Will a bad serpentine belt cause transmission problems?
The belt can drive the water pump and it drives the alternator. The belt can drive the power steering pump and AC compressor. But the serpentine belt has *nothing* to do with your transmission. Usually one of your accessories or your tensioner has gone bad.
What happens if your serpentine belt is bad?
When the serpentine belt completely fails and breaks off from the engine block, your car will break down. You may also notice a loss of power steering or air conditioning that stops working.
What happens if the serpentine belt is not working?
It provides power for the air conditioning, alternator, power steering, and sometimes the cooling system water pump. The serpentine belt is a critical part of this system, and once the engine is running, it continues to operate until the vehicle is shut off. Without a properly functioning serpentine belt, the engine may not run at all.
How much does it cost to replace a serpentine belt?
The replacement cost is only going to be between $100 and $200 in most cases. The belt itself will cost between $25 and $80 while the labor costs will probably be between $75 and $120. Taxes and fees will be added onto these prices too. The ease of accessing the serpentine belt will determine how much the labor costs are.
Where do you find the serpentine belt on a car?
A serpentine belt, also called an accessory belt, is the main engine belt that you see when you open up the hood of your car. These belts are easily identifiable by their distinct ridges that run the length of the belt on one side.
Can a power steering pump work without a serpentine belt?
Some of the main accessories include a power steering pump, alternator, air conditioning compressor, and water pump. However, these devices cannot function properly without the help of a serpentine belt. This one long continuous belt is the force that drives many of the engine’s peripheral devices.