FixFord Explorer Coolant Leak — Where It Usually Comes From, and What It Costs
Across all vehicles, the most common cause of a coolant leak is Water Pump (29.5%). On the Ford Explorer it is Thermostat (31.8%), so the order of suspects is different for this vehicle. The table below shows each fix for this vehicle next to the all-vehicle share, with what it costs on the Ford Explorer.
What it actually turns out to be on the Ford Explorer
| The fix involved | Ford Explorer* | All vehicles* | Typical cost† |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermostat | 31.8% | 19.7% | $174 – $466 |
| Radiator | 27.1% | 28.1% | $291 – $663 |
| Gasket / Seal | 27.1% | 15.7% | $83 – $403 |
| Water Pump | 22.6% | 29.5% | $285 – $495 |
| Hose | 17.7% | 18.2% | $112 – $420 |
| Radiator Hose | 6.8% | 10% | $166 – $399 |
| Intake Manifold | 2.6% | 2.7% | $289 – $597 |
| Other, rarer causes | smaller shares | — | varies |
*Share of visits whose repair involved this part, among visits for this complaint that ended in a parts repair. Combined
repairs count toward each part involved, so shares overlap and don't add up to 100%.
†Middle half of real Ford Explorer invoices (25th–75th percentile) when this was the only fix, parts + labor; rows marked "all vehicles" use all vehicle types.
Real repair reports
Recent, paid Ford Explorer visits for this complaint — the words as the owner said them, and what it turned out to be.
Ford Explorer owners said
“Check for coolant leak”
“coolant leak, thinks its water pump”
“Concern: check for coolant leak”
“Inspect for coolant leak”
More on this problem and this vehicle
- Coolant Leak: all vehicles — how to tell the causes apart, and what each fix usually costs
- All Ford Explorer repair costs
- Ford Explorer Noise While Driving
- Ford Explorer Won't Start
Take this to the shop
The FixDozer Diagnosis Brief for this complaint puts the all-vehicle odds on one printable sheet. Bring it with this page: the table above shows how the Ford Explorer differs.
Download the Diagnosis Brief (PDF, all vehicles)View it online · Narrow it down step by step
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