Subaru Outback Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement Costs

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

Included for free with this service

Online Booking

Mechanic comes to you

12-month / 12k-mile warranty

Free 50 point safety inspection

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

See availability

Customer Ratings

Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement Service

How much does a Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Subaru Outback Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement is $175 with $35 for parts and $140 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
2014 Subaru OutbackH6-3.6L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$238.64	Shop/Dealer Price$263.15 - $328.58
2006 Subaru OutbackH6-3.0L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$230.73	Shop/Dealer Price$253.75 - $318.68
2018 Subaru OutbackH6-3.6L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$244.99	Shop/Dealer Price$271.60 - $347.24
2006 Subaru OutbackH4-2.5L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$339.45	Shop/Dealer Price$389.67 - $536.16
2007 Subaru OutbackH4-2.5L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$339.45	Shop/Dealer Price$391.15 - $538.74
2004 Subaru OutbackH6-3.0L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$249.97	Shop/Dealer Price$277.96 - $357.45
2009 Subaru OutbackH4-2.5L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$288.81	Shop/Dealer Price$326.39 - $434.91
2009 Subaru OutbackH4-2.5L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$288.81	Shop/Dealer Price$326.37 - $434.88

Show example Subaru Outback Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement prices

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.

Belts

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.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee

Meet some of our expert Subaru mechanics

Real customer reviews from Subaru owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(20)

Rating Summary

20

0

0

0

0

20

0

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Joseph

0 years of experience

646 reviews

Joseph

0 years of experience

by Quentin Packard

Outback 2015 - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Salt Lake City, UT

Always the best service

LAVELL

26 years of experience

129 reviews

LAVELL

26 years of experience

by Michael Higham

Outback 2003 - Serpentine/Drive Belt - San Francisco, CA

Once again Lavell went above and beyond. Great work.

Eddie

39 years of experience

28 reviews

Eddie

39 years of experience

by Katherine Greco

Outback 2005 - Strut Assembly - Star, ID

Very satisfied with service. Highly recommend

Eddie

39 years of experience

28 reviews

Eddie

39 years of experience

by Katherine Greco

Outback 2005 - Oil Cooler - Star, ID

Very satisfied with service. Highly recommend

Excellent Rating

(20)

Rating Summary

20

0

0

0

0

20

0

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

What are the Car Pool Rules in Oklahoma?

Car Car pool lanes were introduced to American road a few decades ago, and have been rising in popularity ever since. A large number of states have these lanes, and they cover more than 3,000 miles across the country. Many...

P0670 OBD-II Trouble Code: Glow Plug Module Control Circuit

P0670 code means there is an issue with the Glow Plug Control Module often due too poor electrical connection or defective parts.

How to Polish Exhaust Headers

Due Due to the degree of heat and amount of exposure that an exhaust header is exposed to from your system (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-exhaust-systems-work), it is prone to showing signs of wear and tear. So, on occasion, you may wish to polish...

How does the ceiling light work?

Your Accord features a number of convenience lights designed to make it easier to see inside your car in low-light situations. The ceiling light (also called a dome light) is one of these. It has three settings here: On –...

What does the electronic brake force distribution (EBD) Warning Light mean?

The electronic brake force distribution (EBD) Warning Light is located on the instrument panel., and is a combination of the anti-lock brake system (ABS) and standard brake system Warning Lights. When the EBD illuminates, there is an issue with your...

Wont start after leaving the key on all night.

Hi there. Check the battery cables and see if the are tight and clean. A loose battery cable can cause the power to come on but not turn over the starter. If the battery cables are tight, then check the...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com