Subaru WRX STI 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 WRX STI Serpentine/Drive Belt Replacement is $176 with $36 for parts and $140 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

Car	Service	Estimate	Shop/Dealer Price
2014 Subaru WRX STIH4-2.5L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$254.00	Shop/Dealer Price$282.35 - $359.30
2013 Subaru WRX STIH4-2.5L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$244.99	Shop/Dealer Price$271.57 - $347.20
2017 Subaru WRX STIH4-2.5L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$244.99	Shop/Dealer Price$271.60 - $347.24
2018 Subaru WRX STIH4-2.5L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$244.99	Shop/Dealer Price$271.60 - $347.24
2016 Subaru WRX STIH4-2.5L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$244.99	Shop/Dealer Price$273.07 - $349.82
2015 Subaru WRX STIH4-2.5L Turbo	Service typeSerpentine/Drive Belt Replacement	Estimate$217.63	Shop/Dealer Price$237.54 - $292.77

Show example Subaru WRX STI 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

(8)

Rating Summary

7

1

0

0

0

7

1

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Kenneth

21 years of experience

870 reviews

Request Kenneth

Kenneth

21 years of experience

Request Kenneth

by Ken

Subaru WRX STI H4-2.5L Turbo - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Long Beach, California

Knowledgeable and thorough.

Joseph

19 years of experience

115 reviews

Joseph

19 years of experience

by Ron

Subaru WRX STI H4-2.5L Turbo - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Owings Mills, Maryland

Joseph was GREAT! He did a very thorough inspection finding several issues with the car I was thinking of purchasing. He took detailed pictures and added voice notes detailing his findings. I'll definitely request and recommend him again.

Simon

28 years of experience

378 reviews

Simon

28 years of experience

by Juan

Subaru WRX STI H4-2.5L Turbo - Clutch pedal goes all the way to the floor - Arlington, Virginia

Good

Marco

12 years of experience

73 reviews

Marco

12 years of experience

by Rudy

Subaru WRX STI H4-2.5L Turbo - Brake Rotor/Disc Replacement (Front) - Newport Beach, California

Marco was early, finished fast!

Excellent Rating

(8)

Rating Summary

7

1

0

0

0

7

1

0

0

0

SEE REVIEWS NEAR ME

Recent articles & questions

How to Purchase an Austin Healey

The Austin Healey is a small British roadster that has a very large following among collectors. The cars are made up of just a handful of parts, and are a great choice for those just venturing into the world of...

How to Check Your Power Steering Fluid Level

Power steering fluid pressurizes the power steering system. The type of power steering fluid differs between cars and the level must be maintained.

P0300 OBD-II Trouble Code: Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected

P0300 code definition Random/multiple cylinder misfire detected What the P0300 code means Most vehicles will have 4-6 cylinders. Each cylinder will fire...

3100 v6 on 2003 buick century lacks power under acceleration, spits and sputters, hard to get up to speed

If your vehicle is hesitating upon acceleration, it is possible that you have a fuel issue. Some of the potential causes of this issue would include a faulty fuel pump (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/fuel-pump-replacement), faulty fuel pressure regulator (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/fuel-pressure-regulator-replacement), or a clogged fuel...

There is a knocking noise an you can feel it by the petals at certain speeds mostly on the interstate , is my transmission going o

Hello, thank you for writing in. The vehicle may make these types of noises for many reasons. The most common issues relate to poorly maintained tires. Make sure your tires are in good condition, inflated properly, and balanced. Secondly, inspect...

I filled up my car and the range said 345 miles which is normal when I got home the range dropped down to 310, I only stay not even half a mile away from the gas station

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