- Wrench set
- Socket wrench set
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Flat head screwdriver
- New serpentine belt
- Jack and jack stands
Changing the Drive Belt
1. Park the vehicle in a safe location and turn off the engine. Allow it to cool down completely before proceeding.
2. Prepare your vehicle for jacking. If you have parking brakes, release them. Put on parking brake if your car has one. Apply the emergency brakes.
3. Jack up the front right side of the vehicle. Place the jack underneath the reinforced metal frame, not the plastic. Place a jack stand underneath the vehicle for safety, then lower the jack.
4. Jack up the front right side of the vehicle again. This will allow you enough room to slide underneath the vehicle. Place a board under the tire to keep the vehicle in place.
5. Locate the serpentine belt. It is a long, thin belt that wraps around the crankshaft, water pump, alternator, and power steering pump.
6. Loosen the serpentine belt tensioner. The tensioner is a pulley with a spring-loaded arm. To loosen it, use a wrench to turn the bolt on the tensioner clockwise.
7. Remove the serpentine belt. Once the tensioner is loosened, you should be able to pull the belt off of the pulleys.
8. Install the new serpentine belt. Start by putting the belt around the crankshaft pulley. Then, wrap it around the other pulleys in the following order: water pump, alternator, and power steering pump.
Make sure the belt is routed properly according to the diagram in your owner's manual.
9. Tighten the serpentine belt tensioner. Once the belt is in place, use a wrench to turn the bolt on the tensioner counterclockwise. This will tighten the belt until it is properly tensioned.
10. Test the serpentine belt. Start the engine and let it run for a few minutes. Check to make sure that the belt is not slipping or making any noise. If the belt is slipping, you will need to tighten it further.
Lower your vehicle. Remove the board from under the tire. Use a jack to lift up the vehicle slightly. Remove the jack stand and lower the vehicle.
