Your Neighborhood Full Service Repair Facility
2 Years / 24,000 Miles Parts & Labor Warranty
We Build Customers For Life!
We Service All Makes & Models
Locally Owned & Operated
February 6, 2022
Today we're going to be talking about serpentine belts for our Glendale Heights, Illinois, customers. Let's start by talking about the accessories that are driven by the serpentine belt. First is the alternator. That's the device that makes electricity to power the vehicle and recharge the battery. Then there's the air conditioning compressor that makes cool air for you while you're driving around Illinois in the summer.
The power steering and power brake pumps are driven by the serpentine belt in most Glendale Heights residents' vehicles. Those pumps provide pressure that assists your steering and braking.
In many vehicles, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt. The water pump is what circulates the coolant that protects your engine. In some cars around Glendale Heights, Illinois, the water pump is driven by the timing belt.
The radiator cooling fans on some vehicles are also driven by the serpentine belt. Some have separate electric motors. That's really a lot of work for one belt.
But modern engine design has a single belt that snakes around the front of the engine and drives most, if not all, of these accessories. Serpentine belts do a lot of work, but they're tough and can last for a long time.
Just how long will they last? That'll vary for each individual car in the Glendale Heights area. Your owner’s manual will have a recommendation for when it should be changed, but it could need it sooner. The good news is that a visual inspection at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Glendale Heights can detect a belt that's getting close to failing.
Your friendly and knowledgeable Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Glendale Heights service advisor can look at the belt: if it has more than three or four cracks per inch, it needs to be replaced. A deep crack that's more than half the depth of the belt - replace. Frayed, missing pieces, a shiny glazed look? Toss it. Come see us.
Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Glendale Heights
1153 Bloomingdale Rd.
Glendale Heights, Illinois 60139
630-588-8846
May 5, 2024
You know your body temperature is supposed to be 98.6 degrees F, 37 degrees C. Your vehicle has a normal temperature, too, and if you pay attention to it, that can save you some big headaches down the road. Many vehicles have a temperature gauge on the dash that takes the temperature of the engi... More
April 28, 2024
One of the most important things you can do to keep your vehicle running safely is to make sure your tires are properly inflated. If one or more is vastly over- or underinflated, that has the potential to cause major handling problems and may result in a dangerous accident. All vehicles in recen... More
April 21, 2024
You spend a lot of money on a vehicle, probably the most money you'll spend on anything except a house. But the spending doesn't stop after you've bought it. It goes into things like insurance, repairs and fuel. One good piece of news is that you can cut down the amount you spend on fuel if yo... More
