You smell burning oil, there is oil on top of the engine or under the car, and the shop says the oil filter housing is cracked or leaking. You want to know what the fix costs before you say yes.
So how much does oil filter housing replacement cost? On Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler models, most with the 3.6 V6, owners told NHTSA, the US road safety agency, they paid or were quoted $650 to $1,382.93.
BMW X3 owners were charged or quoted $2,300 to $4,000 when the housing leaked coolant. Chrysler’s own housing is only $162, so most of the bill is labor.
In this guide I will show you what owners paid, what the parts cost, the cheap fixes Chrysler and BMW tell their dealers to try first, and how to tell the housing is leaking.
What Owners Paid
Here is what owners of Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler models told NHTSA, with a link to each complaint:
- A cracked oil filter housing on a 2017 Jeep Wrangler cost about $650 to repair, filed in May 2024.
- The cracked housing of a 2014 Wrangler cost about $800 for the part and labor, filed in October 2025.
- A repair shop found a cracked housing and a failed fuel line clip on a 2013 Chrysler Town and Country, and put the repair at just over $800, filed in January 2024.
- A mechanic replaced the failed housing of a 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan for $808.63, filed in March 2022.
- The oil filter housing of a 2019 Chrysler Pacifica cost $918.78 to replace, filed in November 2025.
- A dealer quoted $1,000 for the oil filter housing assembly of a 2020 Ram 1500, filed in January 2025.
- A service manager quoted $1,030 for an oil cooler housing defect on a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, filed in February 2022.
- A 2014 Wrangler’s new housing cost $175 for the part and $950 for labor, filed in January 2025.
- The housing of a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica began to leak after its owner tightened it to Chrysler’s 18 ft-lbs, and the repairs cost $1,198.37, filed in November 2023.
- A cracked cooler and oil filter housing on a 2014 Dodge Journey cost $1,382.93 after an oil change, filed in January 2025.
So these owners paid or were quoted $650 to $1,382.93. The housing sits under the intake on the 3.6 V6, which is why the labor is most of the bill.
BMW’s bills are higher. A repair shop billed a little over $2,300 for a new housing on a 2019 X3, with diagnosis, oil and coolant, filed in December 2024.
BMW dealers estimated $3,119 for a 2019 X3 and quoted $3,140.80 for a 2018 X3 and $4,000 for a 2020 X3, filed in 2022 to 2026.
Local mechanics quoted the owner of that 2020 X3 $2,500 by phone, with an aluminum housing in place of the plastic one.
The owner of a 2022 Kia Telluride paid $425 for a cracked oil filter housing, filed in January 2026.
What the Parts Cost
Here are Chrysler’s own parts for the 3.6 V6 on a dealer parts website, checked October 9, 2026:
So the housing is $162 to $193.50, and the bill is mostly labor. One Wrangler owner paid $175 for the part and $950 to fit it.
Try the Cheap Fixes First
In February 2025 Chrysler told its dealers that oil filter housings on the 3.6 V6 were being replaced for oil leaks “at high rates” when they did not need to be. Its bulletin 09-003-25 covers 2022 to 2025 models.
Dealers must find the leak with dye first. A leak at the filter cap gets a new filter and cap O-ring, the $7.51 kit, and a leak where the housing meets the block gets the $9.90 gasket kit, not a new housing.
Chrysler also warns that some aftermarket filter and O-ring kits do not seal. And in a 2020 case note, it found that oil between the housing and the block can be leftover oil from the factory’s first fill, not a leak.
BMW’s bulletin of December 2025 covers coolant leaking from the oil filter housing on its four cylinder engines, in the X3, X4, 3, 4 and 5 Series and Z4. BMW’s fix is new gaskets and a redesigned insert, under its new car warranty.
So before you pay for a whole housing, ask the shop to show you where the leak is, and whether a seal or gasket fixes it.
How to Tell the Housing Is Leaking
Owners describe a burning oil smell, oil on top of the engine or on the drive shaft, and puddles under the car. On the 3.6 V6 the oil can collect out of sight in the valley of the engine.
On the BMWs the housing leaked coolant instead, and the low coolant light came on or the engine ran hot. Do not keep driving like that, because two owners had their cars towed.
Several leaks started soon after an oil change. A Wrangler owner’s mechanics said an overtightened filter can crack the plastic housing, so if the leak is new after a service, ask the shop to check the cap first.
Oil Filter Housing Questions You Might Have
How much does it cost to replace an oil filter housing?
Owners of Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler models paid or were quoted $650 to $1,382.93, and BMW X3 owners $2,300 to $4,000, by their complaints to NHTSA.
How much is an oil filter housing?
Chrysler’s housing for the 3.6 V6 is $162 to $193.50 on a dealer parts website. Its filter and cap O-ring kit is $7.51 and its gasket kit $9.90.
Can I drive with a leaking oil filter housing?
Not for long. One Pacifica laid down a smokescreen of oil on the highway, and two BMW X3s lost their coolant and had to be towed.
Why does the oil filter housing crack?
Owners blame the plastic housing, and one mechanic blamed overtightened filters. Chrysler calls the 2022 to 2025 leaks a manufacturing issue, but its fix is mostly seals.
Is a leaking BMW oil filter housing covered?
BMW’s fix for the coolant leak on its four cylinder engines, new gaskets and a redesigned insert, is covered under its new car warranty.
Where These Prices Come From
- The owner complaints to NHTSA linked above, read October 9, 2026.
- Chrysler bulletin 09-003-25 (February 14, 2025) and STAR case S2009000004 (November 16, 2020), and BMW SIB 11 10 25 (December 12, 2025), on NHTSA’s website.
- Part prices on MoparPartsGiant, checked October 9, 2026: 68596318AB, 68105583AF, 68191349AC and 68191356AB.
I hope this helps you fix the leak with the right part and not the most expensive one. If you have any questions, you can email me at costcheckr@gmail.com.
