Tools you need for water pump on a 2018-2024 Toyota Camry

On the XV70 Camry the water pump job is more about access than difficulty. On the 2.5L A25A-FKS and the 3.5L 2GR-FKS V6 the pump is belt-driven and lives on the passenger side of the engine, so you pull the right front wheel, the fender liner and the undertray, release the automatic tensioner with a breaker bar, and work through the wheel well plus from above. Most of the fasteners are 10 mm and 12 mm, and nothing needs a puller or a special Toyota tool — just patience and long extensions.

The Hybrid is a different animal: there is no accessory belt at all, and the engine coolant pump is electric with a wiring connector, plus there's a separate inverter coolant loop with its own pump that people sometimes confuse with the engine pump. The thing DIYers get wrong on every version is the refill. This cooling system holds air badly, so skip the spill-free funnel and long idle cycles with the heater on full and you will be chasing an overheat or a cold heater a week later. Use Toyota's pink SLLC only, and recheck the level cold after a couple of drives.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2018-2024 generation

2.5L A25A-FKS: belt-driven pump with a four-bolt pulley, pump bolts are mostly 10 mm, tensioner released with a 14 mm socket on a long breaker bar. 3.5L 2GR-FKS: also belt-driven but tucked deeper — expect to remove an idler or alternator bracket (12/14 mm) for access, and budget an extra hour and 2 more quarts of coolant. Hybrid A25A-FXS: no serpentine belt and no pulley tools needed; the engine pump is electric with a plug-in connector, and the inverter loop has its own separate electric pump that is a different part number.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Park on level ground, let the engine cool completely, and disconnect the 12 V battery negative terminal (10 mm). On the Hybrid, additionally follow Toyota's procedure to shut down the high-voltage system and wait the specified time before working near orange cables.
2. Raise the right front of the car, support it on a jack stand, and remove the right front wheel with a 21 mm socket.
3. Remove the engine undertray and the right fender liner: 10 mm bolts plus plastic push clips and, on some trims, Phillips-screw clips.
4. Place the drain pan under the radiator, open the radiator drain cock at the lower corner by hand, and remove the reservoir cap to speed draining. Drain 5-8 quarts depending on engine.
5. Belt-driven engines (2.5L and V6): note the belt routing (photograph it), put the breaker bar or belt tool on the automatic tensioner, rotate it to release tension, and slip the serpentine belt off.
6. 2.5L A25A-FKS: hold the water pump pulley with a strap wrench and remove the four small pulley bolts, then take the pulley off. Remove any bracket or heat shield blocking pump access.
7. 3.5L 2GR-FKS: remove the belt, then any brackets in front of the pump (idler pulley or alternator bracket as needed), then the pump pulley if applicable.
8. Hybrid A25A-FXS: there is no accessory belt. Locate the electric coolant pump on the engine, unclip the electrical connector, and clamp or drain the hoses feeding it.
9. Remove the water pump mounting bolts in a criss-cross order (mostly 10 mm heads). Break the pump free by tapping with a soft mallet — do not pry between the aluminum faces.
10. Scrape off all old gasket material or FIPG with a plastic scraper, then wipe the sealing surface clean with brake cleaner. The surface must be perfectly dry and oil-free.
11. Fit the new gasket or O-ring dry to the new pump (or apply a continuous bead of Toyota FIPG if the pump uses sealant instead of a gasket, and install within the sealant's working time).
12. Install the pump, start all bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading the aluminum, then tighten in a criss-cross pattern to the factory torque. Reinstall the pulley, brackets, hoses and connector.
13. Reinstall the serpentine belt following the routing photo, making sure it sits fully in every groove before releasing the tensioner.
14. Close the radiator drain cock by hand. Attach the spill-free funnel to the radiator neck and slowly fill with Toyota SLLC pink pre-diluted coolant.
15. Start the engine with the funnel full, set the heater to max hot with the fan on, and let it run through several thermostat cycles, topping the funnel as air burps out. On the Hybrid the engine cycles on and off — keep it running long enough for both the engine and heater loops to purge.
16. Remove the funnel, set the reservoir to the FULL line, refit the cap, and reinstall the liner, undertray and wheel. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lb.
17. Drive the car, then recheck the coolant level cold the next day and again after a few hundred miles — air pockets in this system often show up later.
18. Reconnect the battery; the windows may need re-initializing (hold the up switch a few seconds after full close) and the clock reset.

Watch out

The fastener sizes (10/12/14 mm pump and bracket bolts, 21 mm lugs, 76 ft-lb lug torque) are solid for the XV70 platform, but water pump bolt torques and exact coolant capacity vary by engine and I have not stated them — confirm those, and whether your pump uses a gasket or FIPG sealant, in the Toyota service manual for your engine code.

Other jobs on the 2018-2024 Toyota Camry

Water Pump Replacement on other vehicles