head gasket repair cost
How much does a head gasket repair cost?
Quick answer
£900–£2,600
At a UK independent garage, including parts, labour and VAT. The price covers head off, gasket set, skim if needed, bolts, coolant and heavy labour. Franchise dealer pricing usually sits 40-80% higher, and prestige or electric models sit at the top of the band.
Symptoms that point at it
- coolant disappearing with no visible leak
- mayonnaise under the oil cap
- white smoke that lingers
- temperature gauge climbing in traffic
Check the coolant level and colour cold, then watch the temperature through a long idle. On many small turbo petrols this bill is worth more than the car.
Models where we document this fault
| Model | Documented symptom | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Alfa Romeo Stelvio | Coolant leaks from the radiator seams or lower hoses, leading to low coolant warnings and potential overheating. | £900–£2,600 |
| Audi A1 | Slow coolant loss and a sweet smell from the engine bay due to a leaking thermostat housing and water pump module on EA211 petrol engines. | £900–£2,600 |
| Audi A4 | Water pump and thermostat (plastic) failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| Audi Q3 | Slow coolant loss and a sweet smell under the bonnet on 1.4 and 1.5 TFSI models. | £900–£2,600 |
| Audi Q5 | Water pump / thermostat module failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW 1 Series | Electric water pump and thermostat failure | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW 2 Series | Unexplained coolant loss and white residue around the expansion tank due to split seams or faulty caps on B48 and B58 engines. | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW 3 Series | Electric water pump and thermostat failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW 4 Series | Coolant loss and overheating due to a failing expansion tank or water pump on B-series engines. | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW 5 Series | Electric water pump / thermostat failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW X1 | Water pump and thermostat failure | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW X2 | Slow coolant loss and overheating risks on four-cylinder petrol (B48) models due to a brittle plastic coolant vent line or failing water pump. | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW X3 | Electric water pump failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW X4 | Slow coolant loss and white crust around the expansion tank seams. | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW X5 | Coolant leaks from the expansion tank / hoses. | £900–£2,600 |
| BMW X6 | Water pump and thermostat housing failures | £900–£2,600 |
| Cadillac Escalade | Sheared exhaust manifold bolts causing a noticeable exhaust leak and ticking noise. | £900–£2,600 |
| Chevrolet Camaro | Cooling-system stress on tracked cars. | £900–£2,600 |
| Chevrolet Cruze | 1.4T coolant leaks (thermostat housing, water outlet, hoses) and overheating. | £900–£2,600 |
| Chrysler Pacifica | Premature wear of the rocker arms and lifters, often referred to as the 'Pentastar tick', which can damage camshafts. | £900–£2,600 |
| Cupra Leon | Slow coolant loss and dried pink residue around the water pump and thermostat housing on 2.0 TSI models. | £900–£2,600 |
| Fiat Tipo | Coolant leaks from the plastic thermostat housing or water pump on 1.4 T-Jet petrol engines, which can lead to overheating if ignored. | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Bronco | Coolant loss and overheating on 2.3L EcoBoost models due to premature water pump failure or weeping seals. | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Bronco Sport | Coolant leaks from the water pump housing on 1.5L EcoBoost engines, leading to low coolant levels and potential overheating. | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford C-Max | Rapid coolant loss and overheating on 1.6 EcoBoost models due to degas pipe failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Edge | 2.0 EcoBoost coolant intrusion into cylinders. | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Escape | 1.6L/2.0L EcoBoost coolant intrusion and overheating (fire-risk recalls on early cars). | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Explorer | Power transfer unit (PTU) overheating/failure on AWD models. | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Fiesta | Coolant loss / overheating on early 1.0 EcoBoost (degas hose and cylinder head) | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Fusion | 1.5L/1.6L EcoBoost internal coolant leak / overheating. | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Grand C-Max | 1.0 EcoBoost coolant and wet-belt issues on neglected cars | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Kuga | PHEV high-voltage battery recall (overheating) on 2020 cars | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Mondeo | Coolant loss leading to overheating and head gasket failure | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford Mustang | Coolant leaking into the cylinders causing rough idling, misfires on cold start, and unexplained coolant loss. | £900–£2,600 |
| Ford S-Max | Coolant intrusion into cylinders causing cold-start misfires and unexplained coolant loss. | £900–£2,600 |
| Honda Civic | Cracked block on some early 2016 1.5T engines (subject to warranty extension). | £900–£2,600 |
| Hyundai Bayon | Juddering or hesitation when pulling away from a standstill on models equipped with the 7-speed DCT, indicating dry clutch pack wear or overheating. | £900–£2,600 |
| Hyundai i30 | 1.0/1.4 T-GDi coolant loss and carbon build-up | £900–£2,600 |
| Jaguar E-Pace | Coolant leaks from the water pump or thermostat housing on Ingenium P200, P250, and P300 models, leading to low coolant warnings and potential overheating. | £900–£2,600 |
| Jaguar F-Pace | Gradual coolant loss and sweet smell from the engine bay, caused by failing plastic coolant pipes or water pump on 3.0 V6 models. | £900–£2,600 |
| Jaguar XE | Coolant loss and overheating due to cracked plastic water pump or thermostat housings. | £900–£2,600 |
| Jeep Cherokee | Coolant loss and sweet smell from the front grille due to splitting radiator side tank seams. | £900–£2,600 |
| Kia Ceed | 1.0/1.4 T-GDi carbon build-up and coolant loss | £900–£2,600 |
| Kia Picanto | Coolant weeping from the water pump gasket or weep hole, which can lead to overheating if left unchecked. | £900–£2,600 |
| Land Rover Discovery | Coolant loss and thermostat housing leaks | £900–£2,600 |
| Land Rover Range Rover Sport | Rapid coolant loss and overheating on 5.0 V8 models due to the plastic crossover pipes splitting or water pump failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| Mazda CX-9 | Internal (chain-driven) water pump wear. | £900–£2,600 |
| Mercedes-Benz B-Class | Coolant loss and sweet smell under the bonnet | £900–£2,600 |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | Coolant leaking into the vacuum system causing a hard brake pedal and coolant loss on OM654 diesels. | £900–£2,600 |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | Coolant loss, sweet smell from the engine bay, or crust around the engine block. | £900–£2,600 |
| MG HS | Coolant loss and sweet smell under the bonnet due to thermostat housing or water pump leaks on the 1.5 T-GDI. | £900–£2,600 |
| Nissan Altima | CVT overheating and failure — the defining Altima issue. | £900–£2,600 |
| Nissan Frontier | Sudden coolant loss and overheating due to brittle plastic heater hose connectors snapping. | £900–£2,600 |
| Nissan Note | CVT automatic gearbox overheating and juddering under load | £900–£2,600 |
| Nissan Pathfinder | CVT overheating, judder and failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| Nissan Qashqai | Xtronic CVT judder, overheating and failure | £900–£2,600 |
| Nissan Sentra | CVT overheating, whine and failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| Nissan Versa | Engine overheating at idle or the air conditioning blowing warm when stationary due to radiator cooling fan motor failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| Nissan X-Trail | CVT judder, slipping and overheating | £900–£2,600 |
| Ram 2500 | Water pump and thermostat wear. | £900–£2,600 |
| Renault Megane | Gradual coolant loss caused by a cracked or warped plastic thermostat housing. | £900–£2,600 |
| Seat Ibiza | Coolant loss and water pump failure | £900–£2,600 |
| Suzuki Swift | Coolant leaks from the water pump or thermostat housing, particularly prevalent on 1.0 Boosterjet engines, which can lead to rapid overheating if ignored. | £900–£2,600 |
| Suzuki Vitara | Vacuum pump oil leak on 1.4 Boosterjet (K14C) engines | £900–£2,600 |
| Toyota Auris | Inverter electric water pump failure, leading to hybrid system overheating and dashboard warning lights. | £900–£2,600 |
