The Yaris sucks.

[firemachine69]

Blew the serpentine belt with a hair under 39k miles.


Left me stranded and delayed my trip home by five hours, plus a bill for a new belt and 3/4's hour labour - on a Sunday. At least Toyota gave me a one-time-only courtesy tow (just past warranty).


Whichever engineer decided that the Yaris should not have an automatic tension adjustment should be shot, plain and simple. Re-tightening the belt every oil change, with a new belt every 30k miles (per my dealership's service manager) should not be SOP. That's just ungodly stupid.


/End rant.

[Brian]

My original belt lasted me 90,000 miles. You shouldn't have to re-tighten it at every oil change.

[fnkngrv]

I have 63k on mine and my belts all look to be in great shape...this thread made me check since it has been a while...not sure why yours crapped out so soon? Perhaps environment?

[BluYrs]

Originally Posted by firemachine69

Left me stranded and delayed my trip home by five hours, plus a bill for a new belt and 3/4's hour labour - on a Sunday.

Yeah, I see why the Yaris sucks. Most cars' belts fail on workdays- your Yaris was just downright inconsiderate.

[firemachine69]

Finding a suitable shop on a Sunday is a PITA. Obviously the car did not "choose" the day, but bad luck sure seems to find me...



fnkngrv:

Mine did as well, I just checked it not 2k miles (at my last oil change). The problem is once the elasticity "gives" a bit (in a permanent way), your belt gets loose. However, you'd be almost hard-pressed to tell the difference from a snug belt and a loose (and soon-to-fail) one. Most cars have automatic adjusters that "spring out", for lack of a better word, keeping it taught and tight. However, the Yaris has a single adjustment point on the alternator bracket, which needs to be manually adjusted with a long - 3-4 foot - breaker bar, to keep the belt super-tight, and a single bolt that's almost impossible to break free without stripping threads. As you can guess, I do not travel with a three-foot breaker bar in my hatch.

[ilikerice]

I thought there was 2 bolts. 1 bolt to loosen from the bracket, and the other front bolt to adjust tightness. I know the breaker bar method cuz I used it on the crx alot.. but I dont remember bringing out the breaker bar when i did my pulley swap.

[CTScott]

Per the service manual, the belt should only be retensioned once after it is run for a short time after initial installation. Chances are your water pump will go soon as well from your service people constantly overtightening the belt.

[A-Dingo-Ate-My-Baby]

Originally Posted by firemachine69

Blew the serpentine belt with a hair under 39k miles.


Left me stranded and delayed my trip home by five hours, plus a bill for a new belt and 3/4's hour labour - on a Sunday. At least Toyota gave me a one-time-only courtesy tow (just past warranty).


Whichever engineer decided that the Yaris should not have an automatic tension adjustment should be shot, plain and simple. Re-tightening the belt every oil change, with a new belt every 30k miles (per my dealership's service manager) should not be SOP. That's just ungodly stupid.


/End rant.

haven't been around cars much, eh ?

MOST engines never have a floating tensioner on the accessory belt.

only the timing belts have floating tensioners.

accessory belts need to have occasional static tension checks
with a tensiometer, adjusted accordingly, then locked in place

[ilikerice]

Originally Posted by A-Dingo-Ate-My-Baby

MOST engines never have a floating tensioner on the accessory belt.

only the timing belts have floating tensioners.

accessory belts need to have occasional static tension checks
with a tensiometer, adjusted accordingly, then locked in place

I would say MOST 4 cylinder motors do not use floating tensions for accessorys

MOST V6 V8 motors use floating tensioners on serpentine belts. I usually see them on the RWD motors where the belts is in the front of the car. usually FWD have the adjustable ones.

At least this is what I have noticed as a Toyota/Lexus Tech..

[A-Dingo-Ate-My-Baby]

Originally Posted by ilikerice

I would say MOST 4 cylinder motors do not use floating tensions for accessorys

MOST V6 V8 motors use floating tensioners on serpentine belts. I usually see them on the RWD motors where the belts is in the front of the car. usually FWD have the adjustable ones.

At least this is what I have noticed as a Toyota/Lexus Tech..

most automotive engines are 4 cylinders. they dominate the worldwide market.
non auto-tensioned belts also dominate the market. it is proven technology.
you need to check it's tension and condition when the oil is changed.

[ilikerice]

Im just saying, someone who works on more luxury cars (lexus, infinity) tend to see more floating tensioners than adjustable ones.. Not saying your statement isn't true, just saying your statistics are broad. Maybe he comes from a background of mustangs...

I feel that "haven't been around cars much, eh ?" is jumping to conclusions..

I had a long rant about that but I will leave it alone. You are correct though, bottom line

[A-Dingo-Ate-My-Baby]

Originally Posted by ilikerice

Im just saying, someone who works on more luxury cars (lexus, infinity) tend to see more floating tensioners than adjustable ones.. Not saying your statement isn't true, just saying your statistics are broad. Maybe he comes from a background of mustangs...

I feel that "haven't been around cars much, eh ?" is jumping to conclusions..

I had a long rant about that but I will leave it alone. You are correct though, bottom line

-I'm- jumping to conclusions ?

thread title is 'The Yaris Sucks.'


lmfao kthx

[mazilla]

Originally Posted by A-Dingo-Ate-My-Baby

-I'm- jumping to conclusions ?

thread title is 'The Yaris Sucks.'


lmfao kthx

It's easier to just admit you were wrong...it happens, doesn't mean we won't like you anymore.

[Yaristeve]

Originally Posted by ilikerice

I would say MOST 4 cylinder motors do not use floating tensions for accessorys

MOST V6 V8 motors use floating tensioners on serpentine belts.

Interesting. Why would V motors need tensioners more than I4 motors?

[RedRide]

Originally Posted by CTScott

Per the service manual, the belt should only be retensioned once after it is run for a short time after initial installation. Chances are your water pump will go soon as well from your service people constantly overtightening the belt.

Also, your aternator bearings most likely have had their sevice life shortened.

IMO, it's a sad state of affairs that some no longer know how to perform some very basic service and now rely on all the atomatiic "idiot" equipment on cars.

[ilikerice]

Originally Posted by Yaristeve

Interesting. Why would V motors need tensioners more than I4 motors?

I honestly do not know. I have just noticed this after working on cars for a while. Noted that not ALL "V" motors have those type. My girls Xterra has 3 belts for each accessory and each has a separate adjustable tensioner.

Its mostly the serpentine belts that connect all accessories (A/C comp, P/S pump, and alt.) have the spring loaded tensioner.


I have only had to tighten my belt one time after replacing it on any car. As CTscott says, usually a week after replacing when the belt finally stretches to its limits. I just examine the belt during oil changes to see if it starting to dry rot. Then I would consider changing it, not tighten it more.

[markitect]

Originally Posted by CTScott

Per the service manual, the belt should only be retensioned once after it is run for a short time after initial installation. Chances are your water pump will go soon as well from your service people constantly overtightening the belt.

My bet is they over-tightened it too, I've never had to tighten mine.

[contraband831]

I changed mine at 190k so i cant complain, well actually adjusting it afterwards was a lil pain...