4 signs to know a bad serpentine belt
The serpentine belt, commonly known as the drive belt, connects the idler, tensioner, and pulleys of a car engine. It powers the air conditioner, alternator, power steering, and, on rare occasions, the cooling system water pump. The serpentine belt is an important component of this system, and it keeps working until the vehicle is turned off. The engine may not run at all if the serpentine belt is bad or faulty.
A serpentine belt, on average, lasts 50,000 miles or five years before needing to be replaced. Some models go up to 80,000 miles without being serviced, but check the owner’s manual for specific service intervals. Nonetheless, due to heat and friction, the serpentine belt will wear out over time and will need replacement. Keep an eye out for the following signs that your serpentine belt is failing:
1. Squeaking noise from the bonnet
It’s possible that the bad serpentine belt is making a squeaking noise from the front of your vehicle. This could be due to a misalignment or slippage. The noise can only be stopped by having a professional technician analyze the problem or replace the belt.
2. Dysfunctional Power steering and Air Conditioner
Your automobile will break down if the serpentine belt is bad, fully fails, and breaks. You will also notice a stiffened power steering, and the air conditioning will stop. If the power steering breaks while the car is moving, major safety hazards may arise. One strategy to ensure that your belt does not break while driving is to perform preventative maintenance.
3. Engine overheating
The serpentine belt supplies power to the water pump, therefore, a bad serpentine belt might cause engine overheat. If your engine begins to overheat, have it inspected by a mechanic as soon as possible. If not, continuous overheating might lead to a breakdown and damage to your engine.
4. Cracked and worn belt
Physically inspecting your serpentine belt on a regular basis is a smart idea. Cracks, missing chunks, abrasions, rib separation, uneven rib wear, and injured ribs should all be looked for. It’s time to replace your serpentine/drive belt if you observe any of these symptoms.
In conclusion, a screeching noise, lose power steering, engine overheating, or bad serpentine belt requires a mechanic to diagnose the problem.
