I have a 2013 RAV 4 Limited. I took it in to the stealership for one thing and they recommended that I needed a new water pump because there are signs it may be leaking. They wanted to charge me $2K. I refused. What are the early warning signs of a bad water pump? I am fine with preventative maintenance but have had no indication that this was an issue. Please help. Thanks Scotty.
Mileage on vehicle?
The signs of leaking? You will have to be adding coolant, or there will be drops of coolant (whatever color you're using) on the ground under the car.
As far as cost, that price is preposterous, unless they are throwing in a set of rims and tires.
https://repairpal.com/estimator/toyota/rav4/water-pump-replacement-cost
When the car is cool, find the water pump, reach underneath and feel for any wetness, or a small puddle on the ground under the pump. That price is outrageous. Find an honest independent mechanic who will not only tell you if you really need it or not and a reality price for the work. It sounds like they are trying to put you through the grease at your expense.
If your car is overheating, leaking coolant, making a noise, rusting out or you see steam from the engine-that is when you replace the water pump.
You can also use a UV dye to spot the leak easier, if it’s already not obvious from your own inspection. Scotty has a video on his channel you can look up. In any event, you should always confirm the diagnosis for yourself since these stealerships cannot be trusted. You should also be taking your vehicle to an independent, honest mechanic esp. for a Toyota - it’s not a Ferrari or McLaren that needs a dealer tech to work on. Toyota’s are usually not hard to work on, so most can do it - although I prefer to go to ones that specialize in Japanese vehicles (and plenty around where I live since Toyota’s/Honda’s are popular).
