Leaky Water Pump

I recently had my radiator replaced. Before leaving the shop I noticed fluid on the ground where my car sat. After a quick check, I was told that my water pump was now leaking. Was told it was common to have this happen since the system was now “pressurized”. Is this a common occurence? There didn’t seem to be a problem with my water pump before.

Yes, it’s quite possible for this to happen. If there was overheating involved before this radiator replacement then there’s always the possibility of a head gasket problem developing, weakened coolant hoses, etc.

The solution is to have someone pressure test your cooling system to ensure the water pump is in fact leaking. It only takes a few minutes. If that’s it, replace it. Hoses are easy to check and cheap to replace. Hopefully it’s not a head gasket as that’s a pretty serious problem.

Thank you. I feel better about returning to that mechanic.