How to Check Belts
- 1). Turn off the engine.
- 2). Pull the hood release lever under the dashboard.
- 3). Walk around to the front of the car, reach under the hood, find the latch and squeeze it. As you squeeze the latch, open the hood.
- 4
Find the belts located on the very front of the engine. On a front-wheel-drive car, the front of the engine is usually adjacent to the fender; on a rear-wheel-drive car, the front of the engine is adjacent to the radiator and the front bumper. - 5). Note that there will be 2 or more belts, depending on the car. Belts are used to operate the fan, water pump, alternator, air conditioner, power steering pump and smog pump.
- 6
Press lightly with your thumb on each belt at the belt's longest part between pulleys. - 7). Check the appropriate tension for your belts in your car's manual. Belts should not have more than 1 inch of "give" in either direction.
- 8
Observe the belt as you press on it. If it's cracked or can be easily pushed more than 1 inch, it most likely needs to be replaced.
