located

Oxygen sensor replacement cost varies based on whether the sensor is actually an old style oxygen sensor or a more expensive (and more reliable) air/fuel ratio sensor. Many people mistakenly call an air/fuel ratio sensor, an oxygen sensor. An air/fuel ratio sensor does the same thing as an oxygen sensor, but it’s faster, far more accurate, and almost four times the cost of the older style. An older oxygen sensor costs around $80, while an air/fuel ratio sensor can cost around $400 for the part alone. To learn more about the difference between an O2 sensor and an air/fuel ratio sensor, see this post.

The sensor replacement cost also varies by its location in the exhaust system. Upstream sensors can be mounted in the exhaust manifold and accessed right out in the open. But others are located below the engine and can be very hard to access.

Typical oxygen sensor labor cost

Once the diagnostic is complete, the labor to replace an oxygen sensor is usually a maximum of 1 hour, with many sensors taking a half hour or less. For traditional oxygen sensors, that brings the total oxygen sensor replacement cost to $$275 to $390 including the part. However, when you add in the diagnostic charge, the total approaches $500.

Typical air/fuel ratio sensor replacement cost

The labor to replace an air/fuel ratio sensor is about the same as for a traditional oxygen sensor. However, because the part if more expensive, plan on spending around $500 plus the cost of the diagnostic charge.

The sensor itself may look like an oxygen sensor, but an air/fuel ratio sensor costs a lot more

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