Drove several miles with a snapped serpentine belt, did I ruin my engine?
Driving with a snapped serpentine belt cuts off crucial functions like the water pump and alternator, risking severe overheating depending on how far and how long you drove. To verify if damage occurred, check your temperature gauge history and inspect the engine for signs of overheating or coolant leaks.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 16.8× more often in r/AskMechanics than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Replacing the belt and checking pulleys for seizureDid this help you?
- 2Inspecting for overheating symptoms or coolant lossDid this help you?
- 3charging the battery after running on battery powerDid this help you?
- 4checking the temperature gauge to see if it overheatedDid this help you?
- 5keeping an eye on coolant levels and listening for new rattlesDid this help you?
- 6checking the tensioner and spinning the pulleysDid this help you?
- 7Watching it run to see if anything looks out of place or rubbingDid this help you?
- 8Waiting for a new tensioner to come in while continuing to driveDid this help you?
- 9Renting a tensioning bar from an auto parts storeDid this help you?
- 10Using a pipe for extra leverage on the wrenchDid this help you?
- 11Changing the routing order to place the belt on a smooth pulley lastDid this help you?
- 12googling symptomsDid this help you?
- 13taking belt off and spinning each pulleyDid this help you?
- 14Keeping a spare belt in the trunkDid this help you?
- 15Doing preventative maintenance DIY because replacement belts are inexpensiveDid this help you?
- 16Having a friend look at the vehicleDid this help you?
- 17Shutting the car off immediately when the warning light comes onDid this help you?
- 18Avoiding driving the vehicleDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Could anyone please tell me what could have caused my serpentine belt to shred like this?”source ↗
“My serpentine belt snapped on my way home from work last night. Drove 12 miles and it snapped after 6 and i drove it for 10 min. Engine was cold from start and ambient temp was 14C°. Did i eff up the engine? Its a 1nd-tv”source ↗
“I recently had the belts done in my car, and today I heard a crackling noise. My battery light and alternator light came on.”source ↗
“the belt completely broke on the passenger side and coolant leaking on the driver’s side. I'm hoping it's just the belt that needs repairing, or is it very likely it could have caused more damage?”source ↗
“I drove the car for about 10min after the the battery and alternator lights came on. What could the damage be?”source ↗
“Also, the belts started making a squeaky noise when i started the car a few months ago, and I was told it was because they needed to loosen up on their own.”source ↗
“My serpentine belt snapped on my way home from work last night. Drove 12 miles and it snapped after 6. Engine was cold from start and ambient temp was 14C°. Did i fuck up the engine?”source ↗
“Is this normal after one day of install? Serpetine belt”source ↗
“Don't wait it. Change.”source ↗
“Always keep a spare in the trunk.”source ↗
“Yeah change it. If it snaps it isn't worth it.”source ↗
“Change it. Belts aren’t that expensive.”source ↗
“How bad would it be to keep driving for a day while I wait for the new tensioner to come in? Or will that completely ruin the belt?”source ↗
“I am having trouble getting the serpentine belt back on.”source ↗
“It feels like the belt is too small and/or I can't get the Tensioner looser.”source ↗
“Yes I am trying to fit it on the alternator last.”source ↗
“Getting a squeaking from under the hood.”source ↗
“Also, the squeaking goes away after about 10 minutes.”source ↗
“Also, now I’m starting to smell a small burnt rubber smell coming through the AC if I drive the car turn it off and then turn the car back on smells like burnt rubber coming through the AC.”source ↗
“Squeeked for 2 days and then came apart.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4Why is my brand new serpentine belt still squeaking?
- 3Can't get the serpentine belt back on the alternator pulley
- 2How to release tension on a serpentine belt tensioner
- 17Why am I paying for broken bolts during a car repair?
- 15How to tell if a worn timing belt actually needs replacing
- 9Why is my engine pulley wobbling and making a grinding noise?