Replace the serpentine belt (alternator belt) on the 3.6L V6 engine. This is a single belt that drives the alternator, water pump, power steering, and air conditioning.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Serpentine belt × 1 — Gates K060980 or OEM equivalent

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level ground and apply parking brake
2. Ensure engine is completely cool
3. Locate the belt routing diagram on the radiator shroud or upper radiator support
4. Photograph or sketch the current belt routing for reference

Procedure

1. 1

   Inspect current belt condition
   Before removing the belt, visually inspect it for cracks, glazing, fraying, or missing ribs. Check for oil or coolant contamination which may indicate other leaks that need attention. Measure belt wear if gauge is available.
2. 2

   Locate the belt tensioner
   The automatic belt tensioner is located on the front of the engine block, below the alternator. It has a 15mm hex head in the center of the pulley assembly for releasing tension.
3. 3

   Release belt tension
   Insert a 15mm socket with breaker bar or serpentine belt tool into the tensioner center bolt. Rotate the tensioner clockwise (toward the driver side) to release tension on the belt. The tensioner will move approximately 90 degrees. Maintain pressure on the tool while removing the belt.
   ⚠The tensioner is under heavy spring pressure. Maintain firm control of the breaker bar to prevent it from snapping back
4. 4

   Remove the serpentine belt
   While holding the tensioner in the released position, slip the belt off the tensioner pulley first, then remove it from the other pulleys. Slowly release the tensioner to its rest position. Remove the old belt from the engine compartment.
5. 5

   Inspect pulleys and tensioner
   With the belt removed, spin each pulley by hand to check for bearing noise or roughness. Check the alternator, water pump, power steering pump, idler pulley, and A/C compressor pulleys. Inspect the tensioner pulley for wear or wobble. Any rough or noisy pulleys should be replaced before installing the new belt.
6. 6

   Route the new belt
   Starting at the crankshaft pulley, route the new belt around all pulleys following the belt routing diagram. The typical routing is: crankshaft, water pump, A/C compressor, idler pulley, alternator, power steering pump, and finally the tensioner. Ensure the belt ribs are properly seated in each pulley groove. Leave the tensioner pulley for last.
7. 7

   Install belt onto tensioner
   Using the 15mm socket and breaker bar, rotate the tensioner clockwise again to release tension. Slip the belt over the tensioner pulley, ensuring it is properly seated in the grooves. Slowly release the tensioner to apply proper tension to the belt.
8. 8

   Verify belt installation
   Visually inspect all pulleys to confirm the belt is properly seated in all grