How Much Does Tie Rod Replacement Cost?


Written by:  Howmuchisit.org Staff

The car’s steering wheel is connected to a steering gear which helps turns the wheel.  Essentially, this gear is then connected to what’s known as the tie rods and do exactly what they sound like:  tie together components.  The tie rods are responsible for making sure the wheels are aligned and help provide the adjustment for wheel alignment to make sure the inner and outer edges of the tires don’t wear out.  If they do wear out, the wheels will eventually lose its alignment, essentially causing the tires and the steering wheel to shake while driving.

Shelby 427 Cobra port (US driver’s side) by wbaiv, on Flickr
Shelby 427 Cobra port (US driver’s side)” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by wbaiv

How much does tie rod replacement cost?

The cost to replace your tie rods will depend on the car you’re driving, the mechanic you go to and your geographical location.  According to our research, the average mechanic or dealership charges $170 to $450 per inner or outer tie rod.  Parts, depending on the car you drive, will be in the $30 to $150 range, while labor will be in the same price range.  Since the tie rods don’t take a long time to replace, the labor time will be at a minimum.  We researched a few popular car makes and models and included the estimates we had found inside our table below.

Ray and Tom answered this very question on the Dallas News.  Bo, who asked the question, stated he was quoted $500 to replace the CV boot and tie rod.

Another member on Car Talk was quoted $352 to have his inner tie rods replaced on his Ford Explorer.  According to those who replied to the thread, most thought it was a fair price.

Make/ModelTie Rod Replacement (Labor AND Parts)
BMW$220 to $450
Chevrolet Trailblazer$155 to $350
Chevy Impala$250 to $350
Dodge Caravan$250 to $350
Ford Escape$200 to $430
Ford F-150$220 to $320
Ford Focus$125 to $300
Ford Ranger$260 to $375
Honda Accord$275 to $380
Honda Odyssey$175 to $325
Jeep Wrangler$250 to $400
Mazda 3$175 to $250
Nissan Altima$230 to $300
Pontiac G6$210 to $300
Volkswagen Jetta$150 to $250

NOTE:  These quotes came from various mechanic quotes and forum threads.

Tie rod replacement overview

To diagnose a tie rod problem, a mechanic will check the undercarriage for any sign of steering or suspension failure.  If the tie rod is faulty, meaning, any movement in the ball-in-socket area is damaged, then it will be considered a loss and the mechanic will want to fix the issue.  From there, once the tie rod has been removed, he or she will then pay close attention to the ends to see if there’s a presence of any steering fluid.  If so, this would mean the steering rack is failing as well and will need to be replaced during the repair.

During a replacement, the mechanic will lift the car and remove the wheels to verify which tie rod has gone bad.  Either the inner and/or outer tie rod will be replaced, and the suspension and steering systems will be inspected as well to make sure no parts are damaged. If so, the steering gearbox and/or rack will have to be replaced during this time as well.  Once the tie rods have been replaced and greased, mechanics will always recommend a four-wheel alignment.  Lastly, the mechanic will test drive the vehicle to make sure it properly turns and handles without any shaking or force.

What are the extra costs?

As noted above, if there’s steering fluid noted inside of the tie rod ends, the steering rack will need to be replaced.  The steering rack, depending on the car you drive, can be anywhere from as little as $300 to more than $2,000.

In some cases, there could be the chance of damaging the steering gear if force is applied to the rod.  While it’s rare, the damage would mean you would have to replace it, which is usually in the $600 to $900 range.

If the tire alignment is included in the quote, this could be an additional $50 to $75.

Tips to know:

Signs of a faulty tie rod will include tires wearing out quicker than usual, a misaligned car, often pulling to one side, a shaky steering wheel while driving and/or the car refuses to realign, even after an alignment.  If you notice any of these problems, it’s important to have your steering system and tie rods checked out.  If the mechanic finds out the tie rods are broken, then it’s important to fix them immediately.  The longer you wait to resolve this issue, the costlier it could be in the future.

How can I save money?

If purchasing parts online for a do it yourself job, consider using auto part search engines online.  Amazon.com and AutoPartsWarehouse.com are both great resources to find parts that suit your needs.


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Average Reported Cost: $456.83

100 %
0 %
Less Expensive $1 $1.5K $3K $5K $6.5K More Expensive $8k

How much did you spend?

Was it worth it?  

  1. martha (indiisapolis,  Indiana) paid $506 and said:

    Crazy!!! only front end tire rod needed to be replaced. Meineke is not the place to go. This was just a quote and I did not have it repaired at this location.

    Was it worth it? Yes

  2. Mike (Shelbyville,  Indiana) paid $160 and said:

    I had a friend do it, cost $50 for parts, 110 for labor.

    Was it worth it? Yes

  3. Pamela Elder (Portland,  Maine) paid $495 and said:

    Is this a bad price for a dealership to replace a tie rod on 2010 Subaru Forester? Alignment included.

    Was it worth it? Yes

  4. Messina (North Haven,  Connecticut) paid $1100 and said:

    THIS WAS THE EST. TO REPLACE BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ON A 2007 LINCOLN TOWN CAR.iS IT A FAIR PRICE FROM THE DEALER

    Was it worth it? Yes

  5. Christopher (Pocomoke ,  Maryland) paid $180 and said:

    Inner and outer tie rod on 2000 GMC Yukon denali

    Was it worth it? Yes

  6. A&m (Fancher,  New York) paid $300 and said:

    to replace 2 tie rods on front of car

    Was it worth it? Yes

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