Squeal under the hood?  Might be your serpentine belt.  Check out the video.

Even if you don’t own a Viper – a snake lives under your hood.  Watch this video on your serpentine belt.

Today we’re going to be talking about serpentine belts. Let’s start by talking about the accessories that are driven by the serpentine belt. First is the alternator. That’s the device that makes electricity to power the vehicle and recharge the battery. Then there’s the air conditioning compressor that makes cool air for you.

The power steering and power brake pumps are driven by the serpentine belt in most vehicles. Those pumps make the pressure that assists your steering and braking.

In many vehicles, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt. The water pump is what circulates the coolant that protects your engine. In some cars, the water pump is driven by the timing belt.

The radiator cooling fans on some vehicles are also driven by the serpentine belt. Some have separate electric motors. That’s really a lot of work for one belt.

But modern engine design has a single belt that snakes around the front of the engine and drives most if not all of these accessories. Serpentine belts do a lot of work, but they’re tough and can last for thousands of miles.

Just how long will they last? That’ll vary for each individual car. Your manufacturer will have a recommendation for when it should be changed, but it could need it sooner. The good news is that a visual inspection can reveal a belt that’s getting close to failing.

Your service center can look at the belt: if it has more than three or four cracks per inch it needs to be replaced. A deep crack that’s more than half the depth of the belt – replace. Frayed, missing pieces, a shiny glazed look? It’s out of there.

What’s involved in replacing the belt? First the old belt is removed. Then a new one is fitted around all the pulleys for the accessories and the drive. There’s a special pulley called a tensioner.

This pulley is mounted to the engine block with a spring loaded arm. Its job is to apply the correct amount of tension to the belt to keep it from getting loose and maybe slipping off. Because the spring in the tensioner pulley wears out, AutoNetTV recommends replacing them at the same time as the belt. It just makes sense.

What are the warning signs that there’s a problem with the serpentine belt? You may hear a squealing sound from under the hood when accelerating. A loose belt might give you a slow, slapping sound.

What do you do if your belt breaks? If you’ve actually had that happen on the freeway, it can be a little scary. Often the first thing you notice is that you have no power steering or power brakes. Don’t panic – you can still steer and brake, but you’ll have to do the work. It’ll be harder to steer and you’ll need more time and effort to stop, so plan accordingly.

Your dashboard will light up will all kinds of warnings. You’ll see a warning about your cooling system if you have a water pump that’s driven by the serpentine belt. This is very critical because without your cooling system working, your engine will overheat. If you don’t stop you’ll have massive engine damage, maybe to the point that you need a new engine. Pull over as quickly as you safely can. Open your windows and turn the heater on full blast to provide a little engine cooling and pulled over as soon as possible.

The battery light will come on because the alternator isn’t working. If your car’s water pump isn’t driven by the serpentine belt, you’re not in danger of overheating so you can drive a little further if necessary. But the battery will run down to the point where the car won’t run and will just shut off. You don’t want that to happen while you’re driving.

Remember, this does not have to happen if you replace your serpentine belt on schedule. Ask your technician to check your belts and hoses from time to time so you can take care of them if they need to be replaced prematurely.

The Audi is good at taking on winding roads.  Your serpentine belt winds around your engine – take care of it.

New cars cost so much these days.  Add financing and insurance and, well a new vehicle may not seem so attractive.  A lot of people are hoping to make their cars last a lot longer.

The good news is that with the current state of automotive engineering and manufacture, there’s no reason a modern vehicle can’t be made to last for a 150,000 miles or more.

There is an old saying that says, “a stitch in time saves nine” and that is really true when it comes to taking care of your car.  A great example is coolant service.

Over time, coolant becomes corrosive and actually starts to damage your radiator and other parts.  That’s why you need to have your cooling system serviced on a regular schedule.

The same is true for your power steering system, brake fluid, air conditioning system, differential and transmission. And your oil changes should be done right on schedule to avoid the build up of harmful oil sludge.

Don’t let your brake pads go too long before they are worn to the point that they cause damage to rotors. Preventive maintenance is a great way to keep your operating costs down.

Replacing belts and hoses is much cheaper than repairing the damage that can be caused by failure.

Now this is a lot to remember.  Your service center can keep on top of this stuff.  They can tell you what your manufacturer recommends and help you with a plan to take care of it.

Bottom line – take care of this stuff on schedule and you will reduce operating costs, prevent costly damage and maintain your warranty coverage.
Take good care of your car, and it’ll take good care of you.

Don’t you hate it when you hear that squeal from under the hood? It usually means there is a problem with the serpentine belt.  The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine accessories. It runs the alternator-which charges the battery, the water pump-which cools the engine, the air conditioning and the power steering pump.  All pretty important parts. It is called a serpentine belt because it snakes around a bunch of engine components.

Serpentine belts are especially tough. They can last for years and go for tens of thousands of miles.  But, with time they wear out.  If your belt breaks while you are driving, everything will come to a halt within minutes.  You have to stop the car or it will overheat, potentially causing major engine damage. And it probably won’t be at a convenient time or place.  You might even need to get your car towed to a service center. That is why manufacturers recommend a belt replacement on schedule. You really should get it done on schedule because a belt failure will definitely take you off the road.

If you hear a squeal when accelerating or a slow, slapping sound at idle, you should have your serpentine belt looked at. Your service technician will visually inspect your belt to see if it needs to be changed sooner than scheduled.  If the belt has more than three or four cracks an inch, has deep cracks that penetrate half the depth of the belt, is frayed, is missing pieces or has a shiny glazed look, it needs to be replaced regardless of age or mileage.

Serpentine belt replacement is relatively inexpensive, especially compared with the cost and inconvenience of being stranded or getting a disabled vehicle to a service center for repairs.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

We’re living in a disposable society.  Everything from elaborate packaging to our clothing.  Even cell phones are disposable.  When replacement is cheaper than repair, the term “built to last” goes by the wayside. An exception is our vehicles.  They’re still a very big investment and we want to make them last as long as possible – and we want to make keeping them, as cheap as possible. When talking cars, it’s all about preventive maintenance.  There is an old saying that says, “a stitch in time saves nine” and that is really true when it comes to taking care of your car.  A great example is coolant service.

Your coolant not only protects your engine from overheating and freezing – it must also protect cooling system components from corrosion.  Over time, coolant becomes corrosive and actually starts to damage your radiator and other parts.  That’s why you need to have your cooling system serviced on a regular schedule.

The same is true for your power steering system, brake fluid, air conditioning system, differential and transmission. And of course, don’t forget those oil changes right on schedule.  Skipping even one change can start the build up of harmful oil sludge.

Our engines are full of gaskets and seals.  Fresh fluids condition those gaskets and seals to keep them from drying out and leaking. Automotive fluids contain additives that help clean and lubricate the various systems they protect.  Over time, the additives are used up and the fluid just does not provide the protection it did when it was fresh. And don’t forget the mechanical systems.  Changing brake pads before they are worn to the point that they cause damage to rotors is a great way to keep your operating costs down.

Replacing serpentine belts and timing belts on schedule is much cheaper than repairing the damage that can be caused by failure. Also, air filters, fuel filters, PCV valves and batteries are all important.  Regular wheel alignments, tire rotation and balancing will make your tires last longer.  And don’t forget to replace your shocks and struts when they wear out. Your fuel system needs regular cleaning to keep running well, prevent mechanical damage and reduce fuel consumption.

Now this is a lot to remember – too much really.  But it is your technician’s job to keep on top of this stuff.  They can tell you what your manufacturer recommends and help you with a plan to take care of it.   He can advise you about which maintenance schedule you should use – the regular schedule or the severe service schedule – depending on the kind of driving you do. He will also know the right fluids for your vehicle and may even suggest higher mileage formulations for your older vehicle.

Bottom line – take care of this stuff on schedule and you will reduce operating costs, prevent costly damage and maintain your warranty coverage.

Of course, you want your car to look as good as it runs.  Regular washing will prevent rust and protect your finish. Take advantage of cleaners, waxes and protectants for your interior and tires.  Your vehicle will look great and you’ll be proud to drive it longer.

Most of us can’t afford to throw away our car when it breaks down.  By budgeting for regular preventive maintenance, we can prevent many inconvenient – and expensive – problems down the road, and can keep driving “old faithful” for years to come.