Unfortunately, we’ve heard multiple reports of consumers, most of whom identify as female, who have been told by shady shops and dealers that they’re required to pay for a full water pump plus timing belt package — even if their vehicle is fitted with a timing chain that requires no additional work. As a result, it’s worth learning whether your vehicle has a timing belt or chain so you’re not duped into paying to replace a component that doesn’t exist.

Also, keep in mind that warranty coverage — factory or extended — only applies to parts that fail due to factory defects or bad design/fitment. That means your claim probably won’t be approved if your water pump or timing belt fails due to:

You can see that it costs nearly twice as much to replace the water pump on our sample BMW as on our sample Honda. Part of that comes down to the fact that parts and labor on luxury vehicles cost more in general, but another major factor is how difficult your water pump is to access.

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Your water pump moves coolant through your engine to help ensure it doesn’t overheat. Without it, your car can essentially die of heat exhaustion. (That means you’ll want to get your water pump fixed as soon as possible when it goes bad.)

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Aside from asking your mechanic to top off your fluid levels with every oil change, there’s not a lot to be done to maintain a water pump. “Preventative maintenance on a water pump is only recommended on cars that have historically bad water pumps,” said Kim.

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Some of the most common signs of a failing water pump include coolant leaks, steam/whining coming from your engine bay and your engine overheating.

While it’s technically possible — and there are plenty of do-it-yourself videos on YouTube — it’s generally not cost-effective to repair a water pump instead of replacing it.

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You shouldn’t drive with a bad water pump, and here’s why: Your engine gets hot. Really hot. To keep from getting too hot, your water pump cycles coolant (usually a mix of water and antifreeze) between your engine and radiator.

Without proper cooling from your water pump, your engine will overheat and cause permanent damage to itself, which can be significantly more expensive to fix.

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But how much is that going to cost? Do you always have to replace your water pump and timing belt together? And when does a warranty cover these repairs?

“We only replace water pumps,” said a service advisor at an ASE-certified garage in Atlanta. “By the time you pay for all that labor to remove your water pump, it makes way more sense to replace it than to try to repair it.”

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On average, the cost to replace both your water pump and timing belt together is around $1,200, but you might pay $800 for each if done separately.

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The cost to replace a water pump can range from $600 to over $1,000, depending on the make and model of your vehicle. The average tends to hover around $800 if you pay an independent shop. (If you take your vehicle to the dealership, you can expect to pay $1,000 or more.)

You don’t necessarily have to replace your water pump and timing belt at the same time, but many experts recommend it. There are three main reasons why:

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You can tell if your engine is overheating by watching the needle in your dashboard’s temperature gauge. If it rises beyond normal levels, it’s best to pull over immediately and call for a tow before causing permanent engine damage.

On average, the cost to replace a timing belt is also around $800. However, most of that is labor, and if you replace your timing belt and water pump at the same time, the cost for both can come down to $1,200 or less — a 25% savings on average.

If you’re concerned about the high cost of replacing your water pump and timing belt together, there’s some good news: even the most basic powertrain warranties tend to cover both components.