Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Timing and Serpentine Belts
Inspect and get your timing and serpentine belts replaced when necessary. Many people will tell you to get your timing belt replaced every 60,000 miles or so, and your serpentine belt replaced every 40,000 miles, give or take. Again, your owner's manual will offer real numbers for your type of vehicle. If you can't find the manual, look around online. You'll probably find the actual recommendation for your car. Use it as a guideline, and ask your mechanic to inspect the belts when it gets time to replace them mileage-wise. If they're still in good shape, don't bother, but if they're worn out, get them replaced before they fail. If you wait and those belts do fail, you'll break down, and the damaged belt can damage other accessories, making the repair even more expensive.