Complete Auto Repair
ASE Certified Technicians
All Makes & Models - Foreign & Domestic
Locally Owned & Operated
We Perform A/C Service Work
July 21, 2019
Don't you hate it when you hear that squeal from under the hood when you're zipping down a busy Austin road? It usually means there is a problem with the serpentine belt. The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine accessories. It runs the alternator - which charges the battery; the water pump - which cools the engine; the air conditioning and the power steering pump. All are pretty important parts. It is called a serpentine belt because it snakes around a bunch of engine components.
Serpentine belts are amazingly tough. They can last for years and go long distances. Like all moving parts, however, they eventually wear out. If your belt breaks while you are driving around Austin, everything will come to a halt within minutes. You need to stop the vehicle immediately or it will overheat, potentially causing engine damage. You can be sure that it won't happen at a convenient time or place. (As if there was a convenient time or place!) You might even need to get your vehicle towed to Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Austin. It's no wonder that vehicle manufacturer's recommend a belt replacement on schedule. It's one of those "have-to's."
Austin drivers who hear a squeal when accelerating, or a slow, slapping sound at idle, should have their serpentine belt looked at. The pros at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Austin in Austin will visually inspect your belt to see if it needs to be changed sooner than scheduled. If the belt has more than three or four cracks every inch or couple of centimeters, has deep cracks that penetrate half the depth of the belt, is frayed, is missing pieces or has a shiny, glazed look, it needs to be replaced regardless of age or mileage.
Serpentine belt replacement is relatively inexpensive, especially compared with the cost and inconvenience of being stranded or getting a disabled vehicle back to Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Austin for repairs.
You're mom was right: an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.
Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Austin
1170 Anderson Mill Rd
Austin, Texas 78750
512-258-3400
http://www.tuffyaustin.com
April 14, 2024
If every road was straight and smooth, we wouldn't have to worry much about wheel alignment. But they're not, so we do. Hitting potholes or driving on rough pavement can knock your vehicle out of alignment and you'll notice it in one of several ways. Your steering wheel may not be centered when ... More
April 7, 2024
All Austin service advisors know that without the alternator, the battery will go dead in a few miles. The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. And on many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump. The water pump circulates coolant thro... More
March 31, 2024
Nearly every modern vehicle on the road today has power steering, a wonderful invention that makes steering take far less effort than it did in the "good old days." Today, we take our steering for granted: until something goes wrong, that is. Most power steering these days is rack-and-pinion, th... More
