Toyota RAV4 Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement Costs

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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 RAV4 Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement is $158 with $18 for parts and $140 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
2017 Toyota RAV4L4-2.5L Hybrid	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$190.00	Shop/Dealer Price$202.35 - $231.30
2016 Toyota RAV4L4-2.5L Hybrid	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$180.99	Shop/Dealer Price$191.57 - $219.20
2018 Toyota RAV4L4-2.5L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$244.81	Shop/Dealer Price$271.37 - $346.88
2019 Toyota RAV4L4-2.5L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$237.49	Shop/Dealer Price$262.22 - $332.24
2013 Toyota RAV4Electric	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$244.99	Shop/Dealer Price$273.07 - $349.82
1998 Toyota RAV4Electric	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$207.05	Shop/Dealer Price$224.31 - $271.61
2009 Toyota RAV4L4-2.5L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$200.89	Shop/Dealer Price$216.49 - $259.07
1997 Toyota RAV4L4-2.0L	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$348.75	Shop/Dealer Price$401.30 - $554.76

Show example Toyota RAV4 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.

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Tinashe

10 years of experience

534 reviews

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Tinashe

10 years of experience

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by Dinesh Thaker

RAV4 2007 - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Decatur, GA

Mr.Tinashe Karidza came to my house on time. He came with masks and globes on. He introduced himself to me and went with me with the checklist of what jobs he was going to perform in the car. He is a nice, polite, and well-mannered gentleman. He started working on my car immediately without wasting any time. While he was working on the care, I spoke to him a few times. He is intelligent and has a good knowledge of the car. I saw that he is detailed oriented. Taking his own time in doing jobs no rush to finish the job. I really like him and I will call him every time I need repair or maintenance on my car. Not only that I will recommend him to my friends and family. About the company Your Mechanic, a very reasonable and realizable company. Every time I had questions either I email them or called them, they replied email in a very reasonable time. Every time I called them they asked you to leave a message. I called them a couple of times and left the messages no one care to call me back. Two times I called and hold for customer service person the lady answered the phone was so nice and polite, She made sure that she answered all my questions satisfactorily. I highly reamend this company. They come to you and charge a lot less than dealers or auto shops and I do not have to wait in the there unsafe waiting room at their mercy.

Keith

13 years of experience

394 reviews

Keith

13 years of experience

by Rodney Rivadeneria

RAV4 1999 - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Davenport, FL

excellent person in and out 110% awesomeness and excellent mechanic. thanks a lot keith great job.

Joe

0 years of experience

528 reviews

Joe

0 years of experience

by Nicholas Kirby

RAV4 2009 - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Nashville, TN

Very professional and easy to work with. Highly recommend.

Mike

25 years of experience

79 reviews

Mike

25 years of experience

by Shonta Turman

RAV4 2017 - Brake Pads - Farmington, MI

Mike was quick and professional. Checked out my car and provided me with knowledgeable advice. 10 out 10 would recommend! Thanks for the help Mike! 

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