Serpentine Belt Service at Ryan?s Auto Repair of Plymouth in Plymouth
December 24, 2023
If you've ever heard a squealing sound under your vehicle hood, chances are it was your serpentine belt. More importantly, the belt powers the alternator. The alternator creates electricity that's used by your vehicle's electrical systems and also charges the battery. Without the alternator, the battery will go dead after a short distance.
The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering (some are electric) and power brakes (some use vacuum boost).
And, on most vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump. The water pump circulates coolant through the engine to keep it within optimal operating temperatures. On some Plymouth vehicles, the water pump is powered by the timing belt instead of the serpentine belt.
When they understand what it does, Plymouth drivers realize that if it breaks, it affects a lot of systems. That's why vehicle manufacturers outline recommended replacement guidelines in the owner’s manuals. If this important maintenance component is not included in your owner’s manual, come see us at Ryan?s Auto Repair of Plymouth.
At Ryan?s Auto Repair of Plymouth in Plymouth, your professional technician can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon. If the belt has more than three or four cracks every inch or couple of centimeters, has deep cracks that penetrate half the depth of the belt, is frayed, is missing pieces or has a shiny, glazed look, it needs to be replaced regardless of age or mileage.
If it has lost a significant amount of thickness, it also needs to be replaced. Talk to your service advisor at Ryan?s Auto Repair of Plymouth. There's a special spring-loaded pulley attached to the engine called the tensioner pulley. Its job is to make sure there's a constant tension on the serpentine belt so that it doesn't slip. The spring can become worn and no longer provide the necessary pressure to keep the belt tight. At Ryan?s Auto Repair of Plymouth, we recommend that the tensioner be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.
As mentioned, a squealing sound could alert you that the serpentine belt needs to be replaced. It may be loose if you hear a slow, slapping sound when idling your vehicle.
All in all, the serpentine belt is very important to the operation of your vehicle. And it's not that expensive to replace at Ryan?s Auto Repair of Plymouth – so it's good to do so before it fails.
Ryan?s Auto Repair of Plymouth
41990 Joy Rd
Plymouth, MI 48170
734-454-0979
https://www.ryansautorepairplymouth.com/
Need Service?
More articles from Ryan's Auto Repair of Plymouth

Give it the Boot (Ball Joint Boot Replacement)
April 20, 2025
Your vehicle may be wearing boots right now and you might not even know it. They're called ball joint boots. They're actually protective, flexible things that protect parts of your suspension (called ball joints) from all the hazards the road can fling at them. If one of those ball joint boots... More

Poor Reflections (Door Mirror Problems)
April 13, 2025
Mirror, mirror on the door, why is my vision there so poor? Well, you could have a broken outside rearview mirror that's disabled your blind spot vision there and endangering your ability to see some of the traffic around you. Outside rearview (or door) mirrors are important safety devices that ... More

Ryan?s Auto Repair of Plymouth Advice on What to Pour into Your Vehicle
April 6, 2025
Changes in vehicle design and manufacture have resulted in changed fluid requirements for our vehicles. With the sophistication of engines, transmissions, differentials, etc., it's best for Plymouth residents to always use the proper type of fluid for their vehicle. Using incorrect fluids can ac... More