Best Prices for Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement
Our mobile mechanics offer services 7 days a week. Upfront and transparent pricing.
Included for free with this service
Online Booking
Mechanic comes to you
12-month / 12k-mile warranty
Free 50 point safety inspection
Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.
How much does Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement cost?
It depends on the type of car you drive and the auto repair shop you go to. Our mechanics are mobile, which means they don't have the overhead that repair shops have. They provide you convenience by coming to your home or office.
Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement pricing for various cars
| Cars | Estimate | Parts Cost | Labor Cost | Savings | Average Dealer Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Ford Transit Connect | $210 | $64.30 | $145.99 | -22% | $171.80 |
| 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee | $201 | $54.92 | $145.99 | -23% | $162.42 |
| 2011 Honda Insight | $193 | $47.38 | $145.99 | -24% | $154.88 |
| 2011 Cadillac Escalade | $189 | $42.97 | $145.99 | -25% | $150.47 |
| 2014 Cadillac CTS | $189 | $43.13 | $145.99 | -25% | $150.63 |
| 2016 Porsche Cayman | $212 | $66.00 | $145.99 | -22% | $173.50 |
Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement Service
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.
Serpentine Belt Replacement Cost
The cost of a serpentine belt can vary widely depending on your vehicle’s make and model. On average, the price for the belt alone can range from as low as $25 to as high as $75. For luxury or performance cars, this cost could be significantly higher. Either way, it’s important to purchase a quality replacement serpentine belt to ensure a healthy vehicle long term. Remember, this cost doesn’t include labor, which can also vary depending on your location and vehicle model.
So, with all the costs, a serpentine belt replacement from YourMechanic can range from anywhere between $150-300 on average. YourMechanic saves you 20-30% on average compared to a traditional dealer, plus we come to you!
When to Replace 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. In some cases, this is just a loose belt that needs to be tightened, but it’s best to play it safe and have your vehicle inspected.
- 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 Does YourMechanic Replace the Serpentine Belt?
- Prior to removing the belt, a 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 serpentine belt replacement is complete. The engine is run to ensure normal operation.
Is it Safe to Drive with a Serpentine Belt Problem?
No, it is not safe to drive with a bad or failing serpentine belt. 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.
Additional Considerations When Replacing the Serpentine Belt
- 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.
- It’s good practice to check all of your car's belts if you sense something may be wrong with your serpentine belt.
Recent Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement reviews
Recent articles & questions
I put a cold air intake on my car I have replace the O2 sensor that is failing area code p0151 I'm not sure what to do mass is new
Does the AC clutch spin freely even if the car is off?
My truck surges at low and idol speeds. Cold or hot. Sometimes quits when put in gear. Very low speed has a miss.
How can we help?
Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.