Automotive → Re: [Help] Serpentine problems/questions

Alignment of all the pulleys has to be in the same plane, just one of them slightly out of line can destroy belts.
Tensioners and idler pulleys have to be in good condition.
I use OEM belts, I had some issues with third party belts.

I lost a belt in Williston Fla. Put in a cheap replacement, A year later driving through same town, the belt went again. Got a name-brand belt and it seems better but power-steering slips when cold.

The cheaper ones from auto parts stores are crap.

This^^^^

I bet one pulley is slightly misaligned and that puts extra pressure on one side of the belt.

You may be able to diagnose which one by looking at all pulleys one by one while the engine is running.

If it's not getting worse quickly and the belt replacement is not too difficult (meaning you can do it on the side of the road ) you can just carry an extra belt all the time and the tools needed to replace it. (On my car I can do it in ~5 minutes and I only need a 15 mm wrench and and a belt)

I have also seen belts put on one groove off on one pulley. That will cut the outer edge off.

Many front wheel drive cars it is not easy to replace. Last one I did, you had to remove the engine mount to replace the belt.

Yeah, not only is this front wheel drive but it's a FORD so it's back to the mechanic on Monday.

How many miles are on it?

About 91,000

Well, removing an engine mount may make it a slightly non-trivial job....

Interestingly, I have replaced my serpentine belt 3 times because in 2 cases it was squeling so loud that I couldn't tolerate it, but I could never see anything physically wrong with the belt. I keep one of old belts in my car, just in case. I usually drive a RWD vehicle, so a belt change in my case is a piece of cake.

NM