# Cost of replacing water pump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** matrix, toyota\ **Created:** [May 12, 2013, 10:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261 "2013-05-12T10:06:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DONG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3e96dc/32.png) [@DONG](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DONG)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/1 "2013-05-12T10:06:45Z")
Hello, I own a 2007 Toyata Matrix, with little over 71k miles. I live in L.A. County in California. Yesterday when I was at work, my mother took the car to her mechanic for scheduled oil change. But he told her that the car has a leaky water pump, and offered to replace it & thermostat for around $350. Is that reasonable? The guy also told her that if we went to the dealer, it would cost at least $450. The guy is pretty trustworthy (as my mother tells me), since he is husband of my mother’s close acquaintance. He did number of repairs on the car in the past, so I’d like to trust him. But my mother thinks $350 is still too expensive and also not very happy about it. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/2 "2013-05-12T15:25:52Z")
It’s $120 part and 1.1 hrs of labor. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/3 "2013-05-12T16:34:13Z")
Almost ALL newer cars have the waterpump driven by timing belt. A Honda will cost 700 for a TB service. This matrix is different? 1hr to change water pump? Dran coolant. Adjust timing? Obviously not? So WP is not driven by timing belt? It’s drivn by a 2nd belt? Hmm, ok. ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/4 "2013-05-12T17:05:51Z")
I would ask to see the leaking water pump or take it somewhere else for confirmation. Do you notice a drop in the coolant level? I don’t trust anybody I don’t know, especially mechanic shops. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/5 "2013-05-12T17:11:36Z")
I thought the labor to replace that water pump was in the 1.5 hour range. If it is in the 1.5 hour range, then the $350 price sounds a little on the high side, but likely defendable. You can assume labor costs in the L.A. county Calif to be in the $100/hour range or more. So labor, the price of the pump, antifreeze, shop fees, and tax can quickly add up to $350. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/6 "2013-05-12T19:55:13Z")
On the 1.8L engine, and other Toyota engines also, it is difficult to positively confirm the water pump is leaking until it is removed or it totally fails and leaves you stranded. I have found the yellow/green indication of coolant leak at the weep hole on Toyota engines while searching for the cause of a belt type noise and replacing the water pump ended the noise and a close inspection of the pump indicated it was nearing total failure. If the belt is removed and an inspection mirror held carefully below the pulley with a small flashlight reflected off the mirror the weep hole can usually be seen. A yellowish “scab” at the hole indicates the seal is failing. And the price sounds reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/7 "2013-05-12T19:55:42Z")
Sounds perfectly reasonable. $120 or so for the part, $150 or so for labor, $25 for a gallon of Toyota long life coolant, $25 for a thermostat, taxes etc, easily $350. Better than a $700 water pump on a PT Cruiser or something. On what basis is $350 too expensive? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/8 "2013-05-12T20:13:24Z")
The matrix doesn’t have a timing belt. Chilton “regular” labor times Water pump (does not include thermostat replacement) 1.4hrs Thermostat 1.2hrs Chilton “OEM” labor times Water pump (does not include thermostat replacement) 0.9hrs Thermostat 0.8hrs The price for parts and labor sounds quite reasonable to me. I don’t see much point in shopping around for a lower price. OP should be pretty happy the water pump isn’t driven by a timing belt. That would have cost considerably more. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/9 "2013-05-13T04:31:28Z")
Price seems perfectly reasonable especially if it includes the new thermostat and a drain and fill w/fresh coolant mix. Even more so if the coolant has never been replaced. ---
**Author:** ![Cloudster](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cloudster/32/3238_2.png) [@Cloudster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cloudster)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 10:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/10 "2013-07-10T10:30:37Z")
You’ve probably already had the service done or decided not to do it since your original post was two months ago, but you might consider having the timing belt/chain replaced at the same time. I don’t know how different the Matrix is from my 2000 Mazda 626, but I had the timing belt replaced, and a few months later had to have the water pump replaced. My mechanic was apologetic and said the labor to crack the engine open was the same for both, so one labor charge for two repairs. I’m thinking about having both done preemptively for future repairs if I have to have one done. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 11:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-water-pump/79261/11 "2013-07-10T11:03:31Z")
Again, as mentioned, this car does NOT have a timing belt, rather a timing chain (which does not drive the water-pump). The water-pump is driven by the serpentine belt, which should probably be changed when this work is being done. The post is pretty old, the price sounds very reasonable esp for LA county.