The combined housing of the water pump and the thermostat is plastic, and it is bolted directly to the hot engine block. The many heat and cool cycles warp it, it becomes brittle, and then it develops a hairline crack: the fault is almost always the housing, not the pump itself. The signs are slowly disappearing coolant with no visible puddle, the coolant level light, a sweet smell from the engine bay, and later a pink stain under the car. The repair means replacing the pump and the housing together, and the intake manifold has to come off for it: 4 to 6 hours of work. It shows up on model years 2015 to 2025.
What to check
- Check the level in the expansion tank, and ask whether it needs topping up
- With a cold engine, smell the engine bay: a sweet smell means a coolant leak
- Shine a light under the intake manifold, on the right side of the engine: dried or pinkish deposits