There is nothing worse than driving around in your vehicle and then it breaks down on you; this is especially true if you are far from home and far from an auto repair shop. Fortunately, many parts on your car, truck or SUV will give you subtle signs that it is time to ask a repair person look at them. It’s no different when it comes to the water pump on your vehicle. Here are some telltale signs that mean there is a good chance your vehicles important water pump may fail soon.
Why is a Water Pump important to your Vehicle?
First of all it is important that you know what a water pump’s function is in your vehicle. It is a major component of the cooling system. It circulates the water through a jacket around your engine to keep it cool; without it your engine would easily overheat and be ruined in a short amount of time.
Typical Warning Signs that Water Pump failure may be Imminent
Water under your vehicle in the water pump area
If you go out to get in your vehicle and you see water on the ground directly under where the water pump is in your engine, then you should be concerned. Open the hood and see 
if there is any water coming from the water pump itself when the engine is running. If you don’t see any water coming from your water pump then make sure you look to see if water is present again the next time you go to get in your car; if it is your need to have an auto repair shop check your vehicle out right away.
Any time your water pump is leaking your vehicles precious coolant is being lost and eventually your engine will overheat or possibly even get ruined. Any leak in a water pump is a serious problem that needs to be remedied right away to avoid possible serious consequences to your engine.
Rust and Corrosion
As with any type of metal part, if your water pump starts to become very rusty and corroded that is not a good sign. You can pretty much be sure that if the rust and corrosion get bad enough that the water pump will seize up or develop a leak that will necessitate its being replaced.
Bad Water Pump Bearings
Just like any other type of pump that moves water, there is an impeller inside your water pump that helps push the water through your vehicles circulation system. The impeller is attached to the end of a rotating shaft inside your water pump; there are also ball bearings added where it attaches to the shaft to help the impeller rotate smoothly as it turns. When these bearings start to get worn out or fail the water pump itself will start to squeak as it operates. As a general rule, the louder the squeaking the closer the water pump is to failing.
No Hot Air Coming out when Your Vehicles Heater is turned on
This is not an exclusive problem that is always related to the water pump in your vehicle but it is one that certainly warrants it being checked for possible problems. If you have been driving for more than a few minutes and you turn on the heat and only cold air comes out, it could be a sign your water pump is about to go or it has already failed. Get your car to a professional auto mechanic right away to determine what the exact cause of the problem is here.
Helpful Tip
If indeed your water pump fails and needs to be changed, then it’s best to change the belt that drives it too. Water pump failures often have consequences such as dripping water on the drive belt for them. This impacts the reliability of the drive belt that runs it. Just to be safe its best to replace this belt at the same time you replace your water pump.
Well now you know the key warning signs that your vehicles water pump may be about to have a major problem. When any of these warning signs appear it is important to have your vehicle looked at as soon as possible to avoid damaging your engine if your water pump does indeed eventually fail.