🔧 Accord - Serpentine Belt Replacement

The serpentine belt drives accessories like the alternator and A/C. If it’s cracked, squealing, or glazed, replacement prevents sudden loss of charging or power steering assist.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 0.8-1.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a cold engine; hot pulleys can burn you.
• ⚠️ Keep fingers and clothing away from pulleys at all times.
• ⚠️ Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Do not start the engine with the splash shield removed unless you’re clear of the belt area.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required, but remove the key and keep it away from the car.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Wheel chocks
• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• 19mm socket
• 1/2" breaker bar
• 10mm socket
• 12mm socket
• Flat trim clip remover
• Serpentine belt tool (specialty)
• 14mm socket
• Torque wrench (10-150 ft-lbs range)
• Flashlight
• Mechanic gloves
• Safety glasses

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Serpentine belt - Qty: 1
• Right front inner fender liner clips - Qty: 2-6

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in 1st gear, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Have a flashlight ready so you can confirm the belt is seated in every pulley groove.
• Take a quick photo of belt routing first.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift the right-front corner for access

• Use wheel chocks at the rear wheels.
• Loosen the right-front lug nuts slightly using a 19mm socket and 1/2" breaker bar.
• Lift the right-front using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) and support it with jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove the wheel with the 19mm socket.
• When reinstalling later: Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).

Step 2: Remove the right-front splash shield (fender liner)

• Use a flat trim clip remover to pop out the plastic clips along the rear/inner edge of the liner.
• Remove any small bolts using a 10mm socket or 12mm socket (varies by fastener location).
• Pull the liner back enough to clearly see the belt and pulleys.
• If a clip breaks, replace it.

Step 3: Locate the belt tensioner

• Look for the spring-loaded tensioner pulley. It’s the pulley on an arm that moves.
• A “tensioner” is a spring device that keeps the belt tight automatically.
• Position your flashlight so you can see the grooves on the pulleys.

Step 4: Release belt tension

• Install a 14mm socket on the tensioner’s hex boss/bolt head (this is the spot designed to turn the tensioner).
• Use a serpentine belt tool (specialty) (a long, thin handle that fits in tight spaces) to rotate the tensioner and relieve belt tension.
• Hold the tensioner in the released position, then slide the belt off one easy pulley (usually the alternator or top pulley) by hand.
• Slowly let the tensioner return to its resting position. Do not let it snap back.

Step 5: Remove the old belt and inspect pulleys

• Pull the belt out of the engine bay through the wheel well opening.
• Spin the smooth pulleys by hand and check for roughness or wobble.
• Check the tensioner pulley surface for cracks or grinding noises when spun.
• Any grinding usually means a pulley/tensioner issue.

Step 6: Route the new belt

• Compare the new belt length to the old belt (they should match closely).
• Route the belt around the pulleys following the under-hood belt routing sticker. If the sticker is missing, route it exactly like your photo from before.
• Make sure the ribbed side of the belt sits in the ribbed pulleys, and the smooth side sits on smooth pulleys.
• Use your flashlight to confirm every rib is seated in every pulley groove.

Step 7: Apply tension and seat the belt

• Rotate the tensioner again using the serpentine belt tool (specialty) and 14mm socket.
• Slip the belt onto the final pulley last (choose the easiest-to-reach pulley).
• Slowly release the tensioner.
• Re-check belt alignment on all pulleys using the flashlight.

Step 8: Reinstall the splash shield and wheel

• Reposition the liner and reinstall fasteners using the 10mm socket, 12mm socket, and flat trim clip remover.
• Reinstall the wheel using the 19mm socket.
• Lower the car and torque lug nuts using a torque wrench (10-150 ft-lbs range): Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and watch the belt for 15-30 seconds (hands clear). It should run centered with no wobble.
• Listen for squeal or chirping. If present, shut off and re-check belt seating.
• Turn A/C on and headlights on; verify no slipping noise under load.
• After a short drive, do a quick re-check that the belt still tracks correctly.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $180-$350 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $35-$80 (parts only)

You Save: $100-$270 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 0.8-1.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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