I have a 2000 Dodge Durango. I read online that somebody, who more or less knew what he was doing, took 9-10 hours to change the heater core on his. This, to me, translates to over 700 dollars for labor alone (done locally), not to mention parts. Then, if I do it myself, looks like a long and protracted job. (They mentioned dropping the steering column!:eek::eek::eek:)
I don’t relish a long job, neither do I relish spending the over $700 dollars for the heater core replacement by a professional.
Can somebody tell me how many hours a mechanic would bill me for this job, or give me good news like “Even the dullest male with a screwdriver can change it in 45 minutes”?
Heater cores can be very difficult to remove. Many times you have to pull the dash or steering column or even partially move the engine. Check out YouTube and see if there’s a remove/replace video so you can get an idea of what’s involved.
On this vehicle it’s necessary to remove the instrument panel (dashboard assembly) and steering column. Special precautions have to be taken with the steering column and airbags. The A/C refrigerant has to be removed and refilled. I wouldn’t recommend it as an undertaking for someone who wasn’t sure of having the required tools and expertise.
I would charge about 800 for this job (parts and labor).