
How to replace a serpentine belt?
How to Replace Your Serpentine Belt
- Note the placement of belt. Serpentine belts have that name for a reason. ...
- Loosen and unthread the belt. Before removing the belt, you’ll need to release the tensioner, which automatically keeps the belt taut while you’re driving.
- Check for damage. After removing the belt, inspect it for signs of damage. Many belts wear out over time, but some wear down due to misalignment or other issues.
- Install the new belt. Replacing the serpentine belt is as simple as threading it into position, cranking the tensioner and slipping the belt over the tensioner pulley, or nearest pulley ...
How to stop a serpentine belt from squealing?
How to Make a Serpentine Belt Stop Squeaking
- Apply Belt Squeal Spray (Dressing)
- Fix a Squeaky Belt With Bar Soap
- Tighten or Aligning the Belt
- Replace the Belt
- Repair or Replace Defective Bearing
What are the symptoms of a worn serpentine belt?
Top 7 Bad Serpentine Belt Symptoms
- No Air Conditioning. A malfunctioning air conditioner can be attributed to a lot of things. ...
- Squealing Sounds. If the front area of your vehicle makes squealing sounds, then your serpentine belt might be misaligned or slipping.
- No Power Steering. ...
- Overheated Engine. ...
- Visible Cracks on Belt. ...
- Dead Battery. ...
- Pulley Whine. ...
How to tell if your serpentine belt is slipping?
- If the serpentine belt is wobbling, you can try to identify the source of the wobble. ...
- Give the tensioner and pulleys a visual inspection. ...
- If you have an automatic belt tensioner, make sure that: The pulley turns freely without binding or wobbling The tensioner arm moves smoothly through its entire range of motion

Why does my serpentine belt come off?
The serpentine belt need constant tension on the belt to keep it from coming off. If the belt alignment is not aligned then the belt may come off. The tensioner may be out of alignment and not putting enough tension on the belt. Have a mechanic check the tensioner and replace it if needed.
What happens if your belt comes off while driving?
If the belt breaks while you are on the road, the car will break down immediately - and your engine can experience very serious damage. You need to look out for signs and symptoms of a weakening timing belt so that you can take action before it is too late.
What happens if your serpentine belt slips off?
This can lead to a sudden lost of power assist for the steering system, leading to the steering wheel all-of-a-sudden becoming very hard to turn. A broken serpentine belt may stop the water pump from circulating coolant through the cooling system, causing the engine can overheat.
How long can a car run without serpentine belt?
between 20-90 minutesThere are a couple of factors influencing the answer to this question, but on average, your car should be able to run between 20-90 minutes with a broken serpentine belt. The engine will overheat faster without a functioning cooling system on a hot day, so your driving window is less.
Can I drive my car without a serpentine belt?
Under no circumstances can you drive a vehicle without a serpentine belt because the serpentine belt serves the important function of delivering antifreeze to important parts of the engine. The serpentine belt drives the water pump, and without it, there is insufficient coolant flow to maintain the engine temperature.
How do I know if my belt tensioner is bad?
Common signs include grinding or squeaking noises coming from the belt, unusual belt wear, and belt-driven accessories like the alternator failing.
How do I know if my belt tensioner needs replacing?
Appearance: Cycle the tensioner (mounted on the engine) through the entire range of motion (from stop to stop) by applying torque to the arm with a wrench. The tensioner arm should move smoothly and freely. Solution: If you notice a binding, sticking or grinding tensioner arm, the tensioner should be replaced.
How much does it cost to fix a serpentine belt?
But what does a serpentine belt replacement cost? Of course, it depends on your make and model as well as labor costs, but in general a replacement serpentine belt costs around $70-$200 (plus taxes and fees), including around $50 for the belt and around $150 for the labor.
What can cause a belt to come off a car?
Belt coming off: Pulley misalignment, belt misalignment on pulley, defective tensioner, or bearing wear in tensioner, idler or driven accessories.
What causes a belt to fall off a car?
3:356:18TOP 5 REASONS SERPENTINE BELT FALLS OFF, COMES OFF ON A CARYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFrom oil or coolant that will make your belt soft it will stretch. The tensioner will not be able toMoreFrom oil or coolant that will make your belt soft it will stretch. The tensioner will not be able to compensate for that slack. And as a result the belt will be loose.
How far can I drive with a broken serpentine belt?
How long will my car run with a broken serpentine belt? There are a few variables involved in the answer, but it should be able to run between 20 to 90 minutes. If it is a hot summer day, your engine can overheat very quickly without the coolant being pumped through the radiator.
How much does it cost to replace a drive belt?
Of course, it depends on your make and model as well as labor costs, but in general a replacement serpentine belt costs around $70-$200 (plus taxes and fees), including around $50 for the belt and around $150 for the labor.
Why does my belt slip off?
The belt tensioner is weak, a pulley is bent, oil on the belt! Any of those things can cause the belt to slip off!
Do I need a new belt tensioner?
You need a new belt tensioner immediately, your current one obviously is not doing it's job if your belt is slipping off, I'd buy a new belt as we'll seeing how old worn serpentine belts sometimes tend to strech, also when you remove the old belt clean all pullies of oil or any lubricant
Can a belt tensioner wear bearings?
Dan B. Most likely the belt tensioner has worn bearings. You'll find that out when the belt slips off again. See if the pulley is sloppy or loose. It's also possible that you have a bad bearing on another smooth surface pulley. Smooth surface pulleys don't have anything that keeps the belt on the pulley.
