So, I was on my way home from OneStop today, when I noticed my battery light on, and the clock on the radio was dim. The battery was replaced about 6 months ago, so when I got home I opened the hood, and noticed that the serpentine belt was missing.

Is there an easy way to fix this, or do I need to take it to a shop?

How much should it cost to fix?

it depends on how mechanically adept you are. the belt may run
up to $50, call a parts store. there is a tensioner pulley that
keeps the belt tight. once you get the belt around all the
other pulleys, the tensioner has to be rotated against the
internal spring in order to slip the belt on the pulley.
there should be a 3/8 hole on the mechanism where you put a
ratchet or breaker bar to use the leverage to rotate the pulley.
some are easy to get to, others not. look for the tensioner and
see if you can get to it easily, if so, buy the belt and put
it on. if not, pay the mechanic you trust.
good luck.

Thanks, that's the info. I've been getting. I'll take it to my mechanic. It'll be a while though. I need to replace the exhaust system as well, so it's going to cost a nice chunk of change, which I don't have.

there is usually a diagram somewhere under the hood to show you how to run the belt, it really isn't that hard to do...

you do know you can't drive your car very far without the belt
as it will overheat without the water pump being turned by the belt
and not only could you warp the head but possibly crack the block too. you don't even want to know what an engine would cost.
the belt also runs your alternator which charges the battery.

It won't be going anywhere for a long while.

did you overheat it bad? or something else?

I had that serpentine belt problem when I was out of state on my Buick regal.. Luckily a friend was able to fix it for me, and if I remember correctly, the belt was about $40...

The belt may have broken and flew off, they do wear out eventually, especially if it is the original belt from 98. They are ment to be replaced around every 50,000 miles or so. Other possible causes are that your tensioner broke (unlikely) or one of the pulleys is cutting belts. But Im sure the belt just wore out. Go to your local parts store, you need to know the year and brand of your truck as well as which engine you have. Ask for a serpentine belt, it's $20-$50. Theres a diagram under the hood showing you how it goes on. One of the pulleys is on a springloaded arm that moves to allow you to get the belt on. It should be easy for you to find. The spring keeps the belt tight. You will need a 3/8 drive rachet, a prybar, or a large screwdriver. If you don't have any then go buy one. These are basic tools that everyone should own. I don't know how I would survive without my tools. Anyway, the springloaded arm is tight, you can't do it with your hands, so pry it around so that you can get the belt on.

If you can design a website then I know you can do this. It's one of the easiest things to do on a vehicle. Its just like putting your belt on when you get dressed in the morning (kinda haha) Don't take such an easy job to a shop and pay more for the same belt and someone else to put it on, you obviously need to save your money. The belt turns the alternator which charges your battery so it is possible that the battery is dead in which case you will need a jumpstart, then let it run an hour or a long drive so the battery can charge back up. You can do it.

mechanics have children to feed. why wait until a difficult, expensive job comes around. get to know a mechanic with easy low cost jobs, and he will help you maintain your vehicle so you can minimize high cost jobs. do it yourselfers sometimes cause damage that requires additional repairs. be nice to your mechanic, he cares

No, it didn't overheat or anything. The only thing that happened was the belt broke. It just won't be going anywhere until that's fixed, which will take a while.

Total cost about $25.00.....Roswell, New Mexico (come on over)

Do you think it'll make there?

might, if you replace the belt before you go

O yeah, that might help...

Oh! you will make it.......we have PIZZA waiting for you.

Make sure you get a Gates serpentine belt for your car. They come with a lifetime warranty. They are really easy to replace yourself. always carry a spare to