Causes of serpentine belt detachment
- A Damaged Belt Tensioner If the belt tensioner pulley is damaged, it causes unusual wear and fraying on the edges of the serpentine belt. ...
- Pulley Misalignment Also, if the pulley isn’t aligned in the correct position of the machine, it tends to put more pressure on its important components, making them wear off. ...
- Bad Tensioner Bearings
What would cause serpentine belt to keep falling off?
- Squeaking or Grinding Noise.
- Unusual Belt Wear.
- Failure of the Belt-driven Accessories to Operate.
- Bleeding Rust and Presence of Cracks.
- Excessive Wear of Pulley Bearing.
- Visible Signs of Pulley Wear.
What are the signs of a bad serpentine belt?
What are the Signs of a Bad Serpentine Belt?
- Engine overheating
- Noisy ticking or whining sound from engine bay
- Cracks are showing on the belt
- Alternator, AC, or power steering not working
- Engine refusing to start
Why does serpintine belt keeps falling off?
Why does my belt keep falling off? The most common reason is that the serpentine belt is just worn out and needs to be replaced. Another common cause is that the belt tensioner is froze / stuck and not functioning. The tensioner does exactly what it’s name says- keeps tension on the belt. Without tension the belt will come right off.
What problems can a bad serpentine belt cause?
- Squealing noise from the front of the vehicle. If you notice a squealing noise coming from the front of your vehicle, it could be from the serpentine belt.
- Power steering and AC not working. If the serpentine belt completely fails and breaks, then your car will break down.
- Engine overheating.
- Cracks and wear on the belt.
Why would a serpentine belt keep coming 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.03-Jan-2017
Can a serpentine belt just fall off?
4:176:18top 5 reasons serpentine belt falls off, comes off on a car - YouTubeYouTubeStart 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.
What happens if my serpentine belt comes off?
If your serpentine belt wears out, becomes damaged or contaminated, or breaks, engine accessories will not be able to spin at the proper speed, leading to decreased power to the electrical system.18-Oct-2019
What happens if your belt falls off while driving?
When the serpentine belt completely fails and breaks off from the engine block, your car will break down. You may also notice a loss of power steering or air conditioning that stops working.
What happens if tensioner pulley breaks?
When the tensioner or tensioner pulley fails, the loss of tension can cause the belt and pulleys to make high-pitched rattling or chirping noises. If the pulley bearing completely fails, it can also cause a squealing or even a grinding noise.25-Jul-2016
How do you know if a pulley is misaligned?
1:593:04Water Spray Test for Pulley Misalignment - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLook for the next shortest belt span and spray again where the belt enters the second pulley in theMoreLook for the next shortest belt span and spray again where the belt enters the second pulley in the span. If the noise goes away and then returns. You have identified the location of the misalignment.
How long can you drive without a 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.15-Dec-2020
Can you drive with broken serpentine belt?
Can I Continue Driving My Car If the Serpentine Belt Is Broken? Technically, yes, you can continue driving your car, but not for long. For instance, without power steering, you're likely to get exhausted very quickly from driving.22-Jun-2021
How do you know when to replace the serpentine belt?
The easiest way to know that a new serpentine belt is needed is if you hear it squealing while the engine is running. A heavy rainstorm might cause a bit of squealing, but if there are any fluid leaks, it's time to replace it right away.14-Jul-2017
How much does it cost to fix a serpentine 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.20-Aug-2018
Can I drive a short distance without a serpentine belt?
It is impossible to drive a vehicle without a serpentine belt, since the belt serves the vital role of delivering antifreeze to important parts of the engine. Without it, the water pump will not function properly, and the engine temperature will be compromised.30-Nov-2021
Can an oil leak cause a serpentine belt to break?
Generally, an oil leak should not cause a serpentine belt to come loose, however depending on the source of the oil leak and the severity of it, it could be possible.27-Jan-2018
What Causes a Serpentine Belt To Break?
Nothing gets spoilt without being acted upon by an external, or natural force. Hereunder are the factors and conditions that can cause serpentine belts to break.
When To Replace the Serpentine Belt?
If you know the lifespan of the serpentine belt used in your car, once you hit the number of miles, you should have it replaced. Notwithstanding, there are scenarios where you have to replace the belt quite earlier than intended.
What are the Signs of a Bad Serpentine Belt?
A bad or broken serpentine belt can trigger any of these signs. The signs/symptoms may differ on different cars due to the difference in the engine’s peripheral configurations and arrangements.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are all built with rubber, but the rubber material differs in quality. Serpentine belts last between 50,000 – 100,000 miles depending on the type of rubber material used. If you’re not a frequent driver (drive less than 15,000 miles in a calendar year), you could use a serpentine belt for over 4 years, and it’d still be in good condition.
Summary
So, what causes a serpentine belt to break? The common causes include misalignment of connected pulleys, faulty alternator bearing, oil leaks, and excessive wear.
What Happens To A Car When The Serpentine Belt Breaks?
The serpentine belt is built to last and isn’t prone to failing. However, it does wear down with time and use.
6 Serpentine Belt FAQs
Here are a couple of answers to questions you might have about the serpentine belt:
Closing Thoughts
It can be somewhat nerve-wracking if your drive belt breaks, especially if it happens at high speeds. The best thing to do is not panic and know that your vehicle will keep running for a bit while you get it to safety.
