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The water pump is a crucial component that helps the engine to function well – as expected. Any damage to the water pump could result in some serious damage to the engine, but what if it happened when you never expected it? Can you drive a car with a bad water pump?
Yes, you can drive with a bad water pump, but you would need not drive very long distances. If you must drive long distances, go along with the coolant liquid you’re using for your car, because you’d need to always cool down the engine to prevent overheating.
Notwithstanding, it is advisable to get the bad water pump in your car fixed as early as possible. This article explains every thing you should know about driving with a bad water pump.
What to Do When You Have a Bad Water Pump
Just keep your coolant handy, so you can always refill when the one in the reservoir leaks out and goes below the recommended level. Also, you may need to stop the car completely at intervals (when on a long journey) to let the engine cool down naturally before proceeding with your trip.
Practically, these are the two surefire safety tips you should adhere to if you don’t want to have a frayed engine. Notwithstanding, the best thing you can do is to get the water pump replaced because water pump leaks can cause other costlier damage to surrounding engine components.
Can You Drive a Car With a Bad Water Pump?
The simple answer is YES, but then, you need to be very cautious when driving in such conditions because you’re putting your engine (and its crucial components) at a big risk.
As a car drives and accelerates, the engine heats up; it is the work of the water pump to circulate the coolant liquid throughout the engine to ensure that the engine doesn’t heat up above the recommended operating temperature.
If an engine overheats above the operating temperature, it can cause some fragile components to warp; most components in the engine bay – even though they are made from metal – are not designed to withstand excessive heat.
When you’re driving with a bad water pump, it is advisable to stop at intervals to check your engine and top up coolant to prevent excess overheating.
Changing the water pump would set you back some hundreds of dollars, but it’s pretty advantageous looking at the potential damages you’d prevent, upfront.
What More?
So, can you drive a car with a bad water pump? Sure you can, but it’s quite risky and not advisable. You know you’ve got a bad water pump when you can see the coolant liquid leaking out from under your car – the front/engine bay side.
Also, if your engine always overheats, it’s a sign that you’ve got a bad water pump. There are other causes of engine overheating anyway.
In summary, the best solution to having a bad car water pump is to get it fixed or replace; driving with the bad pump would cause costlier damages, and you wouldn’t want to deal with that.