🔧 Fusion - Serpentine Belt Replacement

The serpentine belt drives the engine accessories, such as the alternator-side accessory drive components and water pump-related belt system on your Fusion. On the Energi plug-in hybrid, access is tighter than a standard gasoline-only Fusion, and hybrid safety precautions matter because the vehicle can start the engine automatically.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.0-1.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Your Fusion is a plug-in hybrid. Make sure the vehicle is fully OFF, not in Ready mode, before working near the belt.
• ⚠️ Keep the key fob at least 15 feet away so the engine cannot wake up unexpectedly.
• ⚠️ Do not touch orange high-voltage cables or high-voltage components.
• ⚠️ Disconnect the 12-volt battery negative terminal before working near the belt. This helps prevent an unexpected engine start.
• ⚠️ Let the engine cool completely before reaching into the belt area.
• ⚠️ Support the vehicle only with jack stands. Never rely on a floor jack by itself.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• 10mm socket
• 8mm socket
• 7mm socket
• 15mm wrench
• 3/8-inch drive ratchet
• 3/8-inch drive extension
• Serpentine belt tool (specialty)
• Flat trim clip remover
• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves
• Flashlight

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Serpentine belt - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park your Fusion on level ground.
• Shift to Park and set the parking brake.
• Turn the vehicle fully OFF and remove the key fob from the work area.
• Open the hood and allow the engine to cool.
• Disconnect the 12-volt battery negative terminal using a 10mm socket.
• A serpentine belt tool is a long, thin wrench used to move the belt tensioner in tight spaces.
• The belt tensioner is a spring-loaded pulley that keeps the belt tight.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Raise the Front Passenger Side

• Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Use the floor jack at the correct front jacking point to raise the passenger side of your Fusion.
• Place a jack stand under the approved support point.
• Gently lower the vehicle onto the jack stand.
• Shake gently to confirm stability.

Step 2: Remove the Lower Splash Shield Access

• Put on safety glasses and mechanic gloves.
• Use a 7mm socket or 8mm socket to remove the lower splash shield fasteners near the passenger-side belt area.
• Use a flat trim clip remover to release any plastic push clips.
• Move the shield aside enough to see the crank pulley and belt path.

Step 3: Note the Belt Routing

• Use a flashlight to inspect how the belt wraps around each pulley.
• Look for a belt routing decal under the hood or near the radiator support.
• If no decal is visible, take a clear photo with your phone before removing the belt.
• A photo prevents routing mistakes.

Step 4: Release Belt Tension

• Place the serpentine belt tool or 15mm wrench on the belt tensioner hex.
• Rotate the tensioner slowly to relieve belt tension.
• While holding the tensioner back, slide the belt off the easiest smooth pulley first.
• Slowly release the tensioner back to its resting position.
• Do not let the tensioner snap back.

Step 5: Remove the Old Belt

• Use your hands to pull the old belt out from around the pulleys.
• Use the flashlight to check for cracks, glazing, missing ribs, or oil contamination.
• If the old belt is shredded, inspect every pulley groove for trapped belt pieces.

Step 6: Inspect the Pulleys and Tensioner

• Spin each accessible pulley by hand.
• Listen for grinding, squeaking, or rough movement.
• Check that the tensioner moves smoothly using the serpentine belt tool or 15mm wrench.
• If a pulley is loose, noisy, or wobbly, replace that part before installing the new belt.

Step 7: Install the New Belt

• Route the new serpentine belt around the pulleys using your photo or the routing decal.
• Make sure the ribbed side of the belt sits in ribbed pulleys.
• Make sure the smooth side of the belt rides on smooth pulleys.
• Leave the easiest smooth pulley for last.
• Use the serpentine belt tool or 15mm wrench to rotate the tensioner again.
• Slip the belt over the final pulley.
• Slowly release the tensioner until it tightens the belt.

Step 8: Verify Belt Alignment

• Use the flashlight to inspect every pulley.
• Confirm the belt ribs are fully seated in each pulley groove.
• Make sure the belt is not hanging off the edge of any pulley.
• If it is misaligned, use the serpentine belt tool or 15mm wrench to relieve tension and reposition it.

Step 9: Reinstall the Splash Shield

• Move the lower splash shield back into position.
• Install the plastic clips by hand.
• Use the 7mm socket or 8mm socket to reinstall the fasteners.
• Tighten the small splash shield fasteners snug only. Do not overtighten plastic fasteners.

Step 10: Lower the Vehicle

• Use the floor jack to lift the vehicle slightly off the jack stand.
• Remove the jack stand.
• Lower your Fusion slowly to the ground.

Step 11: Reconnect the 12-Volt Battery

• Reconnect the 12-volt battery negative terminal.
• Use the 10mm socket to tighten the terminal clamp snugly.
• Do not overtighten the battery terminal.

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✅ After Repair

• Start your Fusion and let the engine run when it commands on.
• Watch the belt from a safe distance. Keep hands, hair, and clothing away from moving parts.
• Listen for squealing, chirping, or slapping sounds.
• Turn the vehicle OFF and recheck belt alignment with a flashlight.
• If the battery was disconnected, some auto-up window or clock settings may need to relearn or reset.
• After a short drive, recheck the belt area for proper tracking.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $180-$320 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $25-$70 (parts only)

You Save: $110-$295 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 0.8-1.2 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.