Kia Optima AC compressor price snapshot
- Low
- $40
- Average
- $140
- High
- $410
Vehicle-specific price guide
How much is a used Kia Optima AC compressor?
Asking prices from 510 salvage yards in 46 states, broken down by model year, condition grade, and fitment variant.
SKWritten bySaurabh Kumar · Co-Founder & CTO
SK
Saurabh Kumar
Co-Founder & CTO, Part Price Guide
Built the pricing pipeline that collects and normalizes used OEM part listings from salvage yards and online marketplaces across the US.
ASReviewed byAmbika Sharma · Co-Founder & COO
Last updatedOct 31, 2026AS
Ambika Sharma
Co-Founder & COO, Part Price Guide
12 years of project management and technical operations experience. Reviews price guides for sample size, fitment accuracy, and data freshness.
Part overview
About the Kia Optima AC compressor
What the AC compressor does, common failure signs, and prices across all vehicles: used AC compressor price guide →
Also known asA/C CompressorAir Conditioning Compressor
Price summary
A used Kia Optima AC compressor costs $40 to $410, with a median asking price of $125. Based on 1,040 priced salvage yard listings across the US, compatible across 2012–2020 (9 model years), updated Oct 31, 2026. Prices exclude shipping, core charges, and installation.
Grade A (excellent)$125
Grade B (good)$137
Grade C (fair)$100
USD
Condition comparison
Price by part grade
Grade AClean / low wear$40–$410704 listings
Grade BStandard used$50–$336177 listings
Grade CVisible wear$100–$1001 listings
Grade XUngraded$50–$300158 listings
| Grade | Price range | Relative range | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade AClean / low wear | $40–$410 | 704 | |
| Grade BStandard used | $50–$336 | 177 | |
| Grade CVisible wear | $100–$100 | 1 | |
| Grade XUngraded | $50–$300 | 158 |
Median by grade
Grade price comparison
Grade A$125
Grade B$137
Grade C$100
Ungraded$80
Median asking price by seller-reported condition grade · $40–$410 overall range
Regional supply
Where the Kia Optima AC compressor is listed
We found priced Kia Optima AC compressor listings at 510 salvage yards across 46 states. Florida supplies the most, with 331 listings (12% of the total) from 39 yards. Location matters: yards in Indiana ask a median $80, while Massachusetts yards ask $150, 88% more for the same part. Shipping usually costs less than that gap for smaller parts, so it can pay to buy out of state.
| State | Listings | Yards | Median ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 331 | 39 | $113-10% |
| Illinois | 273 | 29 | $100-20% |
| Texas | 213 | 33 | $125 |
| California | 157 | 34 | $123-2% |
| Georgia | 142 | 19 | $90-28% |
| Massachusetts | 125 | 15 | $150+20% |
| Indiana | 121 | 17 | $80-36% |
| Wisconsin | 121 | 20 | $130+4% |
States with at least 10 priced listings. % is versus the $125 national median.
Replacement cost
What is the Kia Optima AC compressor replacement cost?
- Used part
- $125
- Kia Optima median asking price
- Labor
- $285–$900
- 3–6 hours at $95–$150/hr
- Estimated total
- $410–$1,025
- median used part + labor
Labor is a typical independent-shop range for AC compressor replacement, not a quote for your vehicle; it does not include refrigerant evacuation and recharge, and a new receiver/drier if required. The part price is the live median from the salvage-yard listings on this page. Full AC compressor replacement cost breakdown
Sources
- Labor time estimates: Part Price Guide labor database
Korea built (VIN K, 1st digit), (2.0L), plug-in hybrid32 listingsInterchange 2016–2020$150$82 – $300
Model-year comparison
What does a Kia Optima AC compressor cost by year?
Market analysis
How much does a used Kia Optima AC compressor cost?
Asking prices for a used Kia Optima AC compressor are unusually spread out: the top listing asks more than ten times what the cheapest does, so which unit you pick matters more than the median. Condition matters: grade-A units (lowest mileage, best condition) carry roughly a 25% premium over grade-C stock, with grade-A medians at $125.
Fitment variant moves the price more than most buyers expect. The most affordable variant we track, Korea built (VIN K, 1st digit), (2.0L), hybrid, lists at a $130 median, while US built (VIN 5, 1st digit), 1.6L commands $150, a 15% gap inside the same part category. Confirm which variant your VIN requires before comparing quotes.
