How far can you drive if your serpentine belt breaks?
How long will my car run with a broken serpentine belt? There are a few variables involved in the answer, but it should be able to run between 20 to 90 minutes. If it is a hot summer day, your engine can overheat very quickly without the coolant being pumped through the radiator.
How often are serpentine belts typically replaced in miles?
Serpentine belts will last you a few years, but depending on whom you ask, you’ll need to start thinking about checking it every 50,000 to 60,000 miles. The easiest way to know that a new serpentine belt is needed is if you hear it squealing while the engine is running.
How many miles can a serpentine belt last?
As a general rule, a serpentine belt lasts up to 50,000 miles or five years before it need to be replaced. Some can even last for up to 80,000 miles without any problems, but consult the owner’s manual for exact service interval.
When to call a mechanic for a bad serpentine drive belt?
As soon as you notice a squealing noise, loss of power steering, the engine overheating, or the belt looks bad, call a mechanic immediately to diagnose the problem further. YourMechanic makes getting repairs to your serpentine/drive belt easy by coming to your location to diagnose or fix issues.
What causes a serpentine belt to get stuck?
The main reason, in most cases, will be a stuck pulley from one of the devices (alternator, AC compressor, power steering pump etc) or a tensioner. A stuck pulley is mostly caused by a worn out bearing. The belt slides over a motionless pulley causing extensive friction, heat and the recognizable sound.
Is the water pump driven by the serpentine belt?
Another important device driven by the serpentine belt is the water pump. This is not always the case as on a lot of cars the water pump is driven by the timing belt. You should have this in mind so you don’t falsely “accuse” the serpentine belt for overheating.