If you’ve just started noticing a high-pitched squealing noise coming from the engine bay, it’s most certainly the serpentine belt. The squealing sound most commonly makes itself apparent during startup or while accelerating. The serpentine belt squeal is so distinguishable that it’s unmistakable.
If you’ve pinpointed the serpentine belt squeal, you are already moving in the right direction. Determining what caused it and fixing the problem would be your next steps. With this guide, we aim to help you do just that, while also taking a look at the purpose of the serpentine belt and more.
What Is the Serpentine Belt?
All engines have accessories. These are devices that run auxiliary systems and aren’t necessarily essential for the combustion process. Still, accessories rely on the engine to provide them with power. This is done through the use of an accessory, or serpentine belt that runs from the crankshaft and loops around all the accessories.
The serpentine belt is long and flexible and mainly made of rubber. In the majority of vehicles, the serpentine belt wraps around the pulleys of the multiple accessories to help supply the energy or power required. While the word accessories might reduce the seriousness of the components, let us tell you that most of them have significant purposes.
What Is the Serpentine Belt Connected To?
The alternator, compressor, power steering pump, and water pump are driven by the serpentine belt. The list of accessories depends on the vehicle in question. Many modern vehicles use electric power steering systems that aren’t dependent on the engine for power.
Similarly, many vehicles also use water pumps that are directly driven by the engine which means they don’t need to be connected to the serpentine belt. That said, an average car will have an alternator, AC compressor, power steering pump, and more powered by the serpentine belt.
Regardless, the serpentine belt plays an important role as it powers many crucial accessories. While older vehicles would make use of more than one belt for these accessories, modern ones only use one. Thanks to this change, the belt is easier to keep a check on and less expensive to replace.
What Happens if the Serpentine Belt Breaks?
If the serpentine belt breaks it can cause all the connected accessories to stop functioning. For example, if your car has hydraulic power steering, your steering wheel will suddenly stiffen up. With the AC compressor losing power, the air-conditioning will quit on you. This includes all of its functions, including the defogger.
Next, the alternator. It powers all the electrical components of the vehicle while also charging the battery. When it stops functioning, the battery won’t be charging, but more importantly, your engine won’t get the power it needs to run the ignition system. All in all, a failed serpentine belt can easily leave you stranded on the side of the road.
What Causes Serpentine Belt Squeal?
Serpentine belt squeal is caused by irregular tension of the belt. There are a few reasons that could affect the tension of the belt, but they are mostly down to either a failing belt tensioner or a bad belt. A failing automatic tensioner would cause the serpentine belt to squeal due to improper tension.
The second cause of the serpentine belt squeal has to do with the belt itself. The belt can lose its ability to function correctly because of a few reasons ranging from contamination to just wear and tear. This is why it’s extremely important to follow the manufacturer-recommended service interval. Most belts last for around 80,000 miles or 5–6 years, but it largely depends on the heat and friction each particular belt goes through.
Symptoms of a Bad Serpentine Belt
The best way to avoid serpentine belt failure is by diagnosing a bad one early on. As mentioned earlier, serpentine will do the recommended lifespan without a problem, there are cases where it can go bad prematurely.
Cracking
One of the most common symptoms of a bad serpentine belt is cracking. Due to heat and friction, the serpentine belt can simply wear out. Other signs of wear include glazing and fraying. Inspecting the serpentine belt is quite easy as a section of it is visible towards the top of the engine in most vehicles.
Serpentine Belt Squeal
If your serpentine belt produces a squeal, it’s a symptom of a bad serpentine belt. As mentioned earlier, this can occur due to a few reasons. However, what is for sure is that it is indeed a problem that has to be fixed. It doesn’t take long for it to go from a serpentine belt squeal to a broken one.
Accessory Performance
Since the performance of the accessories is dependent on the serpentine belt, any irregularities with it would directly affect the performance of the accessories. Components like the alternator and power steering pump won’t be supplied with the same amount of energy which would lead to a loss in performance. This includes battery drain and power steering failure.
Check Engine Light
While there is no sensor for the tension of the serpentine belt, it can still illuminate the check engine light in indirect ways. As mentioned earlier, the serpentine belt is responsible for the operation of some important parts and when there are any inadequacies, it can illuminate the check engine light. Many times, the check engine light will also be accompanied by the battery light due to its discharged state.
How to Fix Serpentine Belt Squeal?
Fixing a serpentine belt squeal or a bad serpentine belt is quite straightforward. You will need a new belt and a new belt tensioner. Check our catalog for a variety of quality options for your car. This belt is not to be confused with the timing belt which is more high-risk in terms of the replacement process. With the timing belt, most vehicles require a special tool that helps maintain or set the engine timing correctly, but that’s not the case with the serpentine belt.
The serpentine belt is a fairly simple rubber belt that needs to be changed periodically. This will ensure that you don’t have to deal with the annoying serpentine belt squeal. Changing the serpentine belt isn’t the most complicated of jobs and can usually be done at home. In most cases, you can fix the serpentine belt squeal in less than an hour with a few simple tools and a new belt.
The belt replacement consists of finding the tensioner and relieving tension. This will help get the old belt off and install the new one. It’s a good idea to clean the grooves of the pulleys after the removal of the old belt. This will ensure that the new belt isn’t contaminated by oil and dirt.
Say Goodbye to Serpentine Belt Squeal!
Don’t live with serpentine belt squeals! Not only is the sound displeasing, but it’s also an indicator that the belt is on its way out. Deal with the problem by replacing the serpentine belt with an OEM-quality replacement today.
Our vehicle selection tool will help you make sure you get the correct serpentine belt for your car, as you may be surprised to know that they differ in size depending on the vehicle. Head to the Newparts.com Shop and get your serpentine belt order in right away!
