Subaru Forester AC compressor price snapshot
- Low
- $40
- Average
- $139
- High
- $395
Vehicle-specific price guide
How much is a used Subaru Forester AC compressor?
Asking prices from 217 salvage yards in 33 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 updatedNov 1, 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 Subaru Forester 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 Subaru Forester AC compressor costs $40 to $395, with a median asking price of $143. Based on 826 priced salvage yard listings across the US, compatible across 2014–2025 (12 model years), updated Nov 1, 2026. Prices exclude shipping, core charges, and installation.
Grade A (excellent)$143
Grade B (good)$155
USD
Condition comparison
Price by part grade
Grade AClean / low wear$40–$395714 listings
Grade BStandard used$50–$29094 listings
Grade XUngraded$50–$15018 listings
| Grade | Price range | Relative range | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade AClean / low wear | $40–$395 | 714 | |
| Grade BStandard used | $50–$290 | 94 | |
| Grade XUngraded | $50–$150 | 18 |
Median by grade
Grade price comparison
Grade A$143
Grade B$155
Ungraded$90
Median asking price by seller-reported condition grade · $40–$395 overall range
Regional supply
Where the Subaru Forester AC compressor is listed
We found priced Subaru Forester AC compressor listings at 217 salvage yards across 33 states. Illinois supplies the most, with 482 listings (17% of the total) from 12 yards. Location matters: yards in Texas ask a median $110, while Kentucky yards ask $275, 150% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 482 | 12 | $165+15% |
| Ohio | 232 | 7 | $187+31% |
| California | 170 | 13 | $113-21% |
| Texas | 168 | 20 | $110-23% |
| North Carolina | 146 | 5 | $173+21% |
| Indiana | 138 | 6 | $119-17% |
| Connecticut | 114 | 7 | $200+40% |
| Kentucky | 111 | 4 | $275+92% |
States with at least 10 priced listings. % is versus the $143 national median.
Replacement cost
What is the Subaru Forester AC compressor replacement cost?
- Used part
- $143
- Subaru Forester median asking price
- Labor
- $285–$900
- 3–6 hours at $95–$150/hr
- Estimated total
- $430–$1,045
- 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
hybrid
2 listings$395$360 – $395Model-year comparison
What does a Subaru Forester AC compressor cost by year?
2025420 listingsFits 7 years$165$45 – $395202450 listingsFits 6 years$139$45 – $239202350 listingsFits 6 years$155$45 – $249202250 listingsFits 6 years$94$40 – $222202150 listingsFits 6 years$155$45 – $249202050 listingsFits 6 years$128$63 – $290201950 listingsFits 6 years$155$45 – $249201850 listingsFits 5 years$114$73 – $236201750 listingsFits 5 years$98$73 – $329201650 listingsFits 5 years$110$73 – $250201550 listingsFits 5 years$103$73 – $226
Market analysis
How much does a used Subaru Forester AC compressor cost?
Asking prices for a used Subaru Forester AC compressor are unusually spread out: the top listing asks about 10 times what the cheapest does, so which unit you pick matters more than the median.
Fitment variant moves the price more than most buyers expect. The most affordable variant we track, gasoline, Wilderness, lists at a $155 median, while hybrid commands $395, a 155% gap inside the same part category. Confirm which variant your VIN requires before comparing quotes.
Model year matters too: 2022 units carry the lowest median at $94, while 2025 tops the table at $165. Parts from 2019–2024 are interchangeable, so if the 2022 fits your vehicle, it offers the best value across 6 compatible years.
Against comparable vehicles, the Subaru Forester sits 5% below the Ford F150 ($150), 28% below the Mercedes E Class ($199), and 43% 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 Subaru Forester parts are priced?
01wide ±158%
Side Mirror
$186median
$40$626
02wide ±195%
Wheels
$137median
$35$570
03wide ±113%
Tail Light
$217median
$40$530
04wide ±120%
Headlight Assembly
$625median
$105$1,600
05wide ±120%
Axle Shaft
$126median
$40$343
06wide ±150%
Grille
$190median
$49$618
07wide ±113%
Fender
$283median
$80$718
08wide ±160%
Engine
$1,643median
$430$5,699
09wide ±149%
Strut
$115median
$30$372
10wide ±132%
Rear Bumper
$220median
$64$645
11wide ±163%
Transmission
$1,275median
$250$4,394
12wide ±148%
Starter
$100median
$25$321
Price comparisons
Compare Subaru Forester AC compressor prices
AC Compressorcompare
MercedesGLEClassvsSubaruForester
Class$250
Forester$143
$107 diff3,112 listings
AC CompressorcompareFordExplorervsSubaruForester
Explorer$148
Forester$143
$5 diff2,889 listings
AC CompressorcompareFordEscapevsSubaruForester
Escape$150
Forester$143
$7 diff2,810 listings
AC CompressorcompareKiaSorentovsSubaruForester
Sorento$152
Forester$143
$9 diff2,634 listings
AC CompressorcompareJeepWranglervsSubaruForester
Wrangler$174
Forester$143
$31 diff2,500 listings
AC CompressorcompareMercedesSClassvsSubaruForester
Class$250
Forester$143
$107 diff2,460 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
Subaruwide ±112%
Subaru Crosstrek
$161median
$40$400
Subaruwide ±112%
Subaru Impreza
$138median
$35$343
Subaruwide ±113%
Subaru Outback
$136median
$35$343
Common questions
Subaru Forester AC compressor FAQ
How much is a used AC compressor for a Subaru Forester?
The median asking price is $143 across 826 priced listings from 217 yards. Grade-A units, the cleanest stock, have a median of $143. 2022 is the cheapest model year we track, with a median of $94.
How much does it cost to replace a Subaru Forester AC compressor?
Using a used part, a Subaru Forester AC compressor replacement typically runs $430–$1,045 all-in: the median used AC compressor for this model lists at $143, 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 Subaru Forester model years does this price guide cover?
This guide currently has year-level pricing for 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015. Other model years contribute to the overall range where sellers listed them without a year breakdown.
Which Subaru Forester AC compressor years are interchangeable?
Salvage-yard interchange data links Subaru Forester AC compressor fitments across 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. Searching all 12 years widens the pool of units; confirm the part number against your VIN, since trim or drivetrain can split an interchange group.