Your serpentine belt drives your alternator and air conditioning compressor.  The power steering and power brake pumps are driven by the serpentine belt in many Denver vehicles.  In some trucks, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt (in others it’s driven by the timing belt).  The radiator cooling fan on some vehicles are also driven by the serpentine belt.  Some have separate electric motors.

Serpentine belts do a lot of work, but they’re tough and  can last for thousands of miles.  But just how long will they last?  That will vary for each individual Denver car.  Your manufacturer or Express Car Care technician will have a recommendation for when it should be changed, but it could need to be changed  sooner.  The good news is that a visual inspection can reveal if a belt is worn.

It’s often recommended that the tensioner pulley that keeps the belt at the proper tension be replaced along with the serpentine belt.  This pulley is mounted to the engine block with a spring loaded arm.

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.  But sometimes you aren’t given any warning at all.

So if you suspect a serpentine belt problem, or if it’s just been a while since it was last checked, ask your helpful Express Car Care service adviser to have it looked over.  No one wants to go though the hassle of being stranded by a serpentine belt breaking, especially at this time of year, so give us a call or come in and see us.