The High Cost Of Putting Off Water Pump Replacement

Like any part of your engine, the water pump will eventually wear out and fail. When a water pump fails, it can be a big issue for your vehicle and make it inoperable. If you put off replacing a leaking or worn pump, it can cause even more significant and costlier problems for your car. If you’re looking for a deep dive into troubleshooting water pumps, you can find that here.

Even electric vehicles have water pumps and radiators to cool the battery pack. Down below, you will find more info about how neglecting your water pump can lead to compounding issues within your vehicle.

What Happens When The Water Pump Fails?

The water pump moves coolant around the engine, through the thermostat, and throughout the radiator to help keep your car operating at the correct temperature. If you want to learn more about how a water pump works, check out this post.

If the water pump fails, this coolant will not move efficiently through the cooling system to keep the engine cool. If the pump fails and you don’t notice the overheating engine, this can cause even more snowballing issues. The engine can suffer enough damage that it may need to be replaced, or need to have very expensive repairs done. In this post, you can learn more about why you should replace the water pump before it fails.

What Happens If My Engine Overheats?

If an engine gets too hot beyond its intended operating temperature, it can cause several problems. The excess heat may cause cylinder heads to warp, or it may even cause the entire engine block to crack. If either of these happens, your car will need some expensive repairs. A failed water pump also invites extra heat into many other engine parts, like the head gasket. If a head gasket fails, coolant can make its way into the oil. If left long enough, the engine may seize.

What If I Drive An EV?

In electric vehicles, the water pump works in a similar way to those found in an internal combustion engine. However, the pump is powered by an electric motor rather than by the crankshaft. The water pump is usually responsible for cooling the battery pack, and sometimes the electric motor and its power supply. Much like in an engine, these components generate heat and need to be cooled. You can learn more about our EV water pump offerings in this post.

Why Replace My Water Pump Early?

If your water pump has aged beyond 70,000 miles, you should be very aware of its condition. If it begins to leak, that is a sign that it will fail soon, so you should replace the pump as soon as possible. Also, if you replace the timing belt, it is recommended to replace the water pump at the same time. This will help prevent the snowballing of engine issues mentioned above. While a new water pump is a modest expense, an entirely new block will be much more expensive.

At GMB Parts, we have been an industry-leading manufacturer of OEM components since 1943. We have locations in Europe, Asia, and both coasts of the U.S. You can be confident in GMB’s water pumps and all our OEM-standard parts.