Have you ever heard a squealing noise coming from underneath the hood of your car? And it gets really noisier and annoying as the days drags on. That might be a reminder to take a closer look at the drive belt and maybe, replace it.

Most cars now use what is known as serpentine belts and have jettisoned the old-fashioned V-belts. This became necessary as modern cars keeps evolving with power-hungry accessories running off the crankshaft pulley. A car having as much as three to four V-belts, each running a different component is too cumbersome and a service nightmare.

Why replace the drive belt?

The serpentine belt or the V-belts connects the power steering, alternator, and AC to the engine’s crankshaft. It is this belt that enables the battery to get charged and none of the electrical components will work without the belt. In some cars, the water pumps are driven by drive belts. These belts don’t last forever and can wear out overtime as a result of heat in the engine and cracks or breaks. If the belt cuts, it will be difficult to turn the steering. Also the coolant that is necessary to cool the engine will not flow properly and this may lead to overheating that potentially may cause the engine to suffer adverse damage.

What if you don’t replace the drive belt?

Failure to inspect and replace the drive belt when necessary can lead to adverse effects if it eventually it cuts. If your car is still powered by the old-fashioned individual belts and one of them cuts, then the functionality of whatever component the belt was powering will cease. If your drive belt is the serpentine type, all of the component parts such as the alternator, water pump, power steering pump and AC will stop functioning. Also the engine may be damaged as a result of overheating.

Do-It-Yourself: Pay attention to these symptoms to know when a replacement is needed.

If the belt becomes loose or worn out, you’ll hear squealing noise coming from the underneath the engine compartment especially if the car is started in the morning or when turning at a sharp bend.
If the belt is broken or cuts it becomes very difficult to steer the car as power-steering function is lost.
If the battery warning light comes on.
If the engine overheats.
Required Maintenance:

Drive belt with minor cracks

Inspect the belts for cracks periodically
Discard and replace any deeply cracked or damaged belts
Ask your mechanic to check the pulleys and bearings


We recommend that the drive belts be inspected during your normal engine oil changes or service intervals. If the belt(s) are loose it may need to be adjusted. Minor cracks on the belt might not mean much but if you find deep cracks on the belt then you should be thinking of a replacement almost immediately.

We hope this is very informative and we thank you for reading.

Source: http://carblognaija.com/drive-belts-inspection-replacement/