When to replace serpentine belt in your car?
Dealing with a broken belt or hose is bad enough, but if your engine becomes damaged, it’s even worse. By getting your belt regularly replaced, you can reduce the risk of your car breaking down. This allows you to enjoy your car and drive worry-free.
What causes the serpentine belt to fall off?
Seized belt tensioners can cause a loose serpentine belt to completely fall off of the tensioner. The symptoms of a loose belt include serpentine belt noise when the engine is started or when you turn the steering wheel all the way to the left or the right.
Can a serpentine belt failure cause a power steering failure?
Air conditioning or power steering failure: If the serpentine belt fails or breaks, you may notice your air conditioning not working properly. Additionally, your car’s power steering system, alternator, or water pump may fail, resulting in a serious safety issue.
Why is a serpentine belt called a fan belt?
You may have heard a serpentine belt referred to as a fan belt or accessory belt. This is because vehicles used to have multiple drive belts that connected the engine to the accessories (such as the radiator fan). But modern vehicles (usually) just have one belt that winds through multiple pulleys to power all the accessories.
How often should you change your serpentine belt?
Serpentine belts can last for years and might only need to be changed once or twice over the life of the vehicle. The recommended industry standard is to inspect your belt at 60,000 miles for wear & tear and replace if necessary, and replace every 90,000 miles regardless of the appearance in order to reduce the chances of a breakdown.
What happens when a serpentine belt wears down?
As a serpentine belt gets older and wears down, the rubber parts may peel off, causing the belt to crack, fray, or slip. When these things occur, it may become misaligned or contaminated with fluid.
Is the serpentine belt the same as the timing belt?
Plus, it could also damage the engine accessories it controls. This is why it is so important to get your serpentine belt replaced on a regular schedule. Don’t get confused—a serpentine belt is not the same thing as a timing belt. The serpentine belt and timing belt have very different functions in your vehicle.
How do you replace a serpentine belt pulley?
Many have a ½” square cast into the tensioner arm, in which you insert a ½” breaker bar, or Belt Tensioner Tool to relieve the tension. Many others, you use a socket on the pulley itself to do this. Use a ratchet or breaker bar that fits into the bolt and release the tensioner.