Inspecting the Drive Belt — General Information
Warning: The engine and the belt must be cool before you check the belt. Handling a hot belt can cause personal injury.
Worn or loose drive belts may cause premature bearing failure or engine overheating. Excessive tension, or too little tension on the belt may result in excessive and premature belt wear. Poly-V belts, or serpentine belts, are retained by a belt tensioner that requires no tension adjustment. Replace the engine drive belt if any conditions described in the visual description are found. V-belts are installed as individual belts, and as matched sets. When replacing a matched set of belts, always replace both belts at the same time. Matched belts must be from the same manufacturer. To inspect a belt, gently twist the belt to view the belt sidewalls and bottom. Visually inspect all drive belts for the following conditions, then perform the belt tension inspection.