Not sure when your serpentine belt was last replaced? The certified technicians at Virginia Tire & Auto can do a visual inspection during a routine maintenance visit and give you an idea of when it should be replaced. It’s important to replace this belt as part of your vehicle’s scheduled maintenance (even if it looks okay) to avoid it breaking while you’re on the road. Under ideal circumstances, your car’s serpentine belt should last 60,000–100,000 miles. Read: What Is a Timing Belt & When Should You Replace It? When should you replace the serpentine belt?
TIMING BELT DIAGRAM MANUAL
These belts often need to be replaced around the same time, so ask your mechanic or consult the owner’s manual to see if you need to replace your timing belt too. A serpentine belt has multiple V-shaped grooves that run vertically along the belt. A timing belt has horizontal “teeth” designed to fit the cogwheels of the crankshaft and camshaft. You can easily tell the difference between the two when you look at the grooves. It connects the engine crankshaft on the outside of the engine to all of the engine accessories. The serpentine belt is what keeps the engine accessories running smoothly and efficiently. This ensures that the engine intake and exhaust valves open and close in time with the pistons so the engine runs smoothly. The timing belt is located inside the engine and keeps the crankshaft and camshaft in sync. The serpentine belt and timing belt have very different functions in your vehicle. Timing Beltĭon’t get confused-a serpentine belt is not the same thing as a timing belt. This is why it is so important to get your serpentine belt replaced on a regular schedule. Plus, it could also damage the engine accessories it controls. While using just one belt is the most efficient and reliable option, it also means that when your car’s serpentine belt breaks, everything stops working! You’ll lose power steering, the A/C will quit, your battery will eventually die, and the engine might overheat. This is because vehicles used to have multiple drive belts that connected the engine to the accessories (such as the radiator fan).īut modern vehicles (usually) just have one belt that winds through multiple pulleys to power all the accessories.
You may have heard a serpentine belt referred to as a fan belt or accessory belt. The serpentine belt is a long rubber belt that transports power to the engine accessories-the alternator, power steering pump, air conditioning compressor and (sometimes) the water pump. That’s why we recommend replacing the serpentine belt before it breaks to prevent further repairs and save you money down the road. And if it breaks, you might end up stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck. Your serpentine belt is a vital component of your vehicle. A lot of people’s philosophy when it comes to car repair is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” But while it may seem counter-intuitive to spend money replacing a car part that is working just fine, it’s often more cost-effective in the long run!
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