![]() ![]() Need your serpentine belt checked out? Schedule an appointment today. Quick fact: If your serpentine belt is loose, you may have other mechanical problems like under-performing water pump, which can cause the engine to overheat. When this happens, all the accessories powered by the engine go kaput and the vehicle will stop running. Worst-case scenario: a loose belt may come off of its pulleys. ![]() If there is not enough tension, a belt can slip, squeal or run hot. Most tensioners feature an internal spring and pulley, which applies needed force against the serpentine belt to keep it tight. And, like a rubber band, it must maintain a balance of flexibility and tension. Your serpentine belt is like one giant, fast-spinning rubber band. These tensioners are designed to hold a predetermined amount of tension on the serpentine belt so it functions properly and keeps your car cruising. Many of today’s vehicles are equipped with a self-tensioning device called an automatic belt tensioner. What is a “belt tensioner,” and what is the benefit of replacing it when a belt is replaced? ![]() ![]() Make time to have your belt inspected.Īn annual car inspection or a visual inspection during an oil change is good way to determine your belt’s current condition, while giving you an idea of when it needs replacement.ĭrive with peace of mind. By replacing your belt periodically, you can minimize the risk of breakdown. Broken hoses and belts are bad a damaged engine is even worse. What’s more, the parts it controls can become severely damaged. That means when your belt breaks, slips and, ultimately, wears out, everything-from the power steering pump to the alternator and air conditioner-stops working. What is the benefit of having a belt replaced?ĭriving on an old belt is a disaster waiting to happen because it powers most all of an engine’s accessories. Schedule an engine belt inspection at your local Firestone Complete Auto Care. An old belt can even snap, leaving you up the creek without one, drive torque to all of the engine’s accessories is lost. An aging belt can also begin slipping or squealing, become contaminated with fluid or become misaligned, in which case it will need to be replaced. They can wear, fray, crack or become shiny or “glazed,” and rubber parts can peel off the belt. Get your engine belt inspected or replaced. Before this all-in-one serpentine solution, cars were equipped with many different belts to power individual parts and components. Some rides may have an additional belt to run select accessories, but the serpentine does the bulk of the work. Today, there’s one belt to run them all-well, for the majority of vehicles. Need your engine belt inspected or replaced? Schedule an appointment. One thing to remember: in most cases, if the belt breaks, the vehicle will stop running. Others have a self-tensioning mechanism that can experience wear over time and may need to be serviced. However, some belts are manually tensioned and may need to be adjusted. Under ideal conditions, a belt should stick with you for an average of 60,000 to 100,000 miles. Serpentine belts are built to last-much longer than before because of advancements in rubber technology. How often does a serpentine belt need to be replaced? That said, it’s critical that regular inspections are done to make sure the belt is in good shape. Now that vehicles employ a single belt-the serpentine belt-that’s no longer an issue. Though each belt could be replaced individually, these cars experienced inconsistent or compromised performance as individual belts began to wear down. Didn’t cars used to have more than one belt?īack in the day, cars had individual belts for many components. The serpentine belt is one long, snaking, winding belt that keeps your alternator, power steering pump, air conditioning and-in some cases-your water pump running smoothly and effectively. Well, it won’t keep your pants up, but it does transport power to your vital automotive components. ![]()
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