| Toyota RAV4 | Electric water pump failure on hybrid models leading to inverter overheating and a 'Check Hybrid System' warning. | £900–£2,600 |
| Toyota Tundra | Coolant leak causing overheating and a distinct sweet smell, often accompanied by a squeaking auxiliary belt pulley. | £900–£2,600 |
| Toyota Yaris | Water pump bearing wear leading to coolant leaks and potential engine overheating. | £900–£2,600 |
| Vauxhall Adam | Coolant leaks from the water pump housing, risking overheating and potential head gasket failure. | £900–£2,600 |
| Vauxhall Corsa | Coolant loss and sweet smell from the engine bay due to water pump leaks on Corsa E 1.2 and 1.4 engines. | £900–£2,600 |
| Vauxhall Meriva | Coolant loss and potential overheating caused by water pump failure on 1.4-litre petrol engines. | £900–£2,600 |
| Vauxhall Viva | Coolant weeping from the water pump seal, leading to gradual fluid loss and potential overheating. | £900–£2,600 |
| Vauxhall Zafira | Zafira B blower resistor and heater wiring overheating, subject to recall action | £900–£2,600 |
| Volkswagen Arteon | Coolant loss and sweet smell from the engine bay due to a cracked thermostat housing or failing water pump on 2.0 TSI and TDI engines. | £900–£2,600 |
| Volkswagen Caddy | Coolant loss or lack of cabin heat due to a leaking water pump or a ruptured silica bag in the expansion tank blocking the heater matrix. | £900–£2,600 |
| Volkswagen Golf | 1.4T/1.8T water-pump/thermostat failure and carbon build-up. | £900–£2,600 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | Water pump and thermostat failures. | £900–£2,600 |
| Volkswagen T-Roc | Slow coolant loss and sweet smell from the engine bay caused by a failing plastic thermostat housing or water pump seal. | £900–£2,600 |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | Water pump / thermostat assembly leaks. | £900–£2,600 |
| Volkswagen Touareg | Coolant loss and sweet smell from engine bay due to water pump or thermostat housing leaks. | £900–£2,600 |
| Buick Encore | 1.4L turbo coolant leaks, timing-chain wear and oil consumption. | £900–£2,400 |
| Ford Galaxy | Slow coolant loss and a sweet smell of antifreeze from the engine bay when hot, usually originating from a leaking water pump or thermostat housing. | £450–£1,100 |
| Peugeot Expert | Slow loss of coolant and risk of overheating due to water pump failure on the 2.0 BlueHDi. | £450–£1,100 |
| Skoda Karoq | Coolant loss and sweet smell from the engine bay due to a leaking thermostat housing or water pump. | £450–£1,100 |
| Skoda Kodiaq | Unexplained coolant loss and pink crystalline residue on the engine block. | £450–£1,100 |
| Volkswagen Crafter | Coolant loss and potential overheating caused by premature water pump failure. | £450–£1,100 |
| Audi Q8 | Unexplained coolant loss, sweet smell from the engine bay, or crusty pink residue deep in the engine V on V6 TDI models. | £300–£900 |
| Fiat 500X | Coolant leaks leading to potential overheating, commonly originating from a cracked plastic thermostat housing or degraded seal. | £300–£900 |
| Fiat Talento | Coolant loss or rough idling caused by a cracked EGR cooler or heavily carbon-fouled EGR valve on the 1.6 EcoJet engines. | £300–£900 |
| Ford Ka | Coolant leaks from the plastic thermostat housing degrading over time. | £300–£900 |
| Kia Niro | Coolant loss and sweet smell from the exhaust heat recovery system (EHRS) or EGR cooler on 1.6 GDi models. | £300–£900 |
| Land Rover Defender | Coolant loss and sweet smell from the engine bay due to water pump or EGR cooler failure on Ingenium engines. | £300–£900 |
| Mini Countryman | EGR cooler internal leaks on diesel models (N47/B47) causing unexplained coolant loss and potential fire risk. | £300–£900 |
| Nissan Titan | Unexplained coolant loss, white smoke from the exhaust, or a sweet smell under the bonnet. | £300–£900 |
| Toyota Prius | EGR cooler / intake clogging leading to head-gasket failure if neglected. | £300–£900 |
| Volkswagen Passat | EGR cooler internal leaks leading to unexplained coolant loss, rough idling, and sweet-smelling exhaust. | £300–£900 |
| Volvo V40 | Coolant loss or EML illumination due to a cracked or blocked EGR cooler, particularly on post-2015 VEA 2.0-litre diesel engines. | £300–£900 |
Worried this is due on the car you're looking at?
Get a tickable pre-purchase checklist for that exact make, model, year and mileage · two faults free, then the full report.
Check a carCosts are indicative bands for budgeting and negotiation · always get a written quote from your own garage.