How do I know if my tensioner is bad?

1. Grinding or squeaking noise from the belts or tensioner. The most common symptom of a bad or failing drive belt tensioner is noise from the belts or tensioner. If the tensioner is loose the belts may squeak or squeal, especially when the engine is first started.

What happens when tensioner goes bad?

Failure of the belt driven accessories is a sign of bad or failing drive tensioner belt. Problems such as overheating, a dead electrical system and battery, and a disabled AC system can be caused by a seized or loose drive belt tensioner.

What happens if serpentine belt tensioner is bad?

Other symptoms of a bad belt tensioner is failure of the belt driven accessories. A seized or loose drive belt tensioner can cause the belt to snap, which will disables those accessories and can cause problems such as overheating, a dead electrical system and battery, or a disabled AC system.

What does a bad tensioner sound like?

When the tensioner or tensioner pulley fails, the loss of tension can cause the belt and pulleys to make high-pitched rattling or chirping noises. If the pulley bearing completely fails, it can also cause a squealing or even a grinding noise. Symptom 2: Knocking or slapping. This can cause a slapping or knocking noise.

What causes tensioner to fail?

Dirt or mud can also jam the tensioner housing. A loose or worn pivot arm can allow unwanted movement; that results in belt noise and misalignment. Over time, this will increase belt wear and lead to premature belt failure. A worn bushing in the tensioner pulley, can cause vibrations and noise.

What can a bad tensioner do to a car?

When the tensioner has an issue, it can affect the how the belts drive the pulleys which can affect the performance and functionality of the vehicle. Usually a bad or failing tensioner will produce a few symptoms that can alert the driver of a potential problem that should be serviced. 1. Grinding or squeaking noise from the belts or tensioner

What are the symptoms of a bad belt tensioner?

Squeaking or Grinding Noise. One of the most common symptoms of a failing belt tensioner is unusual noise coming from either the tensioner or the drive belts. If the drive belt noise resembles a squeal or a squeak, it is possible that the belt tensioner is loose. This is especially the case when starting the engine first thing in the morning.

Why does my belt tensioner make a grinding noise?

If the noise you hear is similar to a grinding sound, then it is possible that the tensioner bearings or the tensioner pulley is the problem. These parts tend to wear out. This is what causes the grinding noise since the metal parts will be rubbing against each other. This is another symptom of a failing belt tensioner.

What does a drive belt tensioner do?

A drive belt tensioner is a pulley mounted on a spring mechanism or adjustable pivot point that is used to keep tension on the engine belts. Spring tensioners are designed to tension automatically while the pivot design types can be adjusted manually.