How to Replace the Serpentine Belt on Your Honda – Step-by-Step Guide
A serpentine belt is an essential component in your Honda’s engine that helps power various systems, such as air conditioning, power steering, and alternator. Over time, the serpentine belt can wear down and become brittle, leading to cracks and breakage. Replacing the serpentine belt on your Honda is a straightforward process and can be done with some basic tools. This step-by-step guide will walk you through replacing the serpentine belt on your Honda, ensuring your engine continues running smoothly and efficiently.
Symptoms
- Squealing sound from the engine bay
- Overheating
- Battery charging failure
What you will need
Parts
- Honda 3.5L Engine Serpentine Belt
- PN:56992-RVO-A05 or PN:38920-RCA-A03
Tools
- Wrench or Metric Sockets
- Tensioner bolt may be 13mm, 14mm or 19mm.
- Breaker Bar
Procedure
- Park the vehicle on level ground and set the parking brakes.
- Allow the engine to cool down.
- Pull the hood release under the dashboard and open the hood.
- Create a diagram of how the serpentine belt is connected to different pulleys.
- Use a wrench to release the tensioner. Or connect the socket and the breaker bar. Place the socket on the tensioner bolt. Apply thrust toward the back and windshield of the vehicle.
- Keep on applying pressure until the serpentine belt is loose.
- Remove the belt.
- Make sure that the old and new belt has the same length.
- Route the new belt underneath the crankshaft pulley and the AC compressor.
- Place the new belt over the idler pulley.
- Route the new belt to the alternator.
- Route the new belt underneath the tensioner pulley.
- Route the new belt on the power steering pump.
- Move the tensioner as you did earlier when you removed the belt. Slide the drive belt over the tensioner pulley.
- Release tension, and remove the wrench.
- Place the power steering reservoir back into the bracket.
- Make sure the belt is seated properly on each pulley.
Frequently Asked Question
How do you know your serpentine belt is bad?
One of the most common symptoms of a bad serpentine belt is a squealing sound from the engine compartment; sometimes, the squealing is accompanied by poor AC performance and poor cooling efficiency.
Can you drive a Honda with a bad serpentine belt?
You can drive a Honda with a bad serpentine belt; however, once the belt gets damaged, the engine overheats, which may lead to catastrophic engine failure might occur. It is not recommended to drive with a damaged serpentine belt.
Applications
Honda vehicles equipped with J35A6 J35A7 engines are typically found on 2005-2012 Honda Pilot, Ridgeline, and Acura MDX. It may also be found on other models.
J35A6 Engine
- Honda Pilot
- Honda Ridgeline
- Honda Accord V6
- Acura MDX
- Acura RL
- Acura RL
J35A7 Engine
- Honda Pilot
- Honda Ridgeline
- Honda Accord V6
- Acura MDX
- Acura RL
- 2007 + Honda Inspire
We hope you find the Honda 3.5L V6 Serpentine Belt Replacement guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your Honda.
