How can you tell when you need to replace the serpentine fan belt on a Taurus - Sable?

Answer 1

well....when your car overheats unnecesarily. or when your fan is not working. What are the symptoms your car is showing? someone might have more insight then, or might be able to tell you how to troubleshoot the problems and find the best, cheapest, and most efficient solution.

If you take a very close look at the belt routing, it passes over a pulley wheel that is part of the belt *tensioner*. This keeps the belt tight as it drives the various engine parts (water pump, Power Steering pump, a/c, etc).

On the side of the tensioner are wear indicator markings - extremely hard to see - clean the area with a rag and a flashlight will help.

My opinion is the serpentine belt is such a critical part (can you say dead - stranded on the side of the road?), I replace mine about 30-50,000 miles as a preventive measure.

Some experts recommend a 30,000 or 60,000 replacement interval.

Btw, a belt costs about $20-30

See "Related Questions" below for more