The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the water pump bearing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 35,000.