BMW 135is Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement Costs

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
2013 BMW 135isL6-3.0L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$302.44	Shop/Dealer Price$339.11 - $432.11

Car

Service

Estimate

Shop/Dealer Price

2013 BMW 135isL6-3.0L Turbo

Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement

Estimate$302.44

Shop/Dealer Price$339.11 - $432.11

What is a serpentine belt and how does it work?

A serpentine belt is a relatively long, flat, multi-ribbed belt that is driven by the engine’s crankshaft pulley. The belt drives many, and often all, of the engine accessories such as the alternator, air conditioning compressor, power steering pump, water pump, and air pump. The serpentine belt is tensioned by a hydraulic or spring-loaded automatic tensioner. Some older cars use a serpentine belt to drive most accessories but will also have a shorter v-style belt to drive, for example, the power steering pump.

When to consider replacing the serpentine belt:

Regularly scheduled maintenance. Typically, belt manufacturers recommend belt replacement at 90,000 miles. However, the belt must be inspected for wear or damage at regular intervals prior to this high mileage.
Squealing noise, belt slippage, visible belt damage. Should the belt fail or wear out prematurely, you may hear noise or you may see visible signs of deterioration such as missing chunks of rubber, excessive cracking, or a shredded appearance on the edge of the belt.
Battery Light. A loose belt, perhaps caused by a defective tensioner, may not drive the alternator at adequate speed and thus the battery may discharge, causing the warning light to illuminate.
Engine overheating. Often, the serpentine belt drives the water pump. In those applications, if the belt breaks the engine will overheat in seconds to minutes. If the belt is inadequately tensioned, you may notice higher-than-normal engine operating temperature.

How do mechanics replace the serpentine belt?

Prior to removing the belt, the mechanic must run the engine to determine if the idler pulley and the belt tensioner are noise-free. Those rotating components have grease filled bearings and are subject to wear. In addition, the mechanic will ensure that all pulleys and accessories are turning in the same plane. These steps help make sure your new belt will operate trouble-free for its full-service life.
The belt’s routing path through the various components is noted. The belt tensioner is released, usually with a wrench or lever, to release the tension from the belt. With the tension off, the belt slides off the pulleys.
All rotating components — that is the alternator, air conditioner compressor, etc. — are checked for smooth operation and no noise.
If everything checks out, the new belt is slipped over all of the pulleys while holding the tensioner away from the belt. Once the belt is centered on all pulleys, the tensioner is released and the installation is complete. The engine is run to ensure normal operation.

Is it safe to drive with a serpentine belt problem?

No. Should the belt have visible damage, you risk unexpected and sudden breakage that could potentially leave you stranded. Serpentine belt problems that result in the alternator not charging may cause the battery to discharge, which will result in loss of electrical power to the vehicle. Additionally, if a deteriorated belt breaks and that belt drives the water pump, the engine will overheat in a matter of seconds.

When replacing the serpentine belt keep in mind:

On many cars, the expected service life of a serpentine belt is around 90,000 miles. Should the belt fail well prior to that, a very careful inspection should be performed to check for out-of-alignment pulleys, a possibly out-of-position crankshaft harmonic balancer on which the drive pulley is mounted, binding pulleys, or a defective belt tensioner.
Attention should always be given to serpentine belt routing, since proper routing is critical to proper belt tension, and function of the driven components.
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish serpentine belt related noise from other engine noises. In these cases, a mechanic will determine the origin of the noise by momentarily running the engine without the serpentine belt attached.

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Joseph

28 years of experience

578 reviews

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by Janae

BMW 528i L6-2.8L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Houston, Texas

Joseph arrived 30 minutes before my appointment and was finished way before 3. Joseph is funny, hardworking, and amazing mechanic. My car drives better and I will definetely be relying in Joseph for my mechanical problems from now on.

Michael

672 reviews

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by Ray

BMW Z3 L6-3.0L - Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement - Queen Creek, Arizona

Very knowledgeable and friendly.

Adam

17 years of experience

64 reviews

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by Vince

BMW 750iL V12-5.0L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Plano, Texas

I highly recommend Adam to anyone needing work to their car or truck. I own 2 old BMW 750iL 12 cylinder sedans. I'm talking 25 and 28 years old. They both have been in storage for about 6 years. One of them had a broken fan belt which I called Mobile Mechanic to send some one to replace it. The person they sent was Adam. Adam was on time for our appointment. He called the day before to introduce himself and disgusted with me the work to be done. Upon his arrival the day of our appointment, he was very polite when he introduced himself to me. He then went to examine my car and what needed to be done in my presents. After his examination he informed me that my water pump may had seized up and it was what was causing the belt to break. He suggested there also may be other things wrong such as the fan clutch that is attached to the water pump may also be froze up. He suggested that I not put the belt on but take it to a garage for further examination. We agree to this and he left without charging me anything. What an honest guy. I did take his advise and the next day had the car at the garage and they found that Adam was right. Both fan clutch and water pump froze up and that is what caused the belt to break. Adam not only saved me the cost of replacing another fan belt which would have broken if he replaced it but also the possibility of getting stuck on the road when the new belt would have broken because of the other 2 problems. Adam was honest enough to inform me of the possible additional problems even at the cost of him not getting the original job he was sent to do. When I get the other car out of storage it is my intent to call Adam to check it out and let me know what needs to be done.

Edmar

23 years of experience

246 reviews

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by Joshua

BMW 740iL V8-4.4L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Dallas, Texas

This guy is a Doctor when it comes to vehicles, fixes cars with surgical precision. Edmar always does a great job. If you want your vehicle done right then don't hesitate and book him now!!

BMW 135is Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement at your home or office.

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Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement Service

How much does a Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a BMW 135is Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement is $226 with $58 for parts and $168 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

What is a serpentine belt and how does it work?

When to consider replacing the serpentine belt:

How do mechanics replace the serpentine belt?

Is it safe to drive with a serpentine belt problem?

When replacing the serpentine belt keep in mind:

Meet some of our expert BMW mechanics

Excellent Rating

Rating Summary

Joseph

Michael

Adam

Edmar

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