- Belt alone?
- Ask whether the quote is the belt only or the belt and tensioner. Tensioner and idler
- Hours booked?
- The carmaker documents we read book a belt and tensioner at 0.6–0.9 hours. Carmaker times
- Belt snapped?
- Pull over if the battery light comes on or the temperature gauge climbs. Driving on it
- Before you pay
- Ask whether a Mazda or Chrysler bulletin covers a leaking or rattling tensioner. Key documents
The serpentine belt, also called the drive belt, runs the alternator and the other parts on the front of the engine. Replacing it is one of the shorter jobs a shop does, and the price climbs when the quote adds the parts it rides on.
What does serpentine belt replacement cost?
The box below prices the job by car, from the carmaker's own labor time and its parts store. Each car is priced for the job its document books, so a belt-only line and a tensioner line aren't the same job.
Priced on the 10 cars below, not every model and year. Yours may cost more or less.
Serpentine belt replacement cost
Covered $0 at the dealer recall or warranty
Not covered $69–$101 belt only, parts and labor, three cars
Not covered $153–$298 tensioner jobs, belt and tensioner or tensioner with the belt refitted, parts and labor, seven cars
Check your VIN first, since a recall or a warranty extension can make the repair free.
Belt only Parts and labor $69–$101
Three cars, a belt alone at 0.2 hours
| Car | Parts | Labor | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger 3.6FCA bulletin 0700517, built May 12–17, 2017 only · Part 04861928AA | $49–$66 | 0.2 h | $69–$101 |
Tensioner jobs Parts and labor $153–$298
Seven cars, each priced for the job its carmaker time books
| Car | Parts | Labor | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tensioner, belt refitted | |||
| 2016 Mazda CX-5, Mazda6, Mazda3 2.5Mazda bulletin 01-008-26, for an oil leak or rattle at the tensioner · Part PE03-15-980C | $197–$221 | 0.4 h | $237–$290 |
| 2015 Chrysler 200 3.6, Jeep Cherokee 3.2FCA bulletin 07-001-16 · Part 04627533AC | $127–$202 | 0.5 h | $177–$289 |
| Belt and tensioner | |||
| 2012 Buick Regal 2.0TGM bulletin PI1173A · Part 12653318 (belt) + 12605175 (tensioner) | $93–$194 | 0.6 h | $153–$298 |
| 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid 3.6FCA bulletin 0900423 · Part 05281296AA (belt) + 05281615AA (tensioner) | $90–$93 | 0.9 h | $180–$249 |
Diagnosis fee Not in the range
Set by each shop, may be waived if you approve the repair or it's covered. Ask for it in writing first.
Labor is the carmaker's own time at $100–$139 an hour at an independent shop (this takes in the $132 national average) to $128–$173 at a dealer. Before tax, shop fees and diagnosis. Prices read October 18, 2026. How we price repairs
Cars without a carmaker labor time, such as the Camry, CR-V and F-150, get the parts alone in the second box. Ask your shop for its hours and its rate to finish the sum.
Belt and tensioner parts for six more cars
The cars readers search for most have no carmaker belt time, so only the parts are priced here, each car on its own line.
Serpentine belt, part only Part only
The belt alone, the independent range beside the carmaker's own part
| Car | Aftermarket part | OEM part |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Honda CR-V 2.4 | $23–$38 | $52–$74 |
| 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 5.3 | $18–$25 | $28–$49 |
| 2013 Ford F-150 5.0 | $17–$28 | $27–$44 |
| 2012 Subaru Outback 2.5 | $12–$20 | $28–$40 |
| 2018 Toyota Camry 2.5 | $12–$19 | $32–$45 |
| 2017 Toyota RAV4 2.5 | $14–$32 | $25–$36 |
These cars have no carmaker belt time, so there's no labor figure.