Model year matters too: 2018 units carry the lowest median at $113, while 2020 tops the table at $148. Parts from 2012–2020 are interchangeable, so if the 2018 fits your vehicle, it offers the best value across 8 compatible years.
Against comparable vehicles, the Kia Optima sits 17% below the Ford F150 ($150), 37% below the Mercedes E Class ($199), and 50% below the Mercedes GLE Class ($250) for the same part. The “similar vehicles” cards below open each comparison guide.
Buying a used AC compressor: what to check
- Ask whether the compressor was removed with the system still sealed. Open systems ingest moisture.
- Confirm the clutch engages freely and the pulley spins without grinding.
- Match the refrigerant type (R-134a vs R-1234yf). They don't interchange.
- Budget for a new receiver-drier and system flush at installation.
Keep browsing this vehicle
What other Kia Optima parts are priced?
01wide ±151%
Tail Light
$124median
$26$400
02wide ±228%
Side Mirror
$136median
$30$650
03wide ±242%
Wheels
$119median
$25$600
04wide ±217%
Grille
$140median
$30$638
05wide ±202%
Axle Shaft
$105median
$25$450
06wide ±173%
Headlight Assembly
$450median
$110$1,670
07wide ±280%
Transmission
$431median
$75$2,486
08wide ±93%
Engine
$3,000median
$450$6,017
09wide ±211%
Radiator
$110median
$35$500
10wide ±173%
AC Condenser
$110median
$40$420
11wide ±201%
Strut
$75median
$20$321
12wide ±157%
Steering Rack
$150median
$40$510
Price comparisons
Compare Kia Optima AC compressor prices
AC Compressorcompare
MercedesEClassvsKiaOptima
Class$199
Optima$125
$74 diff3,326 listings
AC CompressorcompareMercedesGLEClassvsKiaOptima
Class$250
Optima$125
$125 diff3,326 listings
AC CompressorcompareHyundaiElantravsKiaOptima
Elantra$144
Optima$125
$19 diff3,221 listings
AC CompressorcompareNissanAltimavsKiaOptima
Altima$113
Optima$125
$12 diff2,890 listings
AC CompressorcompareFordMustangvsKiaOptima
Mustang$190
Optima$125
$65 diff2,853 listings
AC CompressorcompareKiaSorentovsKiaOptima
Sorento$152
Optima$125
$27 diff2,848 listings
Compare fitments
What do similar vehicles charge for this part?
BMWwide ±287%
BMW X3
$150median
$35$897
BMWwide ±199%
BMW X5
$200median
$50$844
Chevywide ±148%
Chevy Equinox
$125median
$30$400
Chevywide ±146%
Chevy Malibu
$125median
$35$400
Chevywide ±90%
Chevy Silverado 1500
$163median
$65$360
Chevywide ±115%
Chevy Tahoe
$175median
$70$473
Chevywide ±127%
Chevy Traverse
$136median
$41$387
Dodgewide ±142%
Dodge Challenger
$103median
$40$333
Dodgespread ±47%
Dodge Charger
$103median
$75$172
Kiawide ±136%
Kia Forte
$125median
$35$374
Kiawide ±165%
Kia Sorento
$152median
$35$536
Kiawide ±151%
Kia Soul
$132median
$35$433
Common questions
Kia Optima AC compressor FAQ
How much is a used AC compressor for a Kia Optima?
The median asking price is $125 across 1,040 priced listings from 510 yards. Grade-A units, the cleanest stock, have a median of $125. 2018 is the cheapest model year we track, with a median of $113.
How much does it cost to replace a Kia Optima AC compressor?
Using a used part, a Kia Optima AC compressor replacement typically runs $410–$1,025 all-in: the median used AC compressor for this model lists at $125, and independent-shop labor for AC compressor replacement typically takes 3–6 hours at $95–$150/hr ($285–$900). The labor figure does not include refrigerant evacuation and recharge, and a new receiver/drier if required. Labor is a national part-level estimate, not a quote for your vehicle.
Which Kia Optima model years does this price guide cover?
This guide currently has year-level pricing for 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015. Other model years contribute to the overall range where sellers listed them without a year breakdown.
Which Kia Optima AC compressor years are interchangeable?
Salvage-yard interchange data links Kia Optima AC compressor fitments across 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. Searching all 9 years widens the pool of units; confirm the part number against your VIN, since trim or drivetrain can split an interchange group.