Back to all

Tuffy Rockford Maintenance Tips: The Belt Goes On

August 18, 2020

drive All Loves Park service advisors know that without the alternator, the battery will go dead in a few miles.

The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. And on many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump. The water pump circulates coolant through the engine to keep it within normal operating temperatures. (On some vehicles, the water pump is powered by the timing belt instead of the serpentine belt.)

So you can see the serpentine belt does a lot of work. And it if breaks, it affects a lot of systems. That's why your vehicle manufacturer and your service advisor at Tuffy Rockford have recommended that it be changed every so often so that it doesn't fail.

Your friendly and knowledgeable Tuffy Rockford service advisor can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon and will measure the amount of belt material to make sure there is enough.

Your serpentine belt works in tandem with a 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 Tuffy Rockford in Loves Park, we recommend that the tensioner be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.

Tuffy Rockford
6574 E. Riverside
Loves Park, Illinois 61111
815.639.1239

More articles from Tuffy Rockford

(Ball Joint Replacement)

November 30, 2025

Every day that goes by, our bodies get a little more wear and tear on them. Our vehicles have the same issue. The older we get and the farther we travel, certain parts start showing some wear. Think of your hips. There are parts of our vehicles that are similar to them; just like hips allow y... More

Don?t Meddle with the Pedal (Brake Caliper Replacement)

November 23, 2025

If you drive a newer vehicle, chances are it has disc brakes, and one of the components of that type of brake is called a brake caliper. The caliper allows the pressure from your foot on the brake pedal to eventually move brake pads against discs in your wheels, which then slow and stop your veh... More

Don?t Blow Your Cool (Water Pump Replacement)

November 16, 2025

Its always a good idea to keep your cool, and thats especially true when it comes to some components of your vehicle. One is the engine. Its hot under that hood thanks to the mini explosions that are occurring in the internal combustion engine when its running. Your vehicle has a cooling syste... More