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2008 SE I4 Water Pump at 68k

2K views 17 replies 9 participants last post by  el-guapin 
#1 ·
I had my water pump go at 68,000 miles! Anyone else have a similar issue?!

2008 SE 4 Cylinder
 
#4 · (Edited)
That mileage is not the norm. I don't know what the average is, but I'd say most last well past 100,000 miles. You just happen to be one of the very few (probably well under 5%) of owners that will experience a water pump failure before some x mileage.

For example, the V6 engine requires the timing belt to be replaced, which is recommended at 90,000 miles. It is also recommended that the water pump be replaced at the same time since work is being done right there at it...and the water pump is more likely than not to need replacing long before the timing belt needs replacing again at 180k miles...thus it's best to go ahead and replace it even though it's not leaking. Did the timing belt and the water pump really need replacing? In most all cases the answer is - no. However, it is a known fact (determined by maintenance records and design/ manufacturer parameters) that at the recommended 90,000 mileage mark that [say] <5% of the timing belts will have already [pass-tense] broken, and at say 100k miles [say] 10% will break, and at say 120k miles [say] 20% will break, and at say 150k miles [say] 40% will break...and so on. One never knows whether they will be in the <5% group that fails before the recommended replacement, or if they will be lucky and not experience a failure until well past the recommended replacement mileage. It's simply an odds game or gamble, which is based on nothing more than pure luck...much like being lucky and being in the right place at the right time versus being unlucky and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. To a fairly large degree of success we can actually control our luck by playing the better odds (and replacing the timing belt and water pump when it is recommended to do so), but there will always be the unlucky few (such as you) that are in the tiny odds and thus experience bad luck of having a premature failure. But, if it makes you feel better - hopefully you have been lucky on far more important things throughout life...........
 
#7 ·
My '04 1MZ-FE 3.0L V6 engine uses a timing 'belt' (Part# 13568-09080) that Toyota (and Lexus) recommends replacing at 90,000 miles.
 
#10 ·
The original pump failing is common. They are hit or miss and are you usually leaking before 60k of they are early failers. Meaning if it's crusting pink coolant at 20k-45k by 70k it will fail. If it isn't leaking at all by warranty then you likely have a good pump.

Toyota has since updated the pump and the problems pretty much stopped after that. Some were unlucky and got their pumps replaced with non updated pumps. This problem plagued all AZ engines including 1AZ in all applications. I honestly thing Toyota was trying to figure it out as there were several new pump part numbers and revisions until the last batch finally seemed to be a winner.
 
#11 ·
The original pump failing is common. They are hit or miss and are you usually leaking before 60k of they are early failers. Meaning if it's crusting pink coolant at 20k-45k by 70k it will fail. If it isn't leaking at all by warranty then you likely have a good pump.

Toyota has since updated the pump and the problems pretty much stopped after that. Some were unlucky and got their pumps replaced with non updated pumps. This problem plagued all AZ engines including 1AZ in all applications. I honestly thing Toyota was trying to figure it out as there were several new pump part numbers and revisions until the last batch finally seemed to be a winner.
Is this only happening with 2AZ engines? Well that's good to know that they updated the water pump. :D
 
#13 ·
mines starting to make some bearing noises, but no leaks yet. 84K on my 2GR...IF it goes i hope its under warranty. As the engine has to come out to replace the water pump with us V6 owners. Im covered till 100K so we will see
 
#15 ·
Thats old thinking. A good technician can get the pump out of a 2GR while the engine is still in the car. Toyota even has a new engine holder tool to make it even easier though its not 100% necessary.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Mine's still good here, got a 100k on the OEM part for an 07 i4. Probably will end up changing it whenever I get around to changing the coolant though. It's just a poorly made part, some people won't have a problem, some will, just change it with a new pump and you'll be fine.
 
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