Who has a Water Pump go bad?

740GLE

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So far I've had to add about 1 C to our '15 sitting with 28K on the clock. Knock on wood.

If someone were to DIY this, I imagine TB locking tools would be a minimum? Seeing other TB components aren't touched it'd be a bit easier?
 

adjat84th

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'01 Jetta TDI/'15 Golf TDI
Crank lock and cam/pump pin are compatible from prior years CR motors. The procedure is nearly identical as well. No need to remove the belt completely, so no need to remove the motor mount and support the engine. I ended up having a small coolant leak rather than a leaking pump, though I suspect my pump was replaced in its first 15k miles before I owned the car.
 

Psybin

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May 13, 2019
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Maryland
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2015 GSW
2015 GSW - 53k, losing coolant, dealer diagnosed leaking waterpump. They had to change the timing belt as well. Thankfully this happened before the magic 60k powertrain warranty bye-bye mark.
 

adjat84th

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Did they replace tensioner and rollers? If not, I'd probably replace again at the normal interval. Nice you got a fresh pump on them though.

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RIP TDI

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Santa Barbara, CA
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'15 GSW SE 6MT...... '01 Golf GLS 5MT.... '96 Passat Variant....
2015 GSW - 53k, losing coolant, dealer diagnosed leaking waterpump. They had to change the timing belt as well. Thankfully this happened before the magic 60k powertrain warranty bye-bye mark.
Could you check your invoice and report the part number of the water pump? I'm curious if they are showing a different p/n than the original that may indicate a non-variable pump replacing the original variable flow pump.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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I haven't seen a new OE number for the non-variable pump. And any aftermarket manufacturer's number will be the non-variable, as I don't believe anyone in the aftermarket is making a variable pump for this application.
 

bmwM5power

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2015 GSW - 53k, losing coolant, dealer diagnosed leaking waterpump. They had to change the timing belt as well. Thankfully this happened before the magic 60k powertrain warranty bye-bye mark.
So is changing the water pump falls under the power train warranty? Just curious, cuz I found a few spots of what appears to be the coolant on my driveway
 

740GLE

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should be, I'd fight it tooth and nail.
 

Datalore

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2006 Jetta TDI- SOLD, 2000 VW Beetle ALH- SOLD, 2015 Golf Sportwagen SE DSG
So is changing the water pump falls under the power train warranty? Just curious, cuz I found a few spots of what appears to be the coolant on my driveway

If you are in the USA, it absolutely covered under the powertrain warranty. Without coolant or a sealed water pump, what happens to the motor? The warranty on these cars was written by the Department of Justice along with VWoA. It is much more consumer favorable than a standard manufacturer warranties. If one dealer is giving you a headache, go to another or call VWoA directly.
 

bmwM5power

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If you are in the USA, it absolutely covered under the powertrain warranty. Without coolant or a sealed water pump, what happens to the motor? The warranty on these cars was written by the Department of Justice along with VWoA. It is much more consumer favorable than a standard manufacturer warranties. If one dealer is giving you a headache, go to another or call VWoA directly.
the dealer I went to does not give me a headache yet, they said it is covered but only " the part that failed" is gonna be replaced, Ive heard some people had their TB done too while fixing the failed pump, but im only at 35K mi
 

740GLE

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if there was visible coolant leakage onto the TB & mechanisms, i'd push for TB change.
 

bmwM5power

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if there was visible coolant leakage onto the TB & mechanisms, i'd push for TB change.
Theres no way for me of knowing this unless I take the cover off myself, all I see right now is this
 
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bmwM5power

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Went to the dealer, the tech confirmed water pump is leaking, needs replacement along with the timing belt. The service advisor surprised me with " it might not be covered under warranty because there is no check engine light", I almost laughed but will wait till Monday when they call the warranty rep.
 

bmwM5power

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Which one-Dorschel or Ide?
dorschel
got the call on Monday from the same serv. adviser that contacted the "warranty rep" and I was informed that I have to pay for everything, not covered under powertrain warranty, had to call VW , spoke with the different adviser on Tuesday and now its all under powertrain warranty, car is being fixed. IDE alo confirmed its covered, Im wondering if this is the adviser that tried to give me a hard time.
 
