CriticalCommonCooling

Ford Explorer: 3.5 Cyclone V6 internal water-pump failure (coolant into engine)

3.5 Cyclone V6 internal water-pump failure (coolant into engine) is a common cooling fault on the Ford Explorer on the 2011–2019 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $3,000 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 11 documented faults on the Ford Explorer.

Vehicle: Ford Explorer
Engine: 3.5L
Years: 2011–2019
Fuel: petrol
Gearbox: auto
System: Cooling

This page covers the Ford Explorer as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Ford Explorer faults11 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Water pump yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The 3.5-litre (and 3.7) Cyclone V6 used in the fifth-generation (U502) Explorer imported into NZ hides its water pump inside the timing cover, driven by the primary timing chain. When the pump's shaft seal fails, coolant escapes down a weep passage and, if ignored, can pass into the oil and destroy bearings, turning a pump job into an engine rebuild. The weep hole often clogs, so the first sign can simply be coolant that keeps dropping with no visible external leak. This is a labour-intensive repair because the timing cover must come off. On these engines the pump commonly lets go somewhere between about 120,000 and 200,000 km rather than at a fixed figure, so history and coolant level matter more than odometer alone.

What you would notice

Coolant level slowly dropping with no obvious external leak
Orange/yellow coolant residue at the weep hole on the front of the block
Milky or coffee-coloured engine oil / coolant mixed with oil in advanced cases
Overheating or coolant warning
Sweet coolant smell

How to check it

Where to look. Water pump behind the timing cover, front of the transversely-mounted V6

Check the coolant reservoir level and look for a history of unexplained top-ups; pull the oil dipstick and oil-cap and look for a milky emulsion (coolant in oil); inspect the front of the engine for dried orange coolant tracks from the weep passage. Any coolant-in-oil sign is a walk-away or major-negotiation item.

Parts involved: Water pump.

What it costs to put right

$3,000 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the internal water pump been replaced, and at what mileage?”
“Does the coolant level ever need topping up?”
“Can I see the oil on the dipstick and under the oil cap?”

Now check the Ford Explorer you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

theautopian.com - 'Here's How A Bad Water Pump Design Can Total An Older Ford Explorer, Taurus Or Flex'
carcomplaints.com - 2017 Ford Explorer 'Water Pump Failure' cooling-system complaints
go-parts.com - 'Ford & Lincoln 3.5L/3.7L Internal Water Pump: The Hidden Flaw and Costly Repair (2012-2020)'

Ford Explorer buyer questions

Is 3.5 cyclone v6 internal water-pump failure (coolant into engine) serious on a Ford Explorer?

We rate it critical and common on the Ford Explorer. The 3.5-litre (and 3.7) Cyclone V6 used in the fifth-generation (U502) Explorer imported into NZ hides its water pump inside the timing cover, driven by the primary timing chain. When the pump's shaft seal fails, coolant escapes down a weep passage and, if ignored, can pass into the oil and destroy bearings, turning a pump job into an engine rebuild. The weep hole often clogs, so the first sign can simply be coolant that keeps dropping with no visible external leak. This is a labour-intensive repair because the timing cover must come off. On these engines the pump commonly lets go somewhere between about 120,000 and 200,000 km rather than at a fixed figure, so history and coolant level matter more than odometer alone.

How much does it cost to fix on a Ford Explorer?

$3,000 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Ford Explorer years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2011–2019 Ford Explorer. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.