Steaming | Madison Auto Care | Madison Auto Care

Never delay the repair of a faulty water pump. If your water pump has broken down, one of Madison Auto Care's seven NAPA service centers can help get you back on the road again.

As you pulled into the driveway after taking the kids to Olbrich, you noticed the steam coming out from under the hood. You immediately cut off the car, but now you’re wondering if it’s safe to drive it to a Madison auto repair pro.

Probably not. You still might have enough coolant – or could add enough coolant – to get the car there, but chances are your car would overheat again before you got very far. That’s something you don’t want to risk.

“There are some parts of a vehicle that, when failing, do not need to be immediately replaced. A water pump is not one of those parts,” according to knowhow.napalonline.com. “Due to the vital role the pump plays in cooling the engine, if it stops working, there will be fast consequences including possible all-out engine failure. Replacing a bad water pump isn’t a quick job, but it’ll save you from the worse job of replacing your engine.”

Knowhow.napaonline.com explains the importance of the water pump: “The water pump moves coolant through the radiator and around the engine to dissipate heat buildup. Rapidly moving, closely connected metal parts generate a lot of friction, and thus, heat. Too much heat and you end up with components that are warped, melted, fused, broken and otherwise structurally compromised. The water pump is usually pulley driven by the drive belt. Internally, there is an impeller that keeps the system circulating.”

The importance of your water pump to the health of your engine is one reason you should know and be alert to the symptoms of a failing, or failed, water pump. Among those symptoms: steam coming from under the hood, car running hot (temperature gauge could reach the red zone), leaks, gunk buildup around the water pump, and/or a whining noise that increases with your speed. The whining noise is likely the belt, which could merely need tightening.

If you have, or think you have, water pump issues, the best thing to do is get your car to a trusted Madison auto repair specialist like the reliable auto repair technicians at one of Madison Auto Care's seven conveniently located NAPA service centers: Clausen Auto, Handel Auto, Genin’s Auto, Capitol Tire, Odana Tire, Hansen’s Auto, or Aeschbach Auto.

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