2003 Corolla Why Belt Tensioner Only Lasts 20k Miles?

hmmm, I have had a few cars with 180k+ miles and have never had to replace the belt tensioner. So an far as durability I am thinking this is a rare case and you should not have to change the belt tensioner as part of a routine maintenance.

Possible causes could include bad springs in the tensioner, Too small of a belt, Belt not on correctly, others??

I am not sure that water/oil would cause premature failure of the tensioner.

That sucks, hopefully this one lasts a little longer

Thanks!

 

There's one other thing. When I am driving a steady speed and list my foot off the accelerator, there's a soft moan that occurs. It's not from the fuel linkage because it continues for a couple seconds after I lift up my foot. It started a few thousand miles after I got the car. My wife hears it as well. I believe this is related to the S belt tensioner problem, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to imagine how. I hate to bring up that sound to the dealer because it's intermittent and you can barely hear it, so I suspect they may have difficulty hearing it.

It doesn't really suck yet, because it hasn't cost me anything so far and it's not a disabling problem. It WILL suck when the extended warranty runs out if the problem reoccurs. If that happens, I will appeal on the grounds that there must have been something wrong with the engine since I first got it, some problem that burns out S belts, and it was never diagnosed properly or repaired. They might tell me to take a hike but it can't hurt to ask.

I estimate 18-24 months until this fourth one wears out if it's going to. We'll see.

ON a few 9th gen Corollas - this serpentine belt tensioner can go out very quickly - others can go quite a ways and not have any problems at all. I've found that replacing the OEM belt with a Goodyear Gatorback polycog belt tends to solve 90% of the squealing belt issues. My Matrix started to make that squealing belt noise at 40K miles - dealership also mentioned a bad tensioner but would not cover it under warranty (outside of bumper-to-bumper coverage was their claim). I checked the tensioner itself - it looked OK and was not leaking. Replaced the belt with the Goodyear replacement - hasn't make a squeak yet in almost 60K miles.

Thanks!! I wonder why the tensioner goes out quickly on some 9th gen models but not others...

 

 

ON a few 9th gen Corollas - this serpentine belt tensioner can go out very quickly - others can go quite a ways and not have any problems at all. I've found that replacing the OEM belt with a Goodyear Gatorback polycog belt tends to solve 90% of the squealing belt issues. My Matrix started to make that squealing belt noise at 40K miles - dealership also mentioned a bad tensioner but would not cover it under warranty (outside of bumper-to-bumper coverage was their claim). I checked the tensioner itself - it looked OK and was not leaking. Replaced the belt with the Goodyear replacement - hasn't make a squeak yet in almost 60K miles.

Thanks!! I wonder why the tensioner goes out quickly on some 9th gen models but not others...

 

 

There's a TSB and a new tensioner part.

Only free on 3/36 warranty. I got it on Toyota extended warranty.

I also have a 2003 (LE). Has about 95K miles.

I've replaced the belt tensioner twice. And I have a "moan" sometimes (not always) when I take my foot off the gas while driving. It also happens sometimes when the car downshifts. Almost sounds like a human voice. Don't know if it's the same thing you have, but in my case, I think it's the trans. I say that because when I start the car after it sits for several hours, I sometimes (not always) hear a kind of hum that starts at a low frequency and gradually increases to a higher and higher tone. Then when I shift into reverse (to back out of my garage), the tone suddenly drops in frequency. After a few seconds, the tone disappears. My hunch is that the moan and that tone are related.

Russ

That exactly describes the sound, and I also have the other sound you mentioned. Hopefully they aren't related to the belt tensioner and are just normal sounds.

 

 

I bought a new 2003 Corolla in 2003. After I had driven it 20,000 miles, the belt was squealing a bit, and the mechanic (Toyota dealer mechanic) determined that the belt tensioner wore out. It was replaced for no charge under warranty. At around 40,000 miles, it needed replacing again. It was done at no charge either under the original warranty or the extended warranty. At 62,000 miles, it needed replacing a third time and was covered under my extended warranty.

 

I have two questions:

1. How long does a belt tensioner normally last on other cars?

2. What could be causing my tensioners to wear out prematurely?

yea, mine too was replaced once at 20,000 but now I have 110,000 miles, I guess its OK ??

 

same thing with the serp belt...

I bought a new 2003 Corolla in 2003. After I had driven it 20,000 miles, the belt was squealing a bit, and the mechanic (Toyota dealer mechanic) determined that the belt tensioner wore out. It was replaced for no charge under warranty. At around 40,000 miles, it needed replacing again. It was done at no charge either under the original warranty or the extended warranty. At 62,000 miles, it needed replacing a third time and was covered under my extended warranty.

I have two questions:

1. How long does a belt tensioner normally last on other cars?

2. What could be causing my tensioners to wear out prematurely?

yea, mine too was replaced once at 20,000 but now I have 110,000 miles, I guess its OK ??

 

same thing with the serp belt...

Might do the belt again soon since it has 90K on it.