One of the worst things you can ever do to a car is to let its engine overheat. Thankfully, that will only happen if its cooling system is faulty, like when the water pump leaks. The water pump circulates coolant that removes heat from the engine and releases it into the air despite the name.
Yes, your water pump will continue to leak even when the engine is off. That will happen for several reasons like torn hoses, worn-out gaskets, and a leaking radiator or radiator cap. Worse yet, the same will happen if the pump itself is cracked or damaged.
The water pump is an incredibly critical part of your vehicle’s safe operation. So, keep reading to discover why it leaks and what you can do about it.
Will A Water Pump Leak When The Car Is Off?
Yes, a water pump will leak even if the car is off and the engine isn’t running. Coolant in the pump system will leak out for the same reasons as if the vehicle was on and running.
Regardless of whether the car is on or off, you must troubleshoot the issue as soon as possible.
The water pump is a critical part of the vehicle’s cooling system. When it doesn’t work correctly, the engine will quickly overheat and damage itself from within.
What Causes A Water Pump To Leak Coolant?
Your car’s water pump will leak when one or more of its components becomes faulty or suffers damage. Along with the water pump, those components circulate the same coolant that prevents the engine from overheating.
Those components include:
- Hoses: Hoses carry coolant (circulated by the water pump) from one part to the other. Those hoses will leak coolant when they develop holes, rips, or tears.
- Gaskets and seals: When two parts join together, a gasket or seal fits between them to form an airtight seal. Coolants will leak out from joints in the car’s cooling system if they become worn out, including those on the water pump itself.
- Radiator: The water pump circulates coolant through a radiator. Air passes through the radiator to remove heat from the coolant and help to cool the engine down. Unfortunately, radiators, too, can form leaks that let coolant out.
- Radiator cap: The radiator cap ensures that the coolant from the water pump stays at the correct pressure.
- Water pump: Last but not least, the water pump itself could be the source of the leak. For instance, a crack in the pump will leak coolant very quickly, causing the whole cooling system to fail.
How Do You Know If The Water Pump Is Leaking?
Here are the two ways to know if your water pump is leaking:
Method 1: Visual Inspection
The most straightforward way to know if the water pump is leaking is to inspect it visually. To do that, you must pop the hood and look into the engine compartment. A flashlight might make the job easier, but it’s still challenging to do if you’re not familiar with the engine compartment layout.
Despite the difficulty, checking the water pump this way from time to time will help you spot a water pump leak early. That’ll give you a chance to resolve it before it becomes worse.
Method 2: Checking Under The Car
The second way to know if your car is leaking coolant is to check the ground where you park the car overnight.
Whenever something leaks in your car’s engine compartment, the fluid will fall to the ground underneath. Typically, any liquid other than water won’t evaporate quickly. So, you can inspect it closer the following morning.
Remember: the water pump circulates coolant that comes in several different colors. You’ll know that the fluid underneath your car is coolant from the water pump if:
- The fluid is pink, yellow, or green in color.
- The fluid smells sweet (careful, it’s also toxic!)
- The fluid’s consistency is thicker than water but thinner than oil (clean your fingers after checking!)
If the fluid underneath your car checks off all three of those characteristics, that’s coolant. But, unfortunately, it’s also on the floor because the water pump or surrounding components are leaking.
Can You Stop A Water Pump From Leaking?
Yes, you can stop your car’s water pump from leaking.
In the short term, you can pour a water pump stop-leak product. These fluids can run directly into the cooling system through the radiator cap. Once it’s in the system, it’ll flow to the water pump and plug any minor leaks.
However, that’s just a temporary solution. You should only use it while fixing the root cause, either yourself or by taking the car to a mechanic.
Beyond that, the precise solution for your water pump leak will depend on the root cause. For example:
- For leaking hoses, gaskets, or seals: Thankfully, these parts are very straightforward and affordable to replace. Attaching new hoses and gaskets will restore the system’s tight seal and stop the leak.
- For cracked or otherwise damaged water pumps: Unfortunately, you can’t repair a water pump that suffers cracks or other forms of damage that causes leaks. Instead, you’ll have to replace it with a new one entirely.
Can You Drive A Car With A Leaking Water Pump?
Yes, you can drive a car with a leaking water pump. That’s because the engine and other parts are still producing power to move the vehicle.
We do absolutely not think you should drive with a leaking water pump, and its difficult to say how much a short trip will do not knowing how bad the condition of the water pump is.
However, doing so is very risky. As the coolant continues to leak, the engine will begin overheating. When that happens, you’ll hurt the engine by forcing it to continue running.
The only temporary solution is to stop the car frequently to top-up any fluid lost by the leaking water pump.
As you can imagine, this is not a practical solution to keep your car running indefinitely. The longer you do it, the worse the leak will get. At that point, refilling coolant will no longer help the situation.
So, the only time you should drive your car with a leaking water pump is to get it to a mechanic so they can fix the problem for you.
Final Thoughts
An overheating engine is one of the most dangerous situations for any combustion-engine vehicle. That’s why you must always err on the side of caution when it comes to its cooling system, which includes the water pump. If you think it’s leaking, get it checked and fixed immediately!