Can You Drive With a Broken Alternator Belt?
While it is possible to drive with a broken alternator belt, it isn’t recommended, as you could lose power at any time—click here to learn more.
Written by Andrew Biro
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
While not recommended, it is possible to drive with a broken alternator—or serpentine—belt, but only for short distances. Should your alternator belt break, the alternator will no longer charge your vehicle’s battery, which means you may lose power at any time.
In most modern vehicles, a serpentine belt is used to supply power to the alternator and a variety of other integral engine components. Over time, the belt wears down and may slip, come loose, or break entirely—when this happens, the engine loses power to several vital systems and is put at risk of overheating.
Despite its key role in powering an engine, many drivers aren’t familiar with how the serpentine belt works or what to do when it breaks, resulting in the question: can you drive with a broken alternator belt? In the article below, we’ll answer that question and go over the symptoms of a worn belt and the associated replacement costs.
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What does the alternator/serpentine belt do?
An alternator belt—which is a type of serpentine/drive belt—is a long rubber belt found inside of the engine that serves to power the alternator, air conditioning compressor, power steering pump, and sometimes even the water pump, depending on the engine’s design.
Most modern vehicles use a single alternator belt in conjunction with a belt tensioner—an automatic self-tensioning device that keeps the serpentine belt taut—and/or idler pulleys, which press against the belt and give it a serpent-like shape.
The serpentine belt attaches to the crankshaft pulley (which is typically located at the front of the engine block) and winds through the engine, guided by the aforementioned pulleys and tensioner, to supply power to vital engine components.
Symptoms of a worn alternator belt
Like any other vehicle component, the alternator belt is subject to regular wear and tear—over time, this can cause the belt to loosen, slip, or break entirely, in which case the belt must be replaced. Most serpentine belts have a lifespan of 50,000 to 100,000 miles and typically only need to be replaced once during a vehicle’s lifetime.
To lessen the chances of a complete breakage of the belt—which is the most dangerous outcome of a worn belt—keep an eye out for the following signs that your alternator belt is on its last legs:
- You smell burnt rubber inside the vehicle cabin
- There is a chirping, squeaking, or squealing noise coming from the engine
- Engine temperature is higher than normal
- Accessory systems (such as AC) aren’t working or are weaker than normal
- The Check Engine light or battery light turns on
It is also recommended that you have your serpentine belt inspected by a mechanic after approximately 60,000 miles, but you can inspect the belt yourself as well. If you start to see cracks in the rubber, fraying, or notice that chunks of rubber are missing, it’s a sure sign the belt needs to be replaced.
MORE: Drive belt tensioner replacement cost
Can you drive with a broken serpentine belt?
In the technical sense, yes—you can drive a vehicle with a broken serpentine belt, but only for a short distance, as you may unexpectedly lose power at any time. If this happens while you’re on the highway, you are at serious risk of being hit by or colliding with another vehicle.
Generally speaking, the only distance you should drive with a broken alternator belt is however far it takes for you to guide your vehicle to the side of the road or pull into a nearby parking lot. Once you’re in a safe location, call a mechanic or tow-truck company to help you out.
Continuing to drive with a broken serpentine belt also puts your car’s engine at risk and can lead to extremely expensive repair costs, so play it safe and don’t drive any further than you need to.
What happens if your serpentine belt breaks?
In the event that your serpentine belt breaks while driving, several things can happen:
- Your alternator may fail, in which case your car battery won’t be able to recharge—this can result in a sudden loss of power
- You may lose power steering, making it more difficult to turn the steering wheel
- You may lose accessory systems such as air conditioning
- The engine may overheat—if your vehicle’s water pump (which helps circulate coolant and regulate engine temperature) is powered by the serpentine belt, a sudden breakage can shut down the engine’s cooling system.
All of these—with the exception of losing some accessory systems—increase your chances of being involved in an accident or collision, which is why it’s recommended that you carefully guide your vehicle to the side of the road should the belt snap.
MORE: How to know if a mechanic is taking too long with car repairs
How much does it cost to replace a bad serpentine belt?
Fortunately, replacing a broken or worn serpentine belt isn’t too terribly expensive—the exact price you’ll pay will depend on your vehicle make and model as well as where you have the service done, but you can generally expect to pay somewhere between $80 and $170.
Typically, the belt itself will cost between $25 and $50, whereas the labor costs involved in replacing the belt can range between $55 and $120—it really all depends on the mechanic and auto repair shop you go to.
It is possible to replace the serpentine belt yourself, but only if you have the proper tools and knowledge to do so. Seeing as the belt will likely only ever need to be replaced once in a car’s lifetime, it’s generally recommended that you leave the service to the professionals to ensure the installation is done properly.
MORE: Alternator/serpentine belt replacement cost
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FAQs
How do I know if my alternator belt is broken?
If your alternator/serpentine belt breaks, you may notice that accessory systems are weaker than normal, you may lose power steering/steering becomes more difficult, your battery may fail to recharge, and your engine may start to overheat.
What are the dangers of driving with a broken alternator belt?
If you continue to drive with a broken alternator belt, you run the risk of loosening your engine’s cooling systems, which can result in the engine overheating—this can lead to severe engine damage and, in some cases, total engine failure.
Additionally, a broken alternator belt means your alternator will no longer recharge your battery as you drive, which can lead to an unexpected loss of power, putting you at risk of being hit or colliding with another vehicle.
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