Broken Auxiliary Belt

[napecuas]

    So I've had my Berlingo for just short of a year. Got it last year with 155,000 miles on the clock and I've driven it all over the country - Sussex to Scotland, Suffolk to Cornwall and put it up to 171,000. I gave it so much praise for such a little car carrying large and heavy loads, great fuel economy and unrivalled reliability. It's now coming up to a year, MOT is due and what happens? I get a weird noise from the engine...

Got ready to drive it to the garage fearing the worst (timing belt) and got 50 metres and it gave in...

I stopped the engine immediately and had a look - looks like the auxillary belt has broken. I tried to take a picture but it hasn't come out too well.

It's due in the garage tomorrow but I just wondered if anyone on here has experience with this? Is it the auxiliary belt? Exactly what does it drive? Will it have caused any damage to the engine? More importantly how much will it cost me to get it fixed?

Helpful info:
2.0HDi with aircon.

Cheers guys alut:

[Ol'Jeffers]

I doubt if the belt broke for no reason although with 171,000 miles it's possible.
I would suggest the one of the pulleys is faulty or worn out.
It needs to be checked out before another belt is fitted anyway.
The auxilliary belt drives the power steering pump, alternator, aircon compressor.
It's tensioned by one or two idler pulleys.

[napecuas]

Thanks Ol'Jeffers.

From what I remember from the chat with the garage one of the idlers went. Got that fixed, new belt plus a new timing belt, MOT and service for £500.

Hopefully will keep it going for a while longer!