WHAT VW AND AUDI FORUMS SAY

VW and Audi Forums discussions on water pumps with metal vs plastic impellers

What are VW and Audi forums saying about the plastic vs. metal impeller water pumps issue?

We often read VW and Audi forums to keep abreast of owners’ comments and feedback on general Volkswagen and Audi issues.
It has been interesting to note the recent amount of discussion on various US and UK forums debating the relative benefits of using water pumps with metal as opposed to plastic impellers.
Here are some of the comments>

Audi World Forum

Source: AudiWorld Forum

March 2007
“Use only top quality German water pumps”
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March 2007
Motorweek features Audi water pump with plastic impeller
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June 2006
“make sure you have the metal impeller water pump”
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Audi-Sport.net Forum

Source: Audi-Sport Forum

April 2007 : Audi S3 Owner
“Whoever does it make sure they use a water pump with a metal impeller and not a crappy plastic one.”
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April 2007 : Audi S3 Owner
“I know of three failures of plastic impellers within 25k from new (one being mine).”
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April 2007 : Audi A4 2.8 Owner
“a plastic impeller which falls apart. Luckily had it done properly at a specialist who used the metal impeller pump as well”
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March 2007 : Audi A3 1.8T Owner
“The pump has a plastic impeller and after time and wear and tear, the impeller can break down. Get the uprated version with metal impeller.”
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March 2007 : Audi A4 2.8 Quattro owner
“ensure the water pump is done at the same time and replaced with the metal impeller version not the fisher price Audi crap.”
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VW Audi Forum

Source: VWAudi Forum

April 2007
“I have recently seen a lot of threads regarding overheating problems that seem to stem from faulty water pumps, so I thought this might be worth making into a ’sticky’….”
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UK TT Forum

Source: UK TT Forum

April 2007
discussion of metal pumps with plastic vs metal impellers
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Audi Forums

Source: audi forums

October 2005
“It has a plastic impeller which will not last. It is being replaced with a pump with a brass impeller”
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Yahoo! Autos

Source: Yahoo! Autos

March 2007 : Yahoo! Autos : 2006 Audi TT: User Reviews
“The stock water pump impeller is like the BMW (plastic) and is known to fail, but the replacements are metal impellers so that fixes it!”
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Tyresmoke Forums

Source: Tyresmoke forums

April 2007 : Audi A2 Owner
“…it was the water pump that was not turning the impeller, stupid design and I wish they were all metal so will see how long the new one lasts!”
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March 2006 : Audi A6 1.8T Owner
“the plastic impellor had split allowing it to drop off the metal shaft, apparently this is becoming a common problem”
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February 2005
“timing belt service…. It’s worth having the water pump done at the same time too, as the plastic impellers have a tendency to crack”
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VW Forum

Source: VW Forum

January 2007 : Nottingham based VW Audi Specialist
“The plastic impellers are a joke….On an A6 1.8T we did last week we spent ages bullying the customer into having a pump which in the end he gave in to. When we removed it, the impeller fell off when touched. Just before Christmas, we had a 1.9 TDI 130 in with a failed pump that had actually collapsed and ohh so nearly destroyed the engine. The belt had been replaced just weeks before and all had to be re-done”
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March 2007
discussion - plastic vs metal impellers
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February 2007 : Golf MK4 Owner
“the factory pumps had plastic impellers and they crap out early!”
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February 2007
“I have heard a lot of stories of when people replace the timing belt and water pump, the water pump actually falls apart in their hand due to the prolonged wear on the cheap plastic.”
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VW Forum

Source: VW Forum

March 2007
“VERY common problem on our cars, as the stoopid plastic impellar breaks off. Make sure if you do find out this is the problem that you get the pump replaced with one with a metal impellar or it might just happen again.”
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February 2005
“Make sure to get a water pump with a metal impeller rather than the stock plastic one; those have been known to fail (ask my sister…at 20k…. Rolling Eyes )…”
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UK MKIVs Forum

Source: UK MKIVs Forum

November 2006
“This [PICTURE] is my old water pump after 58k….The belt was in good condition but as for the old pump, I was lucky to get it done when I did so don’t put off getting the belt changed and water pump replaced at the same time.”
Read more and see the picture here

November 2005
“Mate of a mate who was doing it all for me showed me the old water pump and it’s shot to bits pretty much. A few of the impellers have disintegrated - like maybe 4 out of 8 that are on the pump….Anyway, if anyone is thinking about holding off with the belt/pump etc, i wouldn’t bother”
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April 2005
“when my mechanic took the plastic original off and put it on the floor it fell to bits :(”
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New Beetle Owners Forum

Source: New Beetle Owners Forum

March 2007
“Get the pump replaced with a metal one rather than the normal plastic one”
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March 2007
“Change the water pump too, but make sure it has a metal impeller not plastic as they suck”
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