Back to all

Ask Tuffy Auto Service Center Cincinatti: What Happens When a Serpentine Belt Breaks?

September 28, 2016


The serpentine belt is aptly named since it snakes around under your hood. It may lack its namesake's fangs, but it sure packs a wallop when it breaks.

The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine systems. It runs the alternator, which charges the battery; the water pump (on some vehicles), which cools the engine; the air conditioning, which cools the driver and passengers; and the power steering pump, which allows for easier steering. When the belt breaks, all of these systems shut down.

Okay, so maybe you can live without air conditioning and power steering for a while, but your battery can't live very long without an alternator, and when the cooling system goes down, your vehicle engine will overheat. That's why Cincinnati drivers should never wait to get a serpentine belt replaced.

Serpentine belts are fairly inexpensive at Tuffy Auto Service Center Cincinatti in Cincinnati. And they look downright cheap when you compare them to the cost of an overheated vehicle engine, a tow truck, time lost on the road, inconvenience, and the potential safety consequences of being stranded.

Good car care means never putting off preventive maintenance. Do yourself a favor. Ask your friendly and knowledgeable Tuffy Auto Service Center Cincinatti  technician to glance under your hood and give that serpentine belt a quick look-over.

Tuffy Auto Service Center Cincinatti
9401 Fields-Ertel
Cincinnati, Ohio 45249
513-683-5060

More articles from Tuffy Fields-Ertel Cincinnati

Smooth Operator (Shocks and Struts)

January 18, 2026

Few of us ever drive somewhere without encountering some pretty rough roads, and it's amazing how well our vehicles are able to smooth out the ride. Thank your shocks and struts. The two parts are similar. Some cars have shocks in the rear, and struts in the front. Others have struts all around... More

Making Sense of the O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor Replacement)

January 11, 2026

As you know, todays vehicles rely on a lot of computers in them to keep them running clean and efficiently. Those computers depend on information delivered by several sensors throughout the engine and exhaust system. And one of the most important is the oxygen sensor. Known as the O2 sensor f... More

The Daily Grind (Grinding Noise)

January 4, 2026

If your vehicle makes a grinding sound when you turn the steering wheel, it's speaking to you. No, really, it is. So listen to what it's saying and you could avoid a much more costly repair down the road. A grinding sound coming from the front of your vehicle when you are turning can offer some... More