Sometimes it gets louder, too. Did you know its not just the serpentine belt (alternator belt) that causes the squeal or other noises? The serpentine belt, just like every other car part, will eventually wear out. In the old days, a car had several belts with each powering a certain part. it act like it wants to start but it wont. Your belt is adjusted by moving the power steering pump,loosen all 3 pivot bolts and adjustment is made with the bolt that goes into the side of the lower P/S pump bracket, if your belt is smoking something is locking up most likely the alternator. Either way, the coolant is going to damage the belt and lead to squealing. They said they were going to do a "safety check".. The serpentine belt transfers power to many different functions in your car, and therefore, a failed belt can cause some issues. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. This is particularly true if you lose control of your power steering. Your Answer: Upload Photo. How to tell if you have a broken or damaged hydraulic belt tensioner?You may spot a tensioner leak or hear a rattling noise, producing the serpentine belt noise. Small cracks dont necessitate changing out the belt right away but are a good indicator that a replacement will be due soon. The most common causes of squealing come from a worn-out serpentine belt. Suspect either your idler pulley or belt tensioner pulley. The serpentine belt is glazed if the scream does not cease or returns rapidly. Your water pump broke. Click to enlarge. There can be quite a few reasons why you hear a squealing noise when you drive.To easily identify a serpentine belt noise, keep an eye out for these signs: Note: A bad serpentine belt alone wont set off any dashboard lights, so its important to be alert for any failings in your cars system. The answer is overheating, no power steering, no AC, or just outright engine failure, whether it happens now, or later. Now, insert Your key into the driver's side door lock. Even though you come across some belt dressing products that claim to reduce the squealing or squeaking noise, youll mostly need a replacement belt to fix the belt noises. It is constantly moving, rotating as the car is running. One of the most common reasons a serpentine belt will shred is due to it being old and worn out. Serpentine belt broke because the tensioner pulley failed and the belt shredded. $21.96. The rule of thumb is serpentine belts will hold up to between 50,000 and 100,000 miles. If you notice your serpentine belt tearing, its important to replace it as soon as possible.If your serpentine belt tears while youre driving, it can cause a lot of damage to your engine. Also, humidity on the ribbed side of the belt is frequently the source of belt squeals. Some cracks might happen pretty fast even if the belt is not completely worn out, but it is definitely time to replace it if it is full of cracks. broken serpentine belt | Subaru Outback Forums