Tensioner, part only Part only
The tensioner alone, never a kit price
| Car | Aftermarket part | OEM part |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Honda CR-V 2.4 | $61–$82 | $190–$277 |
| 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 5.3 | $31–$68 | $63–$108 |
| 2013 Ford F-150 5.0 | $47–$98 | $120–$195 |
| 2012 Subaru Outback 2.5 | $50–$61 | $87–$126 |
| 2018 Toyota Camry 2.5 | $83–$118 | $165–$234 |
| 2017 Toyota RAV4 2.5 | $75–$170 | $165–$235 |
These cars have no carmaker belt time, so there's no labor figure.
Aftermarket parts are known brands from one large online catalog, read October 18 and 29, 2026. The OEM part is the carmaker's own, at the dealer parts store's sale price to its list price. How we price repairs
What to say to the shop
When the belt quote comes in, ask:
- Is this the belt only, or the belt and the tensioner?
- Does it include an idler pulley, and is that pulley worn?
- How many labor hours does it book?
- Which brand of belt, and does it match the original's size?
“Is this quote the belt only or the belt and tensioner, and how many hours does it book?”
Can you drive with a bad serpentine belt?
A worn belt can keep running for a while, but a snapped belt stops everything it drives. Chrysler's bulletin for the 2022 Pacifica Hybrid says a snapped belt leaves the water pump and alternator undriven, which leads to overheating and a dead battery.
Pull over when the temperature gauge climbs or the battery light stays on, and have the car towed rather than driven. The steering can also turn heavy and the A/C stop, on cars where the belt drives them.
Should the tensioner and idler be replaced with the belt?
Only when they're worn. Chrysler's 2017 Pacifica schedule has the shop inspect the belt, the tensioner and the idler pulley, and replace what needs it, so a sound tensioner can stay. A noisy pulley can sound like a bad belt, so see our guide to a whining noise when accelerating before you approve parts you may not need.
When they do go in together, the parts add up but the time barely does. The carmaker documents we read book these jobs:
- Belt only. Chrysler books 0.2 hours on some 2017 300, Charger and Challenger V6 cars.
- Belt and tensioner. GM books 0.6 hours on the Regal 2.0 Turbo, and Chrysler 0.9 hours on the 2022 Pacifica Hybrid.
- Tensioner, with the old belt refitted. Mazda and Chrysler book 0.3–1.0 hours, depending on the engine.
- Idler pulley. Chrysler books 0.2 or 0.3 hours on its V6 cars.
How do you know a serpentine belt is worn?
With the engine off and the key out, look for rib wear, cracks running along a rib, slipping or belt noise, the signs Dodge's Charger manual names. Gates, a belt maker, says modern EPDM belts "inherently resist cracking", so a belt with no cracks can still be worn.
What counts is material lost from the ribs: a worn belt sits deeper in the pulley grooves, and Gates says "water and debris have difficulty passing between the two", so it can slip when wet. Some models also need special tools to change the belt, so check before you try it at home.
How often should a serpentine belt be replaced?
Most owner's manuals we read schedule an inspection, not a mileage. Mazda's 2019 CX-5 book lists the drive belts for inspection only, and Chrysler's 2017 Pacifica schedule says to inspect the belt and replace it if necessary.
Ford's 2013 F-150 schedule is the exception: it replaces the belt at 150,000 miles if it wasn't replaced in the last 100,000. Check your own manual's schedule, and replace the belt when an inspection finds it worn, not because a shop's own interval says so.
From the carmakers
Free fixes for a serpentine belt
A worn belt is maintenance you pay for. A faulty tensioner can be covered, though: Mazda's bulletin for an oil leak or rattle at the tensioner falls under its new-vehicle warranty, and a Chrysler campaign fits new pulleys, a tensioner and a belt on some Pacifica and Voyager Hybrids.
Customer satisfaction notification 47A
Customer Satisfaction Notification 47A - Serpentine Belt Squeal.
Service bulletin 01-008-26
Some vehicles may exhibit rattling noises from the engine compartment and oil leakage from the drive belt auto tensioner.
