What are the symptoms of a bad car timing belt?
2 Answers
The symptoms of a bad car timing belt include: 1. Mild cases (with minor deviation) may result in reduced car power and difficulty accelerating uphill; 2. Severe cases may lead to no idle speed or severe engine shaking at idle, accompanied by explosive sounds from the exhaust pipe when accelerating, and occasional stalling with the explosive sounds; 3. Sudden unstable idle speed and easy stalling during driving, mainly characterized by unresponsive acceleration and lack of power. If this issue occurs and faults in throttle or other circuit components are ruled out, consider whether the timing is the problem; 4. The engine suddenly stalls while driving. If the starter rotates at a high speed when attempting to restart, with a feeling of no compression, it indicates a broken timing belt; 5. Unusual noises from the engine tensioner during acceleration or from the engine pulley area must be taken seriously.
I'm a car enthusiast who loves tinkering with vehicles and often helps friends with repairs. When a car's timing belt fails, common symptoms include a harsh metallic noise when starting the engine, sounding like something is knocking, especially noticeable in neutral. The car may suddenly lose power, and pressing the accelerator feels sluggish, as if the engine is gasping. If the belt snaps while driving, the engine may stall completely, even producing crackling noises. In severe cases, you might hear the pistons hitting the valves—definitely not something to take lightly. I've seen many cases where an aged belt wears out severely, causing ignition system chaos and the engine light to come on inexplicably. If left unchecked, the entire engine could be ruined, and repairs could cost thousands. I recommend checking the belt every 80,000 km or 5 years—don't wait until it fails.
