🔧 Fusion - Serpentine Belt Replacement

The serpentine belt drives accessories like the alternator and A/C. If it’s cracked, squealing, or slipping, replacing it prevents charging problems and overheating.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.0-2.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🧤 Work on a cold engine; keep hands clear of pulleys.
• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands before going under or removing a wheel.
• 🔌 No battery disconnect is required, but keep the key away from the car so no one starts it.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 19mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive ratchet
• 15mm socket
• 3" socket extension
• 7mm socket
• 8mm socket
• Trim clip removal tool
• Torque wrench (20-200 Nm range)
• Flashlight
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Serpentine belt - Qty: 1
• Front right inner fender liner clips - Qty: 2-6

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels.
• 📸 Take a photo of the belt routing before removal (or draw a quick sketch).
• 🔦 Have a flashlight ready—access is easiest through the right front wheel well.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift the front-right corner and remove the wheel

• Use 19mm socket with a breaker bar to loosen the front-right lug nuts 1/2 turn.
• Use a floor jack to lift at the front-right jacking point, then place jack stands under a solid support point and lower onto the stand.
• Remove the lug nuts with a 19mm socket and take off the wheel.
• When reinstalling later: Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 2: Remove the right inner fender/splash shield fasteners

• Use a 7mm socket and 8mm socket to remove the small screws holding the liner/splash shield section near the front of the wheel well.
• Use a trim clip removal tool to pop out any plastic push-clips. (A trim clip tool is a flat fork tool that lifts plastic clips without breaking them.)
• Pull the liner/splash shield back enough to clearly see the belt and the belt tensioner.

Step 3: Relieve belt tension

• Locate the belt tensioner (spring-loaded arm with a pulley).
• Place a 15mm socket with a ratchet (and 3" extension if needed) on the tensioner’s hex.
• Rotate the tensioner to relieve tension, then slide the belt off one smooth pulley first (usually an idler pulley) while holding the tensioner rotated.
• Move slowly—spring tension is strong.

Step 4: Remove the belt and check pulleys

• Release the tensioner gently with the ratchet.
• Pull the belt out of the engine bay through the wheel well.
• Spin each pulley by hand (alternator, idlers, tensioner). They should spin smoothly and quietly with no wobble.

Step 5: Install the new belt (match the routing)

• Compare the old belt and new belt length with your eyes before installing.
• Route the new belt around the pulleys the same way as your photo/sketch, making sure the ribbed side sits fully in the ribbed pulleys.
• Leave the easiest-to-reach smooth pulley for last.
• Use the 15mm socket and ratchet to rotate the tensioner again, slide the belt onto the last pulley, then slowly release the tensioner.
• Double-check: every rib is seated—no ribs hanging off an edge.

Step 6: Reinstall the splash shield and wheel

• Reposition the liner/splash shield and reinstall screws using the 7mm socket and 8mm socket.
• Reinstall any push-clips by hand; replace any that no longer hold tight.
• Reinstall the wheel and hand-start all lug nuts.
• Lower the car using the floor jack, then torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs) in a star pattern with a torque wrench.

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✅ After Repair

• 🔍 Before starting, do a final visual check that the belt is centered on every pulley.
• 🚗 Start the engine and let it idle for 30–60 seconds while watching the belt track (keep hands/tools away).
• 👂 Listen for squealing or slapping noises; shut it off and re-check belt seating if anything sounds wrong.
• 🧪 Take a short test drive, then do one more quick inspection for correct alignment.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $25-$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 1.0-1.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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