Here is a 2.4 that customer had sombody dink with, it showed up torn apart.. they told him valve guide problem.. tech a couple stalls down found the timing belt off time, and the belt was run off the exhaust cam and down, on the outside of the idler pulley with belt outside the perimeter of the belt covers. He went to turn engine by hand, and it would stop solid.. Pulled the head,......... broken parts..

 

Shelly,

You might want to check your owners manual again because the timing belt should be changed every 60,000 miles or every 4 years, whatever comes first. Since your mothers car is almost 7 years old it's actually 3 years overdue for the timing belt change. While the water pump is right there when changing the timing belt, it's good for 100,000 miles and unless it's leaking, there is no reason to change it. Personally, if you got the timing belt changed and other service done and only paid $550, I think you got a good deal.

 

Just to close the loop, I ended up having this done in March '11.