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fredthe

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A few months ago on our GSW the dealer found a leaky water pump along with leaks in oil and DSG pan gaskets during an oil change. Car at ~50k, all covered under powertrain warranty.
 

bmwM5power

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A few months ago on our GSW the dealer found a leaky water pump along with leaks in oil and DSG pan gaskets during an oil change. Car at ~50k, all covered under powertrain warranty.
did they change the TB as well?
 

fredthe

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did they change the TB as well?
I had expected them to, but reviewing the work order now, they didn't.
:( :( :(

Even if they did, there's still the other parts to be replaced with a full TB change, so I'd still need the 130K service anyway.

Same for the DSG... they did the pan which required replacing the fluid, but not the filter. So I'll still need that service at the normal time.
 

bmwM5power

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I had expected them to, but reviewing the work order now, they didn't.
:( :( :(
Even if they did, there's still the other parts to be replaced with a full TB change, so I'd still need the 130K service anyway.
Same for the DSG... they did the pan which required replacing the fluid, but not the filter. So I'll still need that service at the normal time.
in my case they did, at least thats what on the invoice
 

ticaf

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For anyone interested, the water pumps are $150 (including $50 core charge) from VW and include gasket and coolant valve solenoid already installed. These pumps also don't use a belt gear as the pulley runs on the backside of the timing belt which I found interesting.

Pump part 04L-121-011-EX
Pump bolts (3) N-910-488-04


do you have a picture of the other side (part number) by any chance ?
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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By the way, an X at the end of a VW part number indicates a remanufactured part.
 

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
By the way, an X at the end of a VW part number indicates a remanufactured part.

Yes, however it can also simply indicate a "return for recycling" in the modern sense, as many 'X' labeled parts are in fact brand spanking new. I suspect these water pumps fall into that category.

All the EA888 engines I replace (and there have been quite a few) are 100% brand new long blocks, absolutely nothing is rebuilt or refurbished at all. Yet there is a core charge and the part number has the 'X' suffix.

VAG transmissions can be either, and you do not know until you open the crate. The last couple 01Ms I got were new, but those are mostly NLA now.

Ford's modular V8s (4.6L/5.4L) are 100% new. GM's L V8s (4.8L, 5.3L, 6.0L) are usually rebuilt blocks with new heads affixed to them. ChryCo's 6T slushboxes look like a used transmission that has been powerwashed and rattlecan painted.

I bring those examples up because we do so many of them here. I think the cost/energy/environmental impact on some things is just too great to properly rebuild them. Especially when you add in finding out way after the fact that the core is no good, and you've already credited the core charge.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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Yes, however it can also simply indicate a "return for recycling" in the modern sense, as many 'X' labeled parts are in fact brand spanking new. I suspect these water pumps fall into that category.
I suspect that, too. We've seen that with other parts from other suppliers, too, like Bosch alternators and starters. Sometimes they feed new product into the system to help boost core volume.
 

oilhammer

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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
Funny you mention Bosch starters. That was the first time I saw "new in box" being sold as reman. It was back around '90 or so. The SR15X was the 12v manual transmission Beetle starter (also used in many other air-cooled applications). We were getting these new style small motor case type starters for these, instead of the old giant chunky round starter motors. Seems Volkswagen/Bosch made the update to all their new models around the same time, which included the Beetles since they were still being built new in other parts of the world. And just like other applications, these newer smaller starter motors were more powerful.

Bosch still wanted the cores back, and I would assume they were harvested for scrap. Never did update a lot of the other older applications, though.
 

JM Popaleetus

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Connecticut
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Signature.
Looks like 04L121011P is the newest revision of the pump.

At $350 new, is this a variable pump or has VW gone back to static pumps?
 
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oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
It is the variable pump sans the collar. So it plugs in, but does nothing. At least that is what I have seen.
 
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