Why did Ford make those water pumps so pricey to replace? I got a quote from the dealership for $3,700. I’ve noticed a lot of Explorers seem to have this issue. Why isn’t there a recall for it? Really frustrating.
The real problem isn’t the pump itself—it’s where Ford decided to put it. On the fifth-gen Explorer, the engine is mounted sideways because it powers the front wheels. To fit everything, they put the water pump inside the engine bay, sealed up with the crankcase.
When the pump fails, it can leak coolant into the engine oil, which can ruin the engine. Fixing it means taking apart the front of the engine—a huge job—so the labor costs are sky-high. And when you’re in there, mechanics usually recommend replacing other parts like the timing chain and guides since you’re already paying for the teardown.
This isn’t really something that could be recalled. It’s just how the car was designed. Ford did change the design in 2020, but for older models, the only solution is saving up for the repair.
Honestly, compared to some other brands, this isn’t the worst problem to deal with. Range Rovers, Mercedes, Bentleys—they all have repair costs just as crazy. And some people have gone over 200k miles without issues. But yeah, I get why it’s frustrating.
@Tavi
But the Taurus had a V8 with a transverse mount, and its water pump could be replaced in 30 minutes—and it probably lasted the life of the car.
Blane said:
@Tavi
But the Taurus had a V8 with a transverse mount, and its water pump could be replaced in 30 minutes—and it probably lasted the life of the car.
The V8 in the Taurus was a lot smaller than the newer engines like the Cyclone or EcoBoost. Plus, the Taurus had more space in the engine bay to work with.
Blane said:
@Tavi
But the Taurus had a V8 with a transverse mount, and its water pump could be replaced in 30 minutes—and it probably lasted the life of the car.
Wait, they had a Taurus with a transverse V8?
@Mika
Yep, the Taurus SHO had a V8. It wasn’t the most reliable engine, though. They also put the 32-valve 4.6L V8 in the Lincoln Continental, which was basically a Taurus chassis. Water pump on that one was easy to replace and didn’t fail often.
That’s why I sold my ‘11 during the pandemic. Loved the car, but I couldn’t risk the water pump going out and ruining the engine.
That’s a lot of money. A fair price for that repair is about half of what you were quoted. The pump itself is under $150—it’s all the labor that makes it so expensive.
How many miles or kilometers do you have on it? I had the same engine in a Flex, and I made it to 325,000 km with the original water pump.
Kiran said:
How many miles or kilometers do you have on it? I had the same engine in a Flex, and I made it to 325,000 km with the original water pump.
I’ve got 130,000 miles on it.
Kiran said:
How many miles or kilometers do you have on it? I had the same engine in a Flex, and I made it to 325,000 km with the original water pump.
I’ve got 130,000 miles on it.
I feel you, man. I had to replace both the transmission and the water pump on my 2017, and it only had 75,000 miles.
@Scout
Man, if I had known how expensive these repairs would be, I don’t think I’d have bought an Explorer. I just spent almost $5k fixing the transfer case, and that’s when I found out about the water pump leak. I’m almost done paying it off, so I don’t know if I should trade it in for a Tahoe or stick with it. Smh.
@Dallas
Don’t get a Tahoe with the 6.2 engine. They have problems like stalling and piston seizures.
Honestly, once you fix the water pump and PTU (which isn’t the same as a transfer case), you’ll have taken care of the two big problems with the Explorer. It should be good for another 100k miles or more. If you sell it now, a buyer might lowball you knowing you want out, and they’ll get a solid car for cheap.
@Dallas
I’ve been looking at the new Traverse. They’re nice. But I think I’ll keep my Explorer as long as I can.