What happens if a serpentine belt is worn out?
So, if it’s worn out, it will start slipping over the alternator pulley and the alternator won’t be able to produce enough electric power. This symptom of a serpentine belt problem is notorious for being hard to recognize.
Why is my belt not snapping?
The causes will be either material fatigue of the belt or a damaged pulley. In some more rare cases, belt misalignment can cause the problems. Whatever the case may be, make a replacement as soon as possible so the belt doesn’t snap. In order to spot this symptom best check the belt from time to time.
Why is serpentine belt important?
So, this is why noticing and solving a serpentine belt problem on time is so important. Neglecting it may cause major failure and damage to your car (los s of electric power, loss of power steering, overheating or else).
Why does my belt squeak?
Squeaking is caused because the belt is slipping over the pulleys. The slipping is caused because the belt loses ability to produce enough friction between itself and the pulleys (mostly due to material fatigue). As soon as you notice this sign, inspect the belt and make a replacement as soon as possible.
Why is my power steering pump stuck?
The main reason, in most cases, will be a stuck pulley from one of the devices (alternator, AC compressor, power steering pump etc) or a tensioner. A stuck pulley is mostly caused by a worn out bearing. The belt slides over a motionless pulley causing extensive friction, heat and the recognizable sound.
What is a continuous belt?
In a nutshell, it’s a continuous belt that drives all of the major devices needed for the proper functioning of the engine and the whole car. By devices I mean mainly the alternator, in some cases the water pump (in modern cars it tends to be driven by the timing belt), air condition compressor and power steering pump.
Why does my air conditioner stop working?
If it slips the air condition will be weak (mainly in terms of cooling). This is because the compressor will work at a lower capacity. However, if the belt snaps or completely falls of the pulley, it will stop working altogether as the compressor itself will stop turning.
Why does my serpentine belt fall off?
Sometimes the belt falls off (rather than breaking) because the pulleys and tensioner are worn, damaged, or misaligned.
What happens if a serpentine belt is broken?
Consider these consequences of a broken serpentine belt: 1 A broken serpentine belt leads to a sudden loss of power assist for the steering system, where the steering wheel all-of-a-sudden becomes very hard to turn. Imagine that happening in the middle of a busy intersection! 2 A broken serpentine belt stops the water pump from circulating coolant (antifreeze) through the cooling system, and the engine can overheat - anywhere! 3 A broken serpentine belt stops the alternator from generating power to operate the vehicle’s electric (and electronic) systems and recharge the battery. The headlights will dim, the radio will not work, and the battery will go dead!
How long does a serpentine belt last?
Vehicle manufacturers recommend inspection and replacement of the serpentine belt between 60k and 90k miles. Advances in material technology allow some belts to last more than 100k miles. Even a worn or damaged belt can survive for quite a while. But if the serpentine belt in your vehicle does break during driving, ...
What happens if you wear a serpentine belt?
A worn serpentine belt can also lead to poor power steering performance (difficulty steering and premature wear on the power steering pump), insufficient engine cooling (that leads to overheating), and decreased ability of the A/C system to cool passengers on a warm day.
What happens if the alternator doesn't spin?
If it does not spin fast enough, alternator output will diminish and could lead to dim headlights, loss of some electronic functions, loss of vehicle power, and even a dead battery.
Why is my serpentine belt leaking?
Serpentine belt problems usually result from one of three causes: a defective belt tensioner; misalignment of a pulley; or, defective bearings in the tensioner, idler, or one of accessories driven by the belt (including the water pump). Fortunately, the belt can help you diagnose the problem, both before you remove it and afterward: ...
Why do minivans throw serpentine belts?
These are notorious for throwing the belt when driving in heavy snow or through a large rain puddle. This results from a design flaw: an engine mount bracket to which one of the idlers is attached causes ...
Why does my belt edge fray?
The edge frays because it is scraping on the top edge of an accessory drive pulley side as the belt feeds into it. Fluid contamination attacks the rubber surface of the belt. All of the automotive fluids that can leak onto a belt—oil, power steering fluid, coolant—are petroleum based and will attack rubber.
What to do if your belt starts slipping?
If a belt starts slipping, the tensioner should always be checked to see if it is functioning properly. With the belt off, visually inspect the tensioner for any cracks or signs of metal-to-metal contact between the tensioner arm and the spring case. Then spin the tensioner pulley manually.
Why does my belt chirp?
Chirping is caused when a pulley is misaligned, so that the belt ridges initially contact the sides of the sides of the grooves and then slide downward along the groove’s sides as they seat in the pulley. Do not apply “belt dressing” to a serpentine belt in an attempt to quiet a belt or cure slipping.
What is belt dressing?
Belt dressing is a gooey, tar-like substance designed to cure V belt slipping by making the belt sticky. At best, it is a temporary palliative, even on a V belt. But, when applied to a serpentine belt, the dressing will be spread into the pulley grooves. Once there, it will attract and hold dirt and grit.
How to check bearings on belt driven pump?
To check bearings in one of the belt-driven accessories, turn the accessory by hand and listen for noises and feel whether the shaft turns smoothly. Also pull the shaft to the side and attempt to push it in and out to see if it wobbles or has any end play. All of these are indications of worn bearings. With a water pump, also check to see ...