Hi!
Bought my Astra from a Garage in October.
Had to have the fan belt replaced once, tightened once and new alternator fitted all within the 3 month guarantee period.
Fan belt been screeching again lately, on and off and on Tuesday my battery was totally flat after leaving it overnight.
Charged battery and used car Wednesday and Thursday but fan belt still noisy.
Didn't use car yesterday and just went to use it now and totally dead.
Is the fan belt flattening the battery and is tightening it something I can do myself without loads of taking bits of car apart? (I do not even know how to change oil or water, that;s how useless I am but it is bank holiday weekend so need it sorting to ferry kids about)
Thanks

Sarah, March 2005

the only thing the belt has to do with the battery is that it turns the alternater. the alternator is what charges the battery and keeps it charged while the engine is running. if your battery is going dead first i would buy a new battery and if that doesnt work than it is your altinator and it needs to be replaced asap because it could catch on fire

mike, June 2010

the belt shuld have about 1 cm of movement under firm finger pressure at its longest distance between points (pullys) are the pullys or belt oily - is a problem sudgest droping into fast fit shop ( a t s . hi,q . quik fit .ect . they dont charge to check things . the battery could have an internal fault (shorc circuit) causing it to drain down over nite , the afore menchond fault could also cause the belt to slip as the alternater ( thing that makes the power), if there was a short would be very very hard to turn by the belt ,

lee nias, March 2005

a slipping fan belt shud not flattern your battery it sounds like your battery needs replacing buy a new one as for the fan belt have the garage fitted the correct one as there are different types.
this is a job you can do yourself it depends how confident you are but you cud really do with two pairs of hands as it sounds like the alternator isnt tightened enough but replace you battery the old one is no good if it wont hold its charge.

bodge, March 2005