Back to all

Ask Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport: What Happens When a Serpentine Belt Breaks?

May 3, 2020

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 Lockport drivers should never wait to get a serpentine belt replaced.

Serpentine belts are fairly inexpensive at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport in Lockport. 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 Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport  technician to glance under your hood and give that serpentine belt a quick look-over.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Lockport
600 E 9th Street
Lockport, Illinois 60441
815-838-3700

More articles from Tuffy Lockport

Steering You Right (Power Steering Fluid Service)

March 2, 2025

Its important for safe driving that two of the most important systems in your vehicle work right. One is the brakes. The other is the steering. Nearly all vehicles on the road have some sort of power steering that allows you to direct a very heavy machine with little effort. There are two ty... More

Feeling Powerless (Why Is My Battery Light On?)

February 23, 2025

When one of your vehicles warning lights comes on, the first thing that comes to mind is, Oh, no, whats wrong now? When its the battery light, it means theres something wrong with your vehicles battery or charging system. And because both are important for your vehicle to work properly, its a go... More

Differential Service

February 16, 2025

When you're driving and turn a corner, you probably aren't aware of all that's going on with your wheels. The outside wheels have a longer distance to travel than the inside wheels, so there are gears that allow the wheels to go at different speeds when you turn. That set of gears is called a d... More