BMW 1 Series M Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement Costs

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
2011 BMW 1 Series ML6-3.0L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$296.61	Shop/Dealer Price$366.27 - $507.74

Car

Service

Estimate

Shop/Dealer Price

2011 BMW 1 Series ML6-3.0L Turbo

Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement

Estimate$296.61

Shop/Dealer Price$366.27 - $507.74

What is a serpentine belt and how does it work?

A serpentine belt is a relatively long, flat, multi-ribbed belt that is driven by the engine’s crankshaft pulley. The belt drives many, and often all, of the engine accessories such as the alternator, air conditioning compressor, power steering pump, water pump, and air pump. The serpentine belt is tensioned by a hydraulic or spring-loaded automatic tensioner. Some older cars use a serpentine belt to drive most accessories but will also have a shorter v-style belt to drive, for example, the power steering pump.

When to consider replacing the serpentine belt:

Regularly scheduled maintenance. Typically, belt manufacturers recommend belt replacement at 90,000 miles. However, the belt must be inspected for wear or damage at regular intervals prior to this high mileage.
Squealing noise, belt slippage, visible belt damage. Should the belt fail or wear out prematurely, you may hear noise or you may see visible signs of deterioration such as missing chunks of rubber, excessive cracking, or a shredded appearance on the edge of the belt.
Battery Light. A loose belt, perhaps caused by a defective tensioner, may not drive the alternator at adequate speed and thus the battery may discharge, causing the warning light to illuminate.
Engine overheating. Often, the serpentine belt drives the water pump. In those applications, if the belt breaks the engine will overheat in seconds to minutes. If the belt is inadequately tensioned, you may notice higher-than-normal engine operating temperature.

How do mechanics replace the serpentine belt?

Prior to removing the belt, the mechanic must run the engine to determine if the idler pulley and the belt tensioner are noise-free. Those rotating components have grease filled bearings and are subject to wear. In addition, the mechanic will ensure that all pulleys and accessories are turning in the same plane. These steps help make sure your new belt will operate trouble-free for its full-service life.
The belt’s routing path through the various components is noted. The belt tensioner is released, usually with a wrench or lever, to release the tension from the belt. With the tension off, the belt slides off the pulleys.
All rotating components — that is the alternator, air conditioner compressor, etc. — are checked for smooth operation and no noise.
If everything checks out, the new belt is slipped over all of the pulleys while holding the tensioner away from the belt. Once the belt is centered on all pulleys, the tensioner is released and the installation is complete. The engine is run to ensure normal operation.

Is it safe to drive with a serpentine belt problem?

No. Should the belt have visible damage, you risk unexpected and sudden breakage that could potentially leave you stranded. Serpentine belt problems that result in the alternator not charging may cause the battery to discharge, which will result in loss of electrical power to the vehicle. Additionally, if a deteriorated belt breaks and that belt drives the water pump, the engine will overheat in a matter of seconds.

When replacing the serpentine belt keep in mind:

On many cars, the expected service life of a serpentine belt is around 90,000 miles. Should the belt fail well prior to that, a very careful inspection should be performed to check for out-of-alignment pulleys, a possibly out-of-position crankshaft harmonic balancer on which the drive pulley is mounted, binding pulleys, or a defective belt tensioner.
Attention should always be given to serpentine belt routing, since proper routing is critical to proper belt tension, and function of the driven components.
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish serpentine belt related noise from other engine noises. In these cases, a mechanic will determine the origin of the noise by momentarily running the engine without the serpentine belt attached.

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Tabitha

17 years of experience

319 reviews

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by Megan

BMW 328i L6-3.0L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Del Mar, California

Tabitha is great! I hope to have her if I ever need another repair.

Torrieanto

12 years of experience

632 reviews

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by Derek

BMW 545i V8-4.4L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Largo, Florida

Nice guy - pleasant experience

Clifton

30 years of experience

289 reviews

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by John

BMW 528i L6-3.0L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Boca Raton, Florida

Clifton is very knowledgeable, and explains what he is doing and why. He made two repairs, and in both cases, showed me the failed parts, and showed how and why they wore. During the first job, Clifton said that he needed to do some research to properly complete the task, and sure enough, he showed up the next day at no additional charge to finish, resulting in a failsafe repair. During the second visit, Clifton completed a drive-belt assembly installation that required the disconnection of many surrounding parts, which he easily re-connected after installing the worn drive-belt assembly. The car is running beautifully. Lastly, Clifton was prompt and efficient in his approach. In fact, I would not have even noticed the second repair had it not been for his sharp eye.

Jeff

33 years of experience

441 reviews

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by Robert

BMW 650i V8-4.8L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Granite Bay, California

Friendly and skilled. I enjoyed meeting and working a bit with Jeff. He has the tenacity and temperment needed to work on a BMW and complete the job. We had some parts issues, but Jeff solved these. Due to his non-ASE certification, Jeff cannot repair what he determined to be a faulty water pump. I'm leaving 3 stars because he told me he would fix this, but I'm unable to schedule this repair with Jeff or any of your mechanics. Why?? Also, cleanup and test drive was left to me. Why??

BMW 1 Series M Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement at your home or office.

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Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement Service

How much does a Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a BMW 1 Series M Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement is $193 with $79 for parts and $114 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

What is a serpentine belt and how does it work?

When to consider replacing the serpentine belt:

How do mechanics replace the serpentine belt?

Is it safe to drive with a serpentine belt problem?

When replacing the serpentine belt keep in mind:

Meet some of our expert BMW mechanics

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Tabitha

Torrieanto

Clifton

Jeff

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