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Hi all. I drive a 2015 Chrysler 200. I am a woman. Today, my Serpentine belt broke, and I had the car towed to a repair shop. The guy there said that it was going to cost a ton of money to fix it because it would mess up the air condenser and compressor which he said would have to all be replaced. I didn't understand that because once the belt stops working doesn't all that stop working too? He said this without testing anything I might add. I didn't feel comfortable about what he was saying so I decided to get a second opinion. I am taking the car to the Chrysler dealership tomorrow. Just curious as to what all can go wrong or could need to be replaced after driving a short distance (less than one mile) on a broken Serpentine belt. I am doing research now and see nothing about what he was talking about at all. I see things like cracked heads, etc. Just want to know what type of problems this type of situation can actually cause. TIA.
Basically all that is needed is to buy a new belt and re install it. There is the possibility that a tensioner pulley could be bad, or the broken belt could have caused some damage as it flew apart but not likely.
Still under warranty? How many miles do you have? Serpentine belt sits outside the engine and distributes the engine's power to run things like alternator, water pump, AC, etc. and typically last many miles (100K). You can check for wear. I have not seen them breaking in a 2 year old car (or really ever as I change mine when they show wear). The last time I changed mine, it took about an hour and $50 (but I had to change an idler pully too which is what took the extra time).
The gloom and doom the mechanic predicted seems to be more associated with a timing belt breaking (even though the symptoms he lists are serpentine belt related).
What a bunch of baloney. Heck, when the A/C's not on the pulley freewheels!
All that belt does is make things spin. If you stopped soon after there should be no problem.
Keep going and you could overheat, since it turns the water pump.
Now if the A/C pulley seized and caused the belt to break, that is something else.
The thing should've squealed like a pig beforehand.
It all should be covered under factory warranty anyway, being a 2015. Unless you have a ton of miles on it. Possible the ac compressor locked up, causing the belt to break. Belts that new don't just break for no reason...something caused it. Take it to the dealer.
What a bunch of baloney. Heck, when the A/C's not on the pulley freewheels!
All that belt does is make things spin. If you stopped soon after there should be no problem.
Keep going and you could overheat, since it turns the water pump.
Now if the A/C pulley seized and caused the belt to break, that is something else.
The thing should've squealed like a pig beforehand.
Yes, still under warranty. Do warranties typically cover broken belts or things associated with that?
Usually it's bumper to bumper for three years or 36000 miles. So it would cover the belt and any other ancillary issues caused by it breaking or the cause of the break.
The car did over heat but I was able to get it off the highway and pull over so it was less than a minute or so and immediately turned everything off.
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