Service bulletin 0900423
Belt could snap eventually resulting in water pump and alternator not being driven leading to overheating and dead battery.
Service bulletin 0700517
The customer may experience serpentine drive belt squeal and reduced drive belt life expectancy.
Service bulletin 07-001-16
The customer may describe a loud high frequency noise that happens within 20 seconds of engine startup and lasts about 90 seconds intermittently during a cold engine start.
Service bulletin PI1173A
This preliminary bulletin provides a procedure to replace the main drive belt and tensioner.
Conclusion
What to do next about a serpentine belt quote
If the belt is worn, ask whether the quote is the belt only or the belt and tensioner, and how many hours it books. If the tensioner leaks or rattles on a Mazda or a Pacifica Hybrid, ask the dealer whether a bulletin or campaign covers it first.
Oil & Miles checks each price and time here against the carmakers' own bulletins, manuals and parts stores.
Common questions
Asked most often
Is a serpentine belt the same as a timing belt?
No. The serpentine belt runs on the outside of the engine and drives parts like the alternator, while the timing belt keeps the engine itself in time and is a much bigger job, as our timing belt replacement cost guide shows.
How long does it take to replace a serpentine belt?
The carmaker documents we read book a belt alone at 0.2 hours and a belt with its tensioner at 0.6–0.9 hours. Ask the shop how many hours its own quote books.
Can you replace just the serpentine belt?
Yes, if the tensioner and pulleys pass inspection. Chrysler's 2017 Pacifica schedule has them inspected with the belt and replaced only if necessary.
What people ask next
Sources
- Gates Tech Tip TT002-15, Belt Inspection Changes, for EPDM belts resisting cracks and wearing by material loss. Gates, read October 29, 2026
- Chrysler bulletin 0900423 Rev. A, via NHTSA, for the 2022 Pacifica Hybrid belt and tensioner time and what a snapped belt stops. FCA US, read October 29, 2026
- Chrysler bulletins 0700517, 07-001-16 and 07-002-15 Rev. A and campaign Reference47A, via NHTSA, for the belt, tensioner, idler and campaign times. FCA US, read October 18, 2026
- GM bulletin PI1173A, via NHTSA, for the Regal 2.0 Turbo belt and tensioner time. General Motors, read October 18, 2026
- Mazda bulletin 01-008-26, via NHTSA, for the tensioner times by engine, the oil leak or rattle condition and the warranty coverage. Mazda, read October 18, 2026
- 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Owner's Manual, for the belt, tensioner and idler inspection. FCA US, read October 29, 2026
- 2019 Mazda CX-5, 2013 Ford F-150 and Dodge Charger Owner's Manuals, for the inspection-only schedule, Ford's replacement mileage and the cracks along a rib. Mazda, Ford and FCA US, read October 30, 2026
- Mopar, GM Parts and Mazda parts stores, for the carmaker part prices in the first box. The carmakers, read October 18, 2026
- RockAuto catalog and dealer parts stores, for the part prices in the second box. RockAuto and the dealers, read October 29, 2026
- PartsTech's September 2025 survey of about 700 US independent shops, as reported by Ratchet+Wrench (August 19, 2026), for the $100–$139 an hour that nearly half of them charge. Ratchet+Wrench, read October 17, 2026
How this was compiled
Each labor time is the carmaker's own, from a bulletin that books the job under the condition or build window it names. The part prices are the carmaker's list price and parts-store listings for the same part.
What we didn't do
We found no carmaker labor time for the most-searched cars, so they get parts only. We read a few owner's manuals, not every model's, and only Ford's gave a replacement mileage.
Prices are for the US market and were read in October 2026. Prices from $10 up are rounded to the nearest dollar, so $14.13 reads as $14 and $14.52 as $15. Below $10 they're exact. This article is general information, not advice about your specific vehicle. See the disclaimer.