![]() Unfortunately, you can’t wash off the antifreeze once it has sunk in on the belt, and it damages the belt immediately. It usually drips from a leak in the coolant hoses or is blown out from the engine fan and causes a belt squeal. Exposure to CoolantĪntifreeze (engine coolant) is a colored liquid that’s mixed with water to help regulate your engine through extreme temperatures.Īs the temperature changes from hot to cold outside, your car will pump the coolant throughout the engine block to provide an even operating temperature.īut this temperature regulator can be dangerous too.Įven the tiniest bit of coolant fluid can damage a serpentine belt or drive belt. If these cracks increase in number, the belt tension and the tightness in the pulley system will reduce, resulting in slippage or snapping.įortunately, professional mechanics can fix any misaligned pulley or replace any tensioner pulley easily. This happens over the years due to friction, leading to cracks in the belt. ![]() ![]() You’ll also hear the chirping noise if the pulley grooves are damaged. If any tensioner pulley begins to wear out with time, it’ll create more of a chirping noise. The whole thing is made up of a pulley system with spinning pulley grooves that hold the belt in place as it whips around. Worn Out Pulley Or Wrong Pulley Alignmentĭid you know it’s not just the serpentine belt (alternator belt) that causes the squeal or other noises? In this instance, the only way to stop the serpentine belt noise is by getting a replacement belt installed by a mechanic. If there are any cracks, you have a dried belt that can snap anytime. It’s also a good idea to pop the hood and visually inspect your old belt for cracks. The temperature coming from the engine can also make a belt dry.Īll these reasons result in a weaker serpentine belt that can no longer maintain the required tension needed to grip each tensioner pulley properly, linking the belt together.Īdditionally, if any pulley begins to slip, the serpentine belt will slip too, producing that annoying squealing sound. That squealing sound can arise due to the constant friction due to motion. If you don’t, you’ll have a broken serpentine or fan belt in the most unpredictable moments.Ī serpentine belt noise can also come from a fan belt that has started to dry out. However, you should get your old belt replaced with a new belt after around 75,000 miles. The good news is new car models come with durable belts (engine belt, alternator belt, timing belt, etc.) that last longer. With time a serpentine drive belt will go bad, like most car parts. If you keep hearing that high pitch squealing whenever you start up your engine, there can be different causes for it. If you detect something, get it checked immediately as the serpentine belt directly influences vital engine components like your alternator and power steering. Note : A bad serpentine belt alone won’t set off any dashboard lights, so it’s important to be alert for any failings in your car’s system. So if you try to crank the cold air, but no cold air comes out, that’s a bad drive belt issue. And lastly, your air conditioning won’t operate if there’s a serpentine belt issue.This will make it harder to turn your power steering wheel, and you’ll notice it immediately. If a lack of power steering accompanies your squealing belt, that’s another confirmation that the squealing noise comes from a serpentine belt.Therefore overheating and a failing water pump could be a sign of a failing belt. You can see other systems starting to struggle, like the alternator, water pump, power steering pump, etc.įor example, if your engine overheats often and makes a rattling or squeaking noise, your water pump is failing (powered by a serpentine belt).The squeaky belt noise can become even louder or more aggressive if you accelerate suddenly or try to make a U-Turn. If yes, then the squeal you hear is from your serpentine belt or drive belt. Check if the squeaking noise is persistent when you turn on your car, and it feels like it’s coming from the front of your vehicle (under the hood or from the engine bay). ![]() To easily identify a serpentine belt noise, keep an eye out for these signs: There can be quite a few reasons why you hear a squealing noise when you drive. ![]()
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