Skoda Yeti Serpentine Belt Issue

I have a rather vexing issue plaguing my 2013 Skoda Yeti, gasoline engine, with 121993 km on the clock. The serpentine belt handover is no longer working as it should. I suspect the belt bringer, or handover itself, is defective. Consequently, engine performance has suffered. I've checked the idler pulley, and it seems fine. Could this indeed be a faulty belt tensioner? Any insights would be greatly appreciated, as I'm trying to avoid a costly and unnecessary trip to the mechanic.

4 comment(s)

Sounds like a bad tensioner pulley to me. I had a similar issue with my old Renault Megane. The serpentine belt kept slipping. Is it making any strange noises?

Thanks for the quick response! Strange noises, yes, a kind of chirping sound, especially when the engine is cold. What exactly do you mean by 'tensioner pulley'? Is that the same as the belt tensioner itself, or something different?

Yes, the tensioner pulley is part of the belt tensioner assembly. It's what keeps the correct tension on the serpentine belt. If it's chirping, it's very likely the tensioner is failing. I'd recommend getting it checked by a professional, just to be safe.

Thank you for your help. It turned out to be exactly as you suggested, a defective belt tensioner, or more specifically, the belt handover was no longer functioning. The whole repair, including a new serpentine belt and idler pulley, came to 455€. Ouch, but at least my Yeti is back on the road and engine performance is back to normal!

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