Where is the accessory drive belt on a car?
Where is the accessory drive belt on a car?
Most vehicles have a rubber belt on the front of the engine that drives accessories such as the air-conditioning compressor, power steering pump and alternator. If this accessory drive belt (also called a V-belts or serpentine belts) breaks, the battery won’t get charged,…
When do I need to check my accessory belt?
If you can’t get to an accessory belt easily to check it yourself, have it checked when you have the vehicle serviced or if the belt gets noisy or any of the equipment it drives begins to malfunction. It isn’t easy to figure out whether a belt is at the right tension just by looking at it, and often it’s obscured by a shield or cowling.
What kind of belts are in your car?
Learn more… The belts in your car’s engine drive such components as the air conditioning compressor, power steering pump, alternator and water pump. Older cars used separate V-belts for each component, while newer cars use a single serpentine belt to drive them all.
What happens if the accessory drive belt breaks?
If this accessory drive belt (also called a V-belts or serpentine belts) breaks, the battery won’t get charged, the air conditioner won’t blow cold air and the power steering will go out. In addition, if the belt drives the water pump, the engine could overheat.
Most vehicles have a rubber belt on the front of the engine that drives accessories such as the air-conditioning compressor, power steering pump and alternator. If this accessory drive belt (also called a V-belts or serpentine belts) breaks, the battery won’t get charged,…
If you can’t get to an accessory belt easily to check it yourself, have it checked when you have the vehicle serviced or if the belt gets noisy or any of the equipment it drives begins to malfunction. It isn’t easy to figure out whether a belt is at the right tension just by looking at it, and often it’s obscured by a shield or cowling.
If this accessory drive belt (also called a V-belts or serpentine belts) breaks, the battery won’t get charged, the air conditioner won’t blow cold air and the power steering will go out. In addition, if the belt drives the water pump, the engine could overheat.
What kind of belt does a newer car have?
Newer cars have a Serpentine multi-accessory drive belt, as shown here. A serpentine multi-accessory drive belt. If you drive an older car, you have to check the separate belts, as shown here. Accessory belts.
When is a drive belt should be replaced in your car?
Most cars have one or two drive belts. When a car has only one drive belt, it might be called a serpentine belt. For example, this Ford engine in the first photo has only one drive or ‘serpentine’ belt. The car in the next photo has two drive belts.
Where can I find a serpentine belt routing diagram?
Select the specific year and make of your vehicle. Take note of the Illustration number and then Scroll to the bottom of the page to find your Free Serpentine Belt Routing Diagram. What’s that squeal coming from under the hood?
How often should I replace my accessory drive belt?
Most manufacturers call for periodic inspection of the belt as part of scheduled maintenance, but few list a specific replacement interval, and inspection intervals vary widely. Mercedes-Benz, for example, says to inspect the belt every two years or 20,000 miles, while Volkswagen says to check it every 40,000 miles.
Is it necessary to change the serpentine belt?
In most cases it is sufficient to change only the alternator belt (or serpentine belt) and there are no additional costs. Occasionally, however, an additional change of alternator belt tensioner and pulley makes sense, as the material costs are low compared to the labour costs.
