Accessory/AC Belt Question

[ArisDiaz]

For the past six months or so upon initial engine start up before everything is warm I’m getting the dreaded belt squeak. My 2017 only has 71,000 miles. Nothing rough, maintained and well taken care of. I’m pretty positive it’s the belts that need to be replaced. Don’t think the tensioner’s are out this early. So I want to start with replacing the belts. Do people agree with this as a normal practice by just replacing the belts or should I also replace the belt tensioner’s?

Any links to some good places to purchase the belts and or tensioner’s?

 

[JohnyPython]

You got me thinking so I did a google search. 60-100k miles

 

[ArisDiaz]

You got me thinking so I did a google search. 60-100k miles

Yeah, the service manual says 100k but I have tried researching outside this forum as well. I’ve come across the belt squeal as a “normal” Ford Truck thing at 60k-100k too. The squeal goes away after about 10-15 minutes of driving and doesn’t come back as long as it’s “warmed” up so I’m sure it’s the belts and not the tensioner’s.

Now it’s just deciding on wether or not to replace just the belts or replace the belts and tensioner’s. The job would be a lot more labor intensive having to do tensioner’s as well. But I also don’t want to have to do it all over again in 30k-40k miles when the tensioner’s possibly start acting up. It seems very crazy to have belts and tensioner’s only lasting 70k miles.

 

[JohnyPython]

Yeah, the service manual says 100k but I have tried researching outside this forum as well. I’ve come across the belt squeal as a “normal” Ford Truck thing at 60k-100k too. The squeal goes away after about 10-15 minutes of driving and doesn’t come back as long as it’s “warmed” up so I’m sure it’s the belts and not the tensioner’s.

Now it’s just deciding on wether or not to replace just the belts or replace the belts and tensioner’s. The job would be a lot more labor intensive having to do tensioner’s as well. But I also don’t want to have to do it all over again in 30k-40k miles when the tensioner’s possibly start acting up. It seems very crazy to have belts and tensioner’s only lasting 70k miles.

I’d start with the belts they can’t be that pricey. Tensioner/idlers should be ok - check them when you remove the belts.

 

[FordTechOne]

Yeah, the service manual says 100k but I have tried researching outside this forum as well. I’ve come across the belt squeal as a “normal” Ford Truck thing at 60k-100k too. The squeal goes away after about 10-15 minutes of driving and doesn’t come back as long as it’s “warmed” up so I’m sure it’s the belts and not the tensioner’s.

Now it’s just deciding on wether or not to replace just the belts or replace the belts and tensioner’s. The job would be a lot more labor intensive having to do tensioner’s as well. But I also don’t want to have to do it all over again in 30k-40k miles when the tensioner’s possibly start acting up. It seems very crazy to have belts and tensioner’s only lasting 70k miles.

100k is the interval, it doesn’t mean they won’t need to be replaced before that. A serpentine belt is the same across all makes and models; it’s a wear and tear item. It’s unlikely that the tensioner is bad, unless it is jumping around or loose, no need to replace it.