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A leak in your car's water pump is a very serious problem that should be addressed as soon as possible. But since a bad water pump won't immediately wreck your car, it's possible to postpone seeing a mechanic due to cost or scheduling concerns. To mitigate your car's water pump leak as much as possible before you can see a mechanic for your auto repair, remember these three tips.

Use Duct Tape To Attach A Towel To Your Car's Underside

While you're not using your car, water from the leaking water pump will slowly fall to the bottom of the hood compartment. When enough water builds up to form a puddle, some of it will inevitably find cracks in your car's metal chassis and fall onto the ground outside.

There's not much you can do to prevent water buildup in the bottom of your car's hood compartment before you see a mechanic. However, it's possible to drastically reduce the amount of water that leaks through your chassis by taping a towel to your car's underside with duct tape. You want to do this because any water leaking through will degrade and widen the metal cracks on the car's chassis.

Don't Use Your Car's Air Conditioning System

Your car's air conditioning system won't work if your water pump completely breaks. But while a water pump leak will certainly reduce how efficiently the air conditioning system can operate, you should still be able to turn it on.

Unless you know you're going to go to a mechanic very soon, don't put any more strain on your car's water pump than you have to. By refraining from using your car's air conditioner, you will save your water pump from going into overdrive and possibly breaking faster.

Don't Use Your Car For A Long Road Trip

Since your water pump has an important role in your car's cooling system, you'll need to be especially careful about getting into a situation where your engine could overheat.

Overheating usually doesn't happen if you mostly use your car for short commuting trips. If it's going to happen at all, it'll most likely happen in the middle of a long road trip, after the temperature in your car's engine has been high for a long time. Therefore, if you have to traverse a long distance before you can see a mechanic, either take a train or get a friend to drive you.

Whatever you do, don't take any kind of problem with your water pump lightly. Though countermeasures can certainly be taken yourself, they shouldn't cause you to delay seeing a mechanic at your first possible opportunity.