Back to all

Ask Tuffy Lake In The Hills: What Happens When a Serpentine Belt Breaks?

May 12, 2024

The serpentine belt is aptly named since it snakes around under your hood. It may lack its namesake's fangs, but it sure packs a wallop when it breaks.

The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine systems. It runs the alternator, which charges the battery; the water pump (on some vehicles), which cools the engine; the air conditioning, which cools the driver and passengers; and the power steering pump, which allows for easier steering. When the belt breaks, all of these systems shut down.

Okay, so maybe you can live without air conditioning and power steering for a while, but your battery can't live very long without an alternator, and when the cooling system goes down, your vehicle engine will overheat. That's why Lake In The Hills drivers should never wait to get a serpentine belt replaced.

Serpentine belts are fairly inexpensive at Tuffy Lake In The Hills in Lake In The Hills. And they look downright cheap when you compare them to the cost of an overheated vehicle engine, a tow truck, time lost on the road, inconvenience, and the potential safety consequences of being stranded.

Good car care means never putting off preventive maintenance. Do yourself a favor. Ask your friendly and knowledgeable Tuffy Lake In The Hills  technician to glance under your hood and give that serpentine belt a quick look-over.

Tuffy Lake In The Hills
59 West Acorn Lane
Lake In The Hills, Illinois 60156
847-854-9850

More articles from Tuffy Lake in the Hills

When it Comes to Air Filters, Change is Good (Clogged Air Filter)

March 30, 2025

Engine air filters may not seem like a big deal, but when theyre clogged up with dirt, dust, and insects, your engine could wind up choking for air and not delivering you the power and performance it was designed to give. There are actually a couple of air filters in your vehicle. One filters th... More

Ready, Set, COLD! (Getting Vehicle Ready for Winter)

March 23, 2025

When the temperatures plunge, your vehicle better be ready because it faces a whole new set of challenges. Rubber stiffens, glass fogs, fluids freeze. Just thinking about it can get your heart beating faster. So here are some tips for getting ready for those inevitable colder temperatures. Mak... More

Rubber Match (Tire Replacement)

March 16, 2025

A set of new tires isn't probably high on anyone's list of exciting purchases. But since your life is literally riding on them, it's probably a good idea to know when it's time for you to buy new ones. If you've been feeling your vehicle slipping more in wet weather or it takes a longer distance... More