The problem with these water pumps is that they are in a spot that is hard to get to. The quote I got from Ford was $2896 to fix. My car is not under warranty anymore. I am very worried about it causing engine failure as that is what the mechanic said will happen because of the faulty water pumps that were put in the 2017 Explorer. He said the damage could be much worse once he gets in and takes a look and that I may need a new engine. I just paid this car off. Its the first car I have ever paid off. Ford is aware of the problem however will not issue a recall for some reason.
Took 2017 Ford Explorer in for oil change and was informed of engine coolant leak. Did compression check, finding water pump defect (leaking). Information found the water could leak into oil and cause engine failure. Towed by AAA auto service to Buckeye Ford in London Ohio. Repair took 18 days and repair cost $3915.99, with water pump found being only $155.64 on the itemized receipt. Very disappointed long time Ford customer. Currently a resolution in 2021 on this issue granted in Canada. A class action suite previously denied in the USA and a reissued class action suite filed in New York, NY. in 2022.
The first sign was when my vehicle started to over heat. Looked under the hood to find zero coolant. Ran a pressure test and found out it was leaking from the water pump. I did some research and found out it’s a timing chain driven water pump. It’s a serious fix and not for an entry level mechanic. It’s currently sitting at the Ford Dealership and is estimated to cost somewhere around $2600 to fix. This issue is known with these engines. 3.5L V6. Be cautious. Most of the time it happens under 150,000 miles.
I currently have a 2017 Ford Explorer that was purchased in 2018 with 19,000 mi. I was recently quoted $3,100 for repair to the engine due to a water pump. I find this cost extremely high for a water pump. It is over 4 times the amount of the average water pump. My Explorer has 61,541 miles and is now currently out of warranty, then the timing of this part failure. I had brought in my vehicle on March 18, 2020 for a collision repair and oil change. The technician advised that there was a coolant leak because the coolant reservoir was low. Less than 1000 miles after the warranty expires, it was discovered that the vehicle has an issue.
Prior to that I had my vehicle in on Dec 17, 2019 because of an oil leak and a seat recall. I am not sure that the technician would have noted a low level of the reservoir because the oil leak repair required the front cover and the oil pan gasket to be replaced. The technician had charged in the items that were replaced/refilled was coolant. I just find it very disappointing for a Loyal Ford customer to be hit with a $3022.15 for a water pump replacement. It is practically the same cost as doing an engine rebuild for most vehicles. It is such a lack of notice that Ford should be telling their customers the cost of repair for this particular part. It is normally a $500 charge to repair. It took $2,275 in labor to replace a $185.97 water pump.
I had contacted Ford customer relations which told me that they have no program resolutions available for me. They advised me to keep receipts on the repair in case there is a recall in the future. I had a previous 2006 Explorer which had coolant issues that went through various radiator replacements and the issue was never fully resolved, nor a recall placed on the anything related to the coolant system. I also went through 3 transmissions on that Explorer. I wanted to stay with Ford and specifically the Explorer because I believe it to be a superior product to my preferences and needs but this event has me reconsidering my choices for the future. There was never a recall for my other Explorer, which give me little hope for this one. I am paying for a water pump at the cost of a rebuilt engine with only a 2 year warranty. I don't believe this is fair for the average consumer.
I took my 2017 Ford Explorer in for an oil change and recieved a call from the service department stating my water pump was going bad and had a slight leak. What was normally a 3-5 hour job turned into a 12 hour job due to Ford placing water pumps inside the engine now. The parts cost was $430, however, labor costs were $1,500!!!! It cost over $2,000 to have this fixed.
I have always completed timely maintenance on my vehicle so this came as a complete shock. Most people do not have $2,000 laying around to fix something that used to be $500-$700. After doing some research I discovered this is the same issue with many Ford vehicles and Ford doesn't seem to be doing anything about it. Fingers crossed the class action lawsuits gets Ford's attention, and its loyal customers get a resolution.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The problem with these water pumps is that they are in a spot that is hard to get to. The quote I got from Ford was $2896 to fix. My car is not under warranty anymore. I am very worried about it causing engine failure as that is what the mechanic said will happen because of the faulty water pumps that were put in the 2017 Explorer. He said the damage could be much worse once he gets in and takes a look and that I may need a new engine. I just paid this car off. Its the first car I have ever paid off. Ford is aware of the problem however will not issue a recall for some reason.
- Cyndi M., Simpsonville, US