The Land Rover is one of the best luxury sports utility vehicles on the market today. It has power, durability, and offers a high-performance ride to its owners. It can even off-road in all the places a regular vehicle can not get to. However, it still requires routine inspections, maintenance, and occasional repair.
One of the things that may need to be repaired on a Land Rover is the accessory drive belt. Even if you never heard the term accessory drive belt, you might have heard other names that it is called, such as the serpentine belt, timing belt, fan belt, or alternator belt. This belt is an integral part of the vehicle, as it is responsible for powering the accessories connected to it.
Without a functioning accessory belt, your vehicle will experience steering pump, alternator, water pump, and air conditioning compressor issues. In short, it will be challenging to drive the car, you will not have power steering, and your vehicle will overheat very quickly.
What causes the accessory drive belt to fail?
Several different things can make an accessory belt fail in a vehicle. Here are the five most common reasons your timing belt may need replacement.
- Short Distance Driving: Most vehicles do the best on long drives at a steady speed, such as highway driving. An accessory belt can become worn out quicker when most of the driving is city driving with short distances, frequent stops, and different speeds.
- Transporting Heavy Cargo: Using your SUV to move heavy cargo can also put a strain on the accessory belt. This is not to say overloading your Land Rover once or twice will break the belt, but doing it all the time may prove to cut the timing belt’s lifespan short.
- Mountain and Uphill Driving: Driving on mountain roads and roads with steep inclines and lots of turns can also affect the belt.
- Quickly Accelerating Often: If your driving style is to accelerate quickly, this can also cause problems more often than not. Accelerating too quickly can put additional stress on the belt, and it may break sooner than expected. Many people never have to replace the accessory drive belt in their vehicle.
- Manufacturer Failure: Lastly, the problem is not always your unique style of driving or where you drive, but the issue can also lie with the manufacturer. There are literally thousands of pieces that go together during the manufacturing process, and because of this, mistakes can happen. You could have a faulty belt, or it could have been damaged when the car was being put together.
Indications of Accessory Drive Belt Failure
Typically, you will know right away if your accessory drive belt breaks. However, if you are unsure, here are the three most common signs of the belt breaking.
- Your engine is suddenly overheating: As mentioned earlier, the accessory belt is connected to the cooling system, so if the belt goes, your car loses its ability to regulate the engine’s temperature. Usually, this will occur pretty quickly. Within just a few minutes of your belt breaking, your vehicle will go from normal temperature to completely overheated.
- You are having a difficult time steering: Power steering is another thing connected to the drive belt. Most people will notice the loss of power steering first, as most people have never driven a car without power steering. The difference is quite noticeable. Instead of a featherlight touch to turn the wheel, it will now take a lot of force and muscle to turn. It will not just be challenging to drive; it will be downright dangerous.
- Your vehicle is suddenly making unusual noises: Finally, you may notice strange noises coming from your engine. This can happen before the belt breaks when it slips or has tears. If you hear weird noises coming from your engine, you will want to get this looked at right away.
Contact Dell’s Service Center For Accessory Drive Belt Issues
Dell’s Service Center services Green Bay, Manitowoc, and Sturgeon Bay, WI. Schedule an appointment with our professional technicians today and allow us to diagnose your car’s troubles. We will develop an appropriate action plan to get you back on the road as soon as possible. Call today!