Accessory drive belt replacement
The drive belt turns the alternator, power-steering pump, A/C compressor and water pump.
Symptoms
- Cracks on the belt's inner side, squealing when cold or when the AC switches on.
What's included
- If it breaks, the vehicle loses charging and steering assistance and, on some engines, cooling as well, risking overheating. Wear signs include cracks on the inner surface, squealing when cold or when A/C is switched on, delamination and rubber marks on pulleys. Replacement includes inspecting idlers and the tensioner: a worn tensioner quickly damages a new belt, making repeat work wasteful. Afterwards, we check tension, pulley alignment and the absence of unusual noises with the engine running.
Additional checks
- Belt delamination and rubber marks on pulleys — inspected
- Tension and pulley alignment — checked after installation
- Unusual noises with the engine running — checked after replacement
Why it matters
A snapped belt leaves the car without charging and power steering, and on some engines without cooling too. A worn tensioner eats a new belt fast, so both are replaced together.
More details
The drive belt turns the alternator, the power steering pump, the A/C compressor, and the water pump. If it snaps, the car is left without charging and power steering, and on some engines without cooling too — a real risk of overheating. Signs of wear: cracks on the inner side, squealing when cold or when the A/C is switched on, delamination, and a rubber mark on the pulleys. We replace the belt along with inspecting the idler and tensioner pulleys: a worn tensioner eats through a new belt within a few thousand kilometers, and doing this job twice isn't worth it. After installation we check the belt tension and pulley alignment, as well as making sure there are no unusual sounds with the engine running.
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