2005 Corolla Engine Clicking Sound

[jonah]

Hello folks,

I observed a new sound in my 2005 Toyota corolla S has for the past couple of weeks. I heard it first inside the car and was not sure where it was coming from, after i opened the hood, noticed it coming from the engine belts side.

Its like one of the belts is rubbing against something. I took a video of it, not sure how to share it ?

Any comments of what problem it could be ? I'm taking it to the mechanic tomorrow.

 

[jonah]

So i got the car checked by a mechanic today, he said the serpentine belt needs replacement. they charged me $124 for it (48-labor, 68-parts,tax)

He also advised replacing tensioner pulley also ($130) but i declined it...

Did i do the right thing ? Should i also replace the tensioner pulley ? They said the belt should be tight, but due to the tensioner pulley there is some slack...Please advice

Thank You

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

How many miles are on the car?

 

[jonah]

It has 135000 miles on it. I bought it at 117000 miles. I don't know if the serpentine belt was replaced by the previous owner.

I have videos of how the engine sounds before and after replacing it, if there is a way to share I would really like to.

Thanks

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

That is a bit high for a belt tensioner, but not ridiculous. I have 172,000 miles on the original belt tensioner in my car and it's doing just fine. You could always go to another auto center or two and get a second opinion by just asking them if they could check the belt tensioner and get their opinion, (make certain there is no charge for this). Don't tell them you were at another auto center and they told you the belt tensioner needed replacing, because if you do that, you'll find the second opinion will almost always recommend replacing it too.

I honestly don't know how to post video's, so I'm no help there. Sorry.

 

[jonah]

So after i got back from the mechanic yesterday and drove around a little, the sound came back

Now its not a clicking sound, more like one of the pulleys (tensioner probably) is shaking or wobbling a little, I am kicking myself now for not taking care of that yesterday at the mechanic...Even he said the sound would go away by replacing the serpentine belt...

Anyways, I want to know how safe it is to drive around like this ? auto shops would probably be closed today and i would have to take time off work to take it to a mechanic during the week

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

If you bring a vehicle to an auto center for a specific repair, (which in this case was to diagnose and repair an objectionable noise), and the repair they recommended didn't address the issues you brought in the vehicle for, then you have every legal right to demand your money back per any automotive repair laws in any state I am aware of.

Would you pay a plumber to fix the plugged sink in the upstairs bathroom, but instead the leaky pipe in the basement was repaired? No. So it goes with vehicles as well.

Is the auto center you went to an independent privately owned business, or a national chain? Did they explain to you how the serpentine belt was making this noise? Did they show you the old serpentine belt, or better yet provide it to you?

 

[rkdavs24]

I have been driving around with that noise since winter 2012. Multiple mechanics confirmed same as you stated above, replace S-Belt and tighten Tensioner. My car only has 76,000 on the original belt though. Mechanic said belt may need to be replace but tensioner looks alright. If you have the work done let me know if that gets rid of the problem.

 

[jonah]

Is the auto center you went to an independent privately owned business, or a national chain? Did they explain to you how the serpentine belt was making this noise? Did they show you the old serpentine belt, or better yet provide it to you?

They are fairly new shop with 2 branches in Houston, TX. but they are modeled along the lines of other larger national chains...Yes he showed me the old serpentine belt, it had regular wear on it but definitely was not cracked or frayed.

Curious thing is, there was no noise as he demonstrated after they changed the S-belt and handed over to me, must be the tensioner thats screwed up.
I feel bad coz the mechanic didnt prioritize it right for me

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

They are fairly new shop with 2 branches in Houston, TX. but they are modeled along the lines of other larger national chains...Yes he showed me the old serpentine belt, it had regular wear on it but definitely was not cracked or frayed.

Curious thing is, there was no noise as he demonstrated after they changed the S-belt and handed over to me, must be the tensioner thats screwed up.
I feel bad coz the mechanic didnt prioritize it right for me

A serpentine belt that isn't frayed or cracked isn't in need of replacing, unless it is severely glazed/very shiny.

Go back and ask for your old serpentine belt. If they have to dig through the trash, that's their problem. It's your belt, worth $124.

When you go back, ask to speak to the manger and explain the situation, that you came in for the diagnosis/repair of a noise, were charged $124 for the repair, it didn't solve the issue and you want your money back, of course. Don't stand for being ripped off. If the manager refuses, gently say that you'd rather not take this to the office of Consumer Affairs, your local Attorney General's Office and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Don't be surprised if the manager flinches when you mention this. :thumbsup:

 

[jonah]

Ok so what happened this morning was a disaster...As i was driving to work, the noise was coming as usual, n then all of a sudden it stopped and my power steering became really hard and the battery light on the dashboard came on.

I turned around and headed to the mechanic (turning was difficult)...anyways as i got there and was waiting for the shop to open I opened the hood to find the serpentine belt missing

Turned the car in at the shop...they dropped me at work and called me 2 hrs later and said tensioner assembly needs replacement, water pump was damaged due to the S-belt, and belt itself since it got knocked off.

I categorically said I wont be paying for the S-belt, they argued back saying to replace under warranty the need the belt back and blah blah, anyways he said they would cover it but then quoted exorbitant prices for the tensioner assembly + water pump + anti freeze or coolant + labor...it all adding up to 500 something....I couldnt strongly argue my case as I declined the tesioner pulley replacement that was adviced and he kept saying thats why it happened...

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Yowza, a rubber serpentine belt damaged a metal water pump? I wonder how that happened??? Just how did they explain that one?

They perform a repair that didn't solve the problem you brought the car in for and it just so happens that only one day later the repair they had performed, failed, costing you even more money? I smell a rat.

It would seem prudent to find a new auto repair center. Ask around with your friends and acquaintances who they use for auto repair.