Toyota Crown Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement Costs

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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Muneshwar

18 years of experience

35 reviews

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by Anna

Toyota Pickup L4-2.4L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Federal Way, Washington

Prompt, courteous, showed me how to see that one belt was loose and cracked from age and that the other two were cracked. He came to replace the loose one but was prepared with the others. Explained that they would be OK for awhile or he could do all at once in same hour of labor. After price check and my approval he replaced all three. Now my old '88 truck will keep on keepin' on without another belt going out. He then checked out the whole truck and made recommendations of other minor repairs but left me feeling assured that these could wait for my budget to be ready. Thank you Max.

Steffon

12 years of experience

30 reviews

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by John

Toyota Tacoma V6-4.0L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Lutherville Timonium, Maryland

Highly recommend! Live in Delaware but work in Baltimore--my regular mechanic is in Delaware--no way was I going to have my truck towed all the way back to DE. Had no idea that this service was available, but because of the great service provided by Steffon, I would definitely recommend it and Steffon, and, would use it again. Steffon was professional, knew what to look for and had my truck running again in no time! Thank you Steffon.

Terry

14 years of experience

45 reviews

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by Jacob

Toyota Prius L4-1.5L Hybrid - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Louisville, Kentucky

Guy is real as it gets man. Had a good talk. Will get it done right. Strongly recommend this man

Matthew

34 years of experience

1438 reviews

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by Jasmine

Toyota Camry L4-2.4L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Newport News, Virginia

He was very knowledgeable and was willing to go the extra mile. Would definitely recommend!

Toyota Crown 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 Toyota Crown Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement is $186 with $46 for parts and $140 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 Toyota mechanics

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Rating Summary

Muneshwar

Steffon

Terry

Matthew

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