Here Are The Common Signs That Your Engine Belt May Need Repair

An engine belt is one of the most important parts of your car. Most vehicles have the single engine belt, called a serpentine belt, which is made to last quite some time. However, it does experience wear and tear over time, and if it breaks, you will definitely not be able to drive your car like normal, or at all. To help prevent a breakdown from happening to you, we’ll take a quick look at the functions your car’s engine belt performs, and what signs indicate that you should consider replacing it.

The engine belt is responsible for the working of the following functions:

• Air conditioning
• Power steering
• Cooling system
• Providing power to the alternator
• Helping with other smaller components

This means that if your engine belt breaks, you might be looking at some serious long-term damage to your vehicle that can easily be avoided by looking out for the following signs:

• Noise

Normally, any strange noises that are present while you’re driving can be a bad thing. When it comes to your engine belt, you might hear a peculiar “squealing” sound from your engine. If you do hear this, you need to take your car to be checked out as soon as possible.

Sometimes, it’s something simple like the oil cap not being secured properly. Unfortunately, though oil is so essential to the mechanical part of your engine, oil on the engine belt can damage it permanently.

• Wear

An engine belt typically looks like a thick material-like belt with ribbed lines. Open the bonnet of your vehicle and let the engine run. You will notice how the belt moves. If it seems to be running smoothly and doesn’t make squealing noises, then it may not be your belt after all.

However, you should also examine the engine belt when the car is off. If there are tears in it, or signs of wear, it could mean your engine belt needs repair or replacement.

However, here’s some good news – most engine belts last for over 240 000 kilometres. Keep in mind though, that any signs of damage as mentioned above should be dealt with as soon as possible to avoid further issues and complete car failure.

Contact Midas Auto Service Experts today if you need any help regarding your engine belt.

 

Related Tag: Mechanics Perth