Your car’s belts and hoses are required for your car to run properly. They are made of rubber and are exposed to the harsh elements of the environment and the heat of being under the car hood. This rubber dry rots with age and develops cracks which if go unnoticed will cause them to break. Older cars use multiple fan belts.

Usually one for the power steering, one for the alternator and one for the air conditioner. Some cars use a separate belt for the water pump as well. In this type of setup if one belt breaks you would in theory only lose one system ie the one the belt runs. In reality when one belt breaks in this type of belt setup it spins around and takes out the other belts with it so you lose all of the functions anyway.

In more modern cars the fan belt is made into one large belt that is called a serpentine belt. This type of system takes just one belt and wraps it around all of the cars components. In this scenario it is just as important to have the serpentine belt checked and replaced if showing cracking or signs of wear because if it breaks you will lose all of the cars functions at once. Hoses are the tubes that the coolant flows through to keep you car’s engine cool and deliver heat to the inside of the car.

Hoses are made of rubber and just like your car’s belts, hoses are subjected to the harsh environment of being under the cars hood. If the car’s coolant is left un serviced it will get an acidic PH and cause the hoses to rot from the inside out. So they will visually look good from the outside but have trouble on the inside of the hose. Here at Drake Auto in Sterling, VA we have the tools and knowledge to properly service your car’s belts and hoses. Feel free to stop by or give us a call to get more info.