NHTSA Complaint #11154700 — 2011 FORD EXPLORER

WE WERE TRAVELING I-26 FROM SC BACK INTO NC AFTER THANKSGIVING. MY CAR DINGED AND SAID COOLANT TEMP WAS TOO HIGH. THANKFULLY I WAS RIGHT AT A REST AREA AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED IN AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. TRIED ADDING COOLANT AND IT POURED OUT THE BOTTOM. HAD MY EXPLORER TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. TURNS OUT THE WATER PUMP BLEW. IN MOST CASES A WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT IS NOT A BIG DEAL. EXCEPT WHOEVER DESIGNED THIS ENGINE WAS NOT THINKING BECAUSE THE WATER PUMP IS INSIDE THE ENGINE. SO EVEN TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP (A PART COSTING LESS THEN $200), THE LABOR MAKES IT AT CLOSER TO $1500. BUT, ALSO, BECAUSE THE WATER PUMP IS INSIDE THE ENGINE, WHEN IT BLEW, COOLANT AND WATER WENT INTO MY ENGINE CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE, MEANING THE WHOLE ENGINE NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SO A CAR WITH 71,000 MILES ON IT NEEDS A WHOLE NEW ENGINE BECAUSE OF A WATER PUMP. I AM THANKFUL I WAS IN A POSITION TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE IF THE ENGINE HAD GONE OUT ON THE BUSY INTERSTATE, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE CRASH. IF A WATER PUMP CAN CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE, THAT IS NOT A CAR I WANT TO BE IN WITH MY CHILDREN. DANGEROUS NOT ONLY TO US, BUT TO OTHERS TRAVELING NEAR US. FORD NEEDS TO RETHINK THIS DESIGN. NOT ONLY IS IT COSTLY TO REPAIR, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.