The serpentine or accessory drive belt connects to your power steering pump, air conditioner, alternator, and sometimes your water pump. Powering all these parts, it is a long belt that ensures that everything runs smoothly. Because it powers many different components, this belt may also be referred to as a power steering belt and alternator belt. Hence, if your car has a broken serpentine belt, all these parts will also be adversely affected. Read on and find out what happens to a car when the serpentine belt breaks.
When We Need To Change Broken Serpentine Belt
The serpentine belt is hooked to the various connection points. When the engine comes to life, the belt kicks in. It will be dragged and tight. As it does so, the belt feeds the other components of the system. They move because the belt does.
As a general rule of thumb, a serpentine belt lasts up to 50,000 miles or five years before it needs to be replaced. Some can even last up to 80,000 miles without a problem, but check your owner’s manual for the exact service interval. However, the serpentine belt can fail over time due to the heat and friction it is subjected to every day and will need to be replaced.
What Happens If a Serpentine Belt Breaks While Driving?
It is a serious problem, and if the belt breaks, you will find that the car becomes more difficult to drive. Additionally, if the belt breaks under high tension while in use, it can also damage other critical systems. It is better to repair this problem as soon as possible.
If you found out the serpentine belt is failing, watch out for the following symptoms:
Your Air Conditioner Is Not Working
A broken serpentine belt can also make your air conditioner suddenly stop working. You should notice that the air conditioner is not working and there will be no noise coming from it. Also, cold air will not come out of the vents. However, several things could make the car air conditioner weak, but check the accessory drive belt just in case.
Squeaky Sounds
If you notice a squeak coming from the front of your vehicle, it could be from the serpentine belt. This could be due to misalignment or the slippage of the belt. The only way to make the noise go away is to contact a professional mechanic and ask them to replace the serpentine/drive belt or diagnose the problem. There are some more car sounds that should not be ignored while driving such as ticking sound, winning and rattling.
No Power Steering
A loss of power in the steering gear can be a bit scary. It’s like your car is impossible to drive overnight. Power steering is great when it’s working, but when something goes wrong, it feels like you’re driving an unwieldy tank.
While it is possible to drive without power steering (older cars didn’t have it), it takes a lot of effort, especially at low speeds. A faulty power steering pump or a lack of fluid may be to blame, but your serpentine belt is worth checking.
Engine Overheated
Since the serpentine belt helps provide power to cool the engine, a faulty belt can cause the car engine to overheat as the water pump will not turn. As soon as the engine begins to overheat, have it inspected by a mechanic as it can cause a breakdown and cause engine damage if left overheated.
If you must drive to the mechanic, keep a close eye on the temperature. Drive slowly and carefully to prevent the engine from stalling and overheating. The safest bet is to tow the car; it costs a little more, but not as much as a new engine.
The Belt Is Broken
It is advisable to perform a quick maintenance inspection every few weeks or when the oil is changed. Check the belts and other components of the car. Do you need to tighten some? Or replace them?
You must be thinking that what causes a serpentine belt to break? Well, a failed bearing in a pulley can sometimes be a reason for a broken serpentine belt.
Now you know what happens to your car if you are driving with a broken serpentine belt. If you see that the serpentine belt is cracked or damaged, it is time to buy a new one. You can wait until the belt breaks, but that risks further damaging your car. You can easily buy a serpentine belt along with other car accessories and parts in the UAE at market competitive rates.
The belt is quite easy to change in most cases, and it is not that expensive. As soon as you notice a screeching noise, loss of power steering, engine overheating, or the belt looks bad, call a mechanic immediately to diagnose the problem further.
Besides, if your car needs frequent garage visits then it is better to buy a used car in the UAE and avoid further expenses.
If you like this guide, stay tuned to the UAE’s leading car blog for more replacement tips.
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