Back to all

Automotive Tips from Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Appleton: Serpentine Belt Overview

February 26, 2018

The technicians at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Appleton know your serpentine belt drives important engine accessories like your alternator, air conditioning compressor, and power steering. In some cars it may also power the power brakes or water pump. The serpentine belt is powered by the engine and winds around pulleys and the accessories. Some cars in Appleton have two serpentine belts.


The serpentine belt, the belt tensioner (which maintains the appropriate tension on the belt) and the idler pulleys are together known as the accessory drive system.

Now your serpentine belt and the belt tensioner will just wear out over time – that’s why your vehicle manufacturer has a scheduled belt replacement interval. The team at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Appleton in Appleton can inspect your serpentine belt for wear and get it replaced if it’s time.

Give us a call.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center Appleton
2940 E. College Ave.
Appleton, Wisconsin 54915
920-954-8500

 

More articles from Tuffy Appleton

Singing a Different Tune (Up) (Tune Ups)

November 30, 2025

Engines required a lot more maintenance in earlier times. You'd have to have your spark plugs, wires, rotors, caps, distributor points, fuel and air filters changed periodically. There were mechanical adjustments of a vehicle's timing, dwell, spark gap and idle mixture, too. Unless you like to ... More

A Most Important Part (Serpentine Belt Replacement)

November 23, 2025

Your vehicles engine is an engineering work of wonder with many complex parts working in harmony to get you down the road. One of those simple but important components is called a serpentine belt. It is driven by a pulley on the engine and transfers that power to many of your engines most importa... More

Getting Off to a Running Start (Starter Replacement)

November 16, 2025

When you start your vehicles engine, theres another motor that makes that whole process possible. Its called the starter, and its a small electric motor that gets your vehicle running. As you can imagine, its quite a chore for a little electric motor to turn over the big engine that powers you... More