Water pump belt broken

Symptoms

• Sudden loss of power steering and other belt-driven accessories along with rising temperature
• Temperature gauge climbs rapidly right after the belt failure
• Squealing noise possibly heard just before the belt broke
• Visible broken or missing belt when checking under the hood

Likely causes

• CommonSerpentine belt failure (on engines where it also drives the water pump)A worn, cracked, or improperly tensioned serpentine belt can snap, and if it drives the water pump, cooling stops immediately along with other accessories.
• PossibleTiming belt failure (on engines where the water pump is timing-belt-driven)On these engines, a timing belt failure can also stop the water pump and cause more serious engine damage from valve/piston contact, depending on engine design.
• PossibleBelt tensioner or pulley failure causing the belt to come off or breakA failed tensioner or pulley bearing can cause sudden belt failure even if the belt itself was in decent condition.

What to do

1. Pull over immediately if you notice a sudden loss of power steering assist along with a rapidly rising temperature gauge, since this pattern suggests a belt failure affecting the water pump.
2. Turn off the engine as soon as it's safe to stop, to prevent the engine from overheating further with no coolant circulation.
3. Do not attempt to restart and drive the vehicle, since continuing to run the engine without coolant circulation can cause severe damage within minutes.
4. Once safely stopped and cool, check under the hood for a visibly broken or missing belt.
5. Have the vehicle towed rather than attempting to drive it any distance, even slowly.
6. Have a mechanic replace the belt and inspect the tensioner and pulleys, and on timing-belt-driven water pump engines, thoroughly check for internal engine damage before restarting.
7. Ask the shop to inspect the water pump itself and other belt-driven components for damage from the sudden failure.

Tools and parts

When to call a pro

Have the vehicle towed to a mechanic immediately; on timing-belt-driven water pump engines in particular, a professional needs to check for internal engine damage before it's run again.

Safety