Installing Serpentine Belt?
Installing Serpentine Belt?
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 130
Likes: 1
From: london
Took my car to Firestone for an oil change and general inspection. I was told my serpentine belt is worn and has cracks in it. I want to do it myself because it’s $110 for the belt and $80 for the labor. I took the same part number they listed on the invoice of the belt on Amazon where it’s only $20.... based on a 4.6 rating. I Tutuapp 9apps
Last edited by winkybil; May 24, 2025 at 04:58 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 10,593
Likes: 229
From: Northern California
Most belts are easy to change if you have the correct tools.
It does help if the DIY (do it yourself) has some automotive repair experience. So if you are asking it may not be the best task as a novice DIY?
Firestone uses the basic labor flat rate guide to determine how long a service takes. There are a few listing depending on retail, warranty or factory.
The hourly rate is based on geographical location and adjusted for the market.
The part number may not be the same manufacture when comparing cost and therefor some may find large difference in cost comparison found. Unless you have both the manufacture and the part number and exact name brand to compare prices.
The reason that shops like Firestone are more costly on parts is because they include warranty replacement and not just warranty labor should the part fail. This is often misunderstood by people who think the service shop is bumping the price of a part out of normal retail cost for more profit when it is an insurance so to say if the parts fails they cover both labor and replacement cost of part if necessary. However buying yourself the part and bringing the part to the service shop most every shop will state they will not cover labor to replace a failed part.
For some automotive parts replacement parts like Belts reading that someone judges the part quality by reviews should also not be DIY on their own or any other vehicle IMHO (in my humble opinion)!
It does help if the DIY (do it yourself) has some automotive repair experience. So if you are asking it may not be the best task as a novice DIY?
Firestone uses the basic labor flat rate guide to determine how long a service takes. There are a few listing depending on retail, warranty or factory.
The hourly rate is based on geographical location and adjusted for the market.
The part number may not be the same manufacture when comparing cost and therefor some may find large difference in cost comparison found. Unless you have both the manufacture and the part number and exact name brand to compare prices.
The reason that shops like Firestone are more costly on parts is because they include warranty replacement and not just warranty labor should the part fail. This is often misunderstood by people who think the service shop is bumping the price of a part out of normal retail cost for more profit when it is an insurance so to say if the parts fails they cover both labor and replacement cost of part if necessary. However buying yourself the part and bringing the part to the service shop most every shop will state they will not cover labor to replace a failed part.
For some automotive parts replacement parts like Belts reading that someone judges the part quality by reviews should also not be DIY on their own or any other vehicle IMHO (in my humble opinion)!
Last edited by Callisto; Apr 14, 2021 at 11:12 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: 39503
2014 Mazda 5 serpentine belt easy replacement
I just replaced serpentine belt on my 2014 Mazda 5. Job was pretty easy. I took me about 20 minutes. The hardest part of the job was re-routing the new belt correctly, which still only took about 5 minutes.
Just find a diagram online on how the belt goes around each pulley and you will be fine.
Here are the 5 easy steps.
1. Jack up front right of car and support it with jack stands.
2. Take off right wheel
3. Take off wheel splash cover. It will give you access to tensioner and lower pulleys.
4. Either cut off old belt or remove using tensioner. The tensioner is the lower rear pulley. Mine even had the word “LIFT” stamped on it. I rented a serpentine belt removal tool from auto parts store because it comes with a long flat bar and a 14mm short socket which you will need.
Just turn the tensioner clockwise and it will loosen the belt. Now just remove belt.
5. Now install new belt in the correct order using diagram.
Repair shop wanted $151 before taxes to replace belt. $77 labor and $74 for belt.
Only cost me $25 for the same belt and less than 30 minutes of my time.
Just find a diagram online on how the belt goes around each pulley and you will be fine.
Here are the 5 easy steps.
1. Jack up front right of car and support it with jack stands.
2. Take off right wheel
3. Take off wheel splash cover. It will give you access to tensioner and lower pulleys.
4. Either cut off old belt or remove using tensioner. The tensioner is the lower rear pulley. Mine even had the word “LIFT” stamped on it. I rented a serpentine belt removal tool from auto parts store because it comes with a long flat bar and a 14mm short socket which you will need.
Just turn the tensioner clockwise and it will loosen the belt. Now just remove belt.
5. Now install new belt in the correct order using diagram.
Repair shop wanted $151 before taxes to replace belt. $77 labor and $74 for belt.
Only cost me $25 for the same belt and less than 30 minutes of my time.
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