Toyota Belts & Hoses
Service

Exposure to heat or temperature variation, vibration and contamination makes belts and hoses wear out faster than any other components in your car. That's why regular inspections are so important. Here are the belt and hose types in your car, along with their applications.

Toyota Timing Belts

Your timing belt is a critical belt, ensuring the proper timing between your engines pistons ; and valves. Sometimes if the timing belt breaks during normal engine use, this can damage your vehicle. Timing belt jobs are not easy, and require a skilled Toyota technician to perform the job, which sometimes includes replacement of the belt tensioner assembly which can also wear out. We strongly suggest routine timing belt inspections and service about every 40-60k miles to avoid damage to your engine.

Accessory Drive Belts

While some accessories in your car are electrically powered by the charging system, others use the engine itself as their power source. The power for these accessories is delivered by a system of pulleys and belts. Examples of these accessories are:

• Alternator
• Water Pump for engine cooling
• Power Steering Pump
• Air Conditioning Compressor
• Radiator Cooling Fan
• Many late model cars use a single serpentine belt in place of individual belts to drive these accessories.

Hoses

The hoses that convey your car's fluids are made of two rubber layers with a layer of fabric in between. Typical hoses include:

• Radiator and Heater Hoses - These hoses convey coolant to the engine and heater core.
• Fuel Hose - As the name implies, this hose transports gasoline from the tank to the engine.
• Power Steering Hose - It connects the power steering pump to the steering gear.

An easy way to check fluid hoses (to the radiator) is to squeeze them in your hand (with engine cool) to feel if they are squishy, or "soft" feeling. If so, you may need your fluid hoses inspected and replaced. Don't get stranded somewhere out there without the right part -- auto parts retailers often do not have OEM parts in stock, which are the best parts for your Toyota.