Vauxhall Zafira Family alternator belt replacement, made easy
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Our expert insights into alternator belt replacement
What does an alternator belt do?
The alternator belt’s job is to transfer power from the engine crankshaft to various other components; these include the alternator (of course), the air conditioning and the power steering.
What are the symptoms of a malfunctioning alternator belt?
Below are the top three symptoms that could indicate you need an alternator belt replacement:
A squeaking sound from under the bonnet when you start your engine, or a high-pitched squeak while the engine is running.
If your car stalls regularly, or the engine refuses to turn over, it could be down to a slipping or broken alternator belt.
If you feel your car’s steering is heavier than normal, this could be due to a lack of power transferred to the power-steering system, and could also be down to the improper performance of your alternator belt.
What happens during an alternator belt replacement?
Our certified mechanics will:
Visually inspect the alternator belt for signs of wear, tears and cracks.
Check the alternator belt's pulleys and tensioner.
Replace the belt, if necessary.
Check related parts and advise if any other repairs are needed.
How Fixter works
Simply book online and we'll handle the rest
Upfront, fair pricing, with free collection & return and no hidden costs. Our in-house experts will then choose the ideal garage to work on your car.
A fully-insured Fixter driver will pick up your car, whenever and wherever works for you. (If you’d prefer to drive your car to the garage yourself, that’s not a problem!).
Our in-house experts will keep you updated, and your card is only charged once all work has been satisfactorily completed and approved by our team. Your driver will then drop the car back when it’s convenient for you.
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What does an alternator belt do?
An alternator belt is known by many names including the drive belt, v-belt or a serpentine belt.
Alternators are responsible for sustaining the charge of the battery so that it can power the electrical components of the vehicle. Without this key piece of equipment, the battery would die after only a short amount of driving. When an alternator is actively charging the battery, it must be constantly spinning. This spinning is made possible by the alternator belt which runs from the pulley on the alternator to the crankshaft.
The alternator belt does a very specific job and without it, the alternator cannot provide the constant charge the battery needs when the car is running. The alternator belt also drives the range of ancillary components used by the vehicle, which can include the car's power steering, air conditioning compressor, water pump and in some cases, the cooling fan. In most cars, if the water pump and oil pump are left to fail or malfunction, it can lead to severe or fatal engine damage.
Made of rubber, the belt is prone to deterioration over time, and due to its position next to the engine, excessive heat and general wear will lead to a brittle drive belt that is prone to cracking. It’s an essential part of the healthy running of your engine, so it’s imperative it’s in good condition.
Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors Ltd. is a British car brand owned by German manufacturer Opel. Initially founded in 1857, but didn’t begin to build cars until 1903, the brand is officially over 160 years old.
How popular is Vauxhall in the United Kingdom?
Their popularity can be easily quantified by the 3.9million Vauxhall cars on the road in the UK today.
Vauxhall: A car for every need
By their own admission, Vauxhall has a car for the school run, a trip to the shops, a cross-country holiday, being the face of your business or delivering a van-load of goods. With such a wide range of vehicles, they’ve got every avenue covered.
A forward-thinking company with traditional values
Throughout their extensive history in the automotive industry, Vauxhall has featured predominantly in all areas. It produced the first sports car, also the first car to achieve over 100mph, it has launched award-winning models and consistently introduced pioneering technology.
Their core brand values claim to be:
Ingenious—offering brilliant mobility
Progressive—as forward-thinking and innovative
Approachable—being authentic and simple
The UK’s 3rd best selling car of 2018: The Vauxhall Corsa
Competing with Ford Fiesta and VW Golf for the top-selling car in the UK, the Vauxhall Corsa has become a household favourite—and why not? Their supermini hatchback is stylish, nippy and economical to run. Neatly finished inside and out with a host of modern technology and features, you’re getting plenty of car for your money and all backed with Vauxhall’s reputation for building cars that go the distance.
How often does an alternator belt need replacing?
The average lifespan of an alternator belt is around 3-4 years, but can vary depending on how much you use your car. Heat from the engine can also make the alternator belt deteriorate more quickly, causing it to crack and tear. As the belt is constantly spinning, it can also become loose and won’t function properly.
What happens during an alternator belt replacement?
Our certified mechanics will:
Visually inspect the alternator belt for signs of wear, tears and cracks.
Check the alternator belt's pulleys and tensioner.
Replace the belt, if necessary.
Check related parts and advise if any other repairs are needed.
What causes an alternator belt to break?
Alternator belts are made of rubber, therefore the belt is prone to deterioration over time. Additionally, due to its position next to the engine, excessive heat and general wear will lead to a brittle drive belt that is prone to cracking and splitting. It plays an essential role in the healthy running of your car, so it’s imperative it’s in good condition.
When should an alternator belt be replaced?
Typically the lifespan of an alternator belt is around 3–4 years. It should be inspected during your annual vehicle service or whenever you have an oil change.
What are the symptoms of a broken alternator belt?
Usually, there a few signs you can look for:
A squeaking sound from under the bonnet when you start your engine, or a high-pitched squeak while the engine is running.
If your car stalls regularly, or the engine refuses to turn over, it could be down to a slipping or broken alternator belt.
If you feel your car’s steering is heavier than normal, this could be due to a lack of power transferred to the power-steering system, and could also be down to the improper performance of your alternator belt.
If any of your vehicle’s accessories stop working or the headlights and interior lights flicker or operate much dimmer than usual.
How to replace an alternator belt on your car?
To carry out an alternator belt replacement you must:
Open the bonnet and visually inspect the alternator belt for signs of wear, tears and cracks.
Check any parts connected to the alternator belt, such as pulleys and the belt tensioner.
Replace the belt, if necessary.
Check related parts and components to see if any other repairs are needed.
Can you drive with a bad alternator belt?
You should stop driving your car if you think there may be a problem with your alternator belt. Your alternator belt might not look like one of the most important components of your engine’s operation, but the role of every car’s drive belt is paramount to the healthy performance of your car’s engine.
What happens if you don't change a broken alternator belt?
Failure to spot when your alternator belt needs replacing or when it’s not quite performing up to scratch can ultimately lead to a seized engine brought on by a failed water pump or another integral part of the system. Therefore in order to save money in the long-run you should have your alternator belt replaced as soon as you think it may be failing.
Do alternator belts deteriorate with age?
Yes, because the belt is made from rubber it does wear out over time. The average lifespan of an alternator belt is around 3-4 years, but can vary depending on how much you use your car. Heat from the engine can also make the alternator belt deteriorate more quickly, causing it to crack and tear. As the belt is constantly spinning, it can also become loose and won’t function properly.
Common questions about booking at Fixter
Common questions about booking at Fixter
All of our drivers are fully insured and your vehicle is always protected.
We put our drivers through rigorous vetting and training before they are able to drive your vehicle. All of our drivers must have at least 3 years of driving experience, hold a clean driver's licence, be over the age of 21, capable of driving both manual and automatic vehicles and pass a criminal background check.
Your vehicle will be assigned to a driver who is responsible for collecting it from your home, delivering it to the garage and returning your vehicle once all work is completed.
Sometimes we might coordinate with a garage for them to send their own driver to collect your vehicle. In this instance, you are protected as you would be if it was a Fixter driver.
One of our in-house mechanics will factor in the make and model of your car, as well as the work that needs doing. They will then allocate your booking to the most appropriate Fixter garage in your area, and we’ll email you to confirm.
Here’s why only 1 in 20 garages pass our selection criteria:
We only choose garages registered as a Limited Company, with a minimum of 3 years of trading.
We assess each garage's various established affiliations (e.g. Bosch / Unipart / Garage).
We perform an online audit: Fixter only selects garages with at least a 4 star customer rating.
We make sure to visit each garage in person. Our in-house mechanics evaluate the quality of equipment, staff qualifications, capacity, and technical capabilities of selected servicing centres. Fixter only works with garages which strictly use manufacturer-equivalent parts.
After all requirements are fulfilled, we negotiate preferential terms with each selected (including parts, labour, oil, and MOT test rates), so we can pass it along to our customers.
All parts used in repairs and services carried out by Fixter are either manufacturer parts or equivalent. This guarantees that only the best quality parts are used in your vehicle. We offer a 12-month warranty, meaning that should anything should go wrong with the parts or labour we’ll take care of it, free of charge.
We take your card details when you book online, but nothing is charged to your card until all the work has been approved by our in-house experts, and satisfactorily completed.
No extra work will be carried out without your consent. If additional work is required, one of our in-house experts will call you to walk through any diagnostic reports, recommendations or additional quotes from the mechanic working on your car. We check every quote to make sure the work is required and has been fairly priced.
Note: If you need to update your payment details to pay for your booking, the team will send you a secure link to add the new card details.
If your car fails its MOT at one of our garages, but you believe that your car should have passed, you'll have the option to take your car to another garage to do a new MOT test. If your vehicle passes the MOT at another garage, we’ll refund you for the original MOT test that you carried out with us. Collection and delivery fees are non-refundable.
All Fixter bookings are covered by a 12-month warranty on parts and labour.
If there’s a problem (with either parts or labour) up to 12 months after your booking date, we’ll sort it out for you, completely free of charge.
Just email support@fixter.co.uk or call our team on 0330 808 9527 and we’ll take care of it.
Note: this doesn't apply to an air con regas as leaks can occur at any time.
We understand that things change.
If you need to cancel or change your booking, please let us know asap. Our agents spend time finding you a top-rated garage, which is then booked to take care of your vehicle. In many cases, parts are ordered in advance. As a result, we operate a 72-hour cancellation policy. If you have a confirmed booking with us and need to cancel within 72 hours of the appointment, a cancellation fee of £20 may be applied.
We want to avoid that so our agents will work with you to try and find a new appointment instead. To discuss changing or cancelling a booking, please email or phone on 0330 808 9527.
Our team works Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
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Popular services
- Vauxhall Zafira Family MOT
- Vauxhall Zafira Family car service
- Vauxhall Zafira Family free air con check
- Vauxhall Zafira Family brake pads replacement
- Vauxhall Zafira Family front brake pads replacement
- Vauxhall Zafira Family rear brake pads replacement
- Vauxhall Zafira Family brake discs & pads replacement
- Vauxhall Zafira Family front brake discs & pads replacement
- Vauxhall Zafira Family rear brake discs & pads replacement
- Vauxhall Zafira Family timing belt replacement
- Vauxhall Zafira Family car diagnostic
- Vauxhall Zafira Family clutch kit replacement
- Vauxhall Zafira Family car battery replacement & fitting
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