Bolt snapping off that holds serpintine belt on.

[kbh29]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this board. I don't know much about cars, but I have a 98 Toyota Corolla. About 3 weeks ago I had to get the power steering pump replaced. It ran fine after that until this past weekend. I started hearing a grinding type noise and my friend looked under the hood and saw that the serpentine belt was very loose. We took it to the nearest shop and they inspected it and said that the some kind of tensioner bolt had come off and a piece of it was still in whatever it fits into. They told me that it would be over $1000 to fix it because the motor would have to be taken out. I asked them if the shop that had replaced the power steering pump a few weeks ago might be responsible, and they said yes, that they could have tightened it too much when they put the belt back on. So I had the car towed to the original shop and they're saying that they're not sure if they had to take the belt off or not. That they might have gone up through the bottom somehow and replaced the pump. They also said that it is a common thing for a bolt to come off like that.

I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Do you think they're just trying to get out of paying for what they might have caused, or is it possible/probable that it had nothing to do with the power steering pump replacement?

Thank you.

Katherine

[Erndog1369]

The serpentine belt definatley had to come off to remove the power steering pump, but the tensioner might not have. I suspect that they did, because I can't see that bolt causing a problem any other way. I have replaced tons of those tensioners, and I have never had a problem with the bolt. Any other questions.. email me at cignasak@comcast.net

[fredbros72]

hey
they did take the tensioner off and either overtightened the bolt or did not tighten it enough , i have seen it twice with inexperienced techs, both times i was able to get the broken piece out of the block, remove mount, jack up motor until you can see it, using lube, a pick, or a drill, carefully work it and try to remove piece, new bolt and back in business,
if they are not standing by there work, dont know