Exposure to heat, vibration and contamination makes belts and hoses wear out faster than any other components in your car. That's why regular inspections are so important. Here are the belt and hose types in your car, along with their applications.

Accessory Drive Belts
While some accessories in your car are electrically powered by the charging system, others use the engine itself as their power source. The power for these accessories is delivered by a system of pulleys and belts. Examples of these accessories are:

Alternator
Water Pump for engine cooling
Power Steering Pump
Air Conditioning Compressor
Radiator Cooling Fan
Many late model cars use a single serpentine belt in place of individual belts
to drive these accessories.

Hoses
The hoses that convey your car's fluids are made of two rubber layers with a layer of fabric in between. Typical hoses include:

Radiator and Heater Hoses-These hoses convey coolant to the engine and heater core.
Fuel Hose- As the name implies, this hose transports gasoline from the tank to the engine.
Power Steering Hose-It connects the power steering pump to the steering gear.