Glossary / Engine

fan belt

11 Episode Mentions

Too Afraid to Ask

A fan belt is a rubber strap that turns the cooling fan and other parts. If it snaps, the fan can’t run, so the car gets too hot.

Technical Definition

The fan belt, also known as the serpentine belt, drives the engine’s cooling fan and other accessories like the alternator and power steering pump. If it breaks, the cooling fan stops working, causing the engine to overheat.

Hear It Discussed

"One of the officers stands up and says, I have a question about the fan belt, about the longevity of the fan belt. ... This fan belt looks just like the belt around your waist. It's a flat piece of..."
#2620: Hubby's Fuelishness The Best of Car Talk 13:57

"And then finally, and this is really important for the air-cooled cars, have a fan belt, an extra fan belt, and the tools to change it. Because if your fan belt goes and or it snaps, you're stranded."
Stop Wasting Your Porsche: The Truth About Garage Queens, Lot Rot, and the 100k-Mile Myth Eleven After Nine | A Porsche Culture Podcast 33:39

"Going up over the grapevine, the air conditioning compressor seized and broke the fan belt, which also happens to be a fan belt for your generator."
Driven Radio Show #353: Alex and Amy Haugland of Vintage Underground Driven Radio Show 09:34