But it runs the alternator, which provides electrical power and keeps the battery charged. Without that electrical power, your car will run for only as long as the battery lasts - maybe ten minutes. Ifyou're lucky, maybe thirty minutes. For many cars, other things run fiom belts, too. Power steering, water pump, air conditioning with the exception ofthe water pump, these are things ypu can live without while you Iimp to a repair centre.
Some cars have several belts, others a single, long belt that does everything.
The belts today are mostly V-shaped. They have cogs on the underside to allow a better fit around the pulley and increased air circulation. The air circulation keeps them cooler, so they will last ionger. When you inspect your belts, look for cracks in the rubber, fiayed edges, missing cogs - anything to suggest it's getting brittle or worn. Replacing a belt when you're having an oil change is easy.