Q: Belt hanging down

asked by on February 22, 2016

A belt is hanging down underneath the car.

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It needs to be determined which belt has been thrown, or has broken. One belt drives the alternator, and the other drives the AC compressor. A thrown belt is generally caused by a seized peripheral - such as an alternator - or AC compressor, or even possibly a faulty tensioner or idler pulley. It is often suggested that when a belt has been thrown, that both belts be replaced. It is imperative that both belts be routed correctly and installed properly on each of the pulleys’ guide tracks, according to the diagrams. You may want to enlist the help of a mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who can inspect all of the pulleys and drive items, and properly install the belts.

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