Car maintenance
Wet belt replacement: what Birmingham drivers should know
Several small petrol engines use a timing belt that runs inside the engine oil. The belt is quieter than a chain, but the rubber ages. Fragments can block the oil pickup and starve the engine of oil.
If the service history is missing, or the car is near the mileage and age limit in the handbook, book an inspection. Replacement on common 1.0 litre engines starts from £895 at this workshop and includes the belt kit and oil service. Driving with a rattling or low-oil warning is the point where the repair becomes an engine replacement.