Car is 2003 Corolla, symptom was that the serpentine drive belt started squeaking. I thought about replacing the belt but it's a good thing I didn't spend the money on one. I asked the dealer parts shop how much for a belt, and he mentioned that he had sold a few tensioners for '03 or later Corollas and suggested that might be causing the squealing. I decided to have the tensioner checked at the dealership. They found it to be "not doing its job" and replaced it under warranty. (Took almost two hours!) They said the belt is fine and left it on.
I should be happy as it didn't cost me anything except a couple hours in a hot, uncomfortable waiting area, but I'm not. What kind of car manufacturer builds a car with an important part that fails prematurely on a regular enough basis that the parts guy at the dealership mentioned it? Well, no use complaining--I guess any company can screw up. It just gets under my skin a little when you buy
If this had happened with a number of other auto manufacturers it would not have surprised me in the least. But *Toyota*?
I'll find out after about 34,000 more miles if they corrected the design or manufacturing flaw before my replacement was made, or if I'll have to replace it again then.
By the way, is a belt tensioner basically just a pulley on a swing-arm with a spring? If so, how exactly can one fail prematurely--bad spring?