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A typical serpentine belt start at around $25 and goes up to $75 at most. If you know some car repair basics, you could change the belt yourself, and it may save you paying labor charges somewhere between $75 and $120. All together, you’re looking at around $100 to $195 to replace your serpentine belt.
What are the signs of a bad serpentine belt?
Common signs include a squealing noise from the front of the vehicle, power steering and AC not working, engine overheating, and cracks on the belt.
Can I drive my car if the serpentine belt is broken?
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.
Can I replace serpentine belt myself?
Serpentine belt replacement is easy because today’s automatic drive belt tensioners eliminate the need to loosen bolts or pry components into position for retensioning. Just rotate the tensioner, remove the old belt and install a new one.
Can you drive a car with a bad belt?
It is best to not drive a car with a broken belt, even for a short distance. Get the car towed or get a mechanic to come to the car to replace the belt. On most engines the serpentine belt drives all the accessories.
How long can I drive with a bad serpentine belt?
There 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.
What does a worn serpentine belt sound like?
Although there are a few causes of a squealing engine, one of the most common is a bad or failing serpentine belt. Belt squeaking is also especially pronounced when accelerating, on startup, and when making a U-turn. The noise is loud and sounds like a squeal, loud chirp, or squeak.
What causes a belt to break on a car?
Serpentine belts can fail in a few different ways. This is usually the result of a belt in poor condition, or a problem with one of the accessory components being driven by the belt. A failed bearing in a pulley being driven by the serpentine belt will also cause the belt to break.
Can you start a car without a serpentine belt?
The short answer is yes, your car will start even if the serpentine belt is broken or missing. To get the car going, the battery sends power to your starter motor. However, you do need your serpentine belt if you want the car to run for longer than a few minutes.
How long does it take to change the serpentine belt?
It can take anything from 15 minutes to an hour (two at the most) to repair or replace a bad serpentine belt with a new belt.
Is fan belt same as serpentine belt?
Sometimes called a fan belt, alternator belt, or accessory drive belt, the serpentine belt is spun by the engine crankshaft and, in turn, spins, or “drives”, the accessories. The belt should be changed as part of your routine preventative maintenance schedule to avoid failure or breakage while driving.
Is a serpentine belt the same as a timing belt?
Timing Belt. Don’t get confused—a serpentine belt is not the same thing as a timing belt. The timing belt is located inside the engine and keeps the crankshaft and camshaft in sync. This ensures that the engine intake and exhaust valves open and close in time with the pistons so the engine runs smoothly.
Can a bad serpentine belt cause check engine light?
A loose or worn belt will cause ticking or rattling noises, poor engine performance and overheating, usually triggering the check engine light.
What can cause a serpentine belt to shred?
Tom: Another possibility is a bad idler pulley or tensioner pulley. Those are sort of “dummy” pulleys that are used to alter the direction of the belt. If a bearing goes bad on one of those pulleys, it tends to tilt, and that could cause the belt to shred.
What happens if serpentine belt fails?
If a serpentine belt breaks, a car won’t be drivable and will have to be towed. If the engine runs without a serpentine belt, it might overheat as the water pump will no longer work. A broken belt can also damage other parts. If a car has a hydraulic power steering pump, the steering will become stiff.
Can a bad serpentine belt cause rough idle?
Poor Driving Experience So if you have searched for answers to the question, can a bad serpentine belt cause rough idle? The answer is yes.
How long does a serpentine belt last?
Typically, serpentine belts last anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 miles. Over time, friction and heat break them down.
Why are my brand new belts squealing?
With time a serpentine drive belt will go bad, like most car parts. The good news is new car models come with durable belts (engine belt, alternator belt, timing belt, etc.) Additionally, if any pulley begins to slip, the serpentine belt will slip too, producing that annoying squealing sound.
How much does it cost to replace car belts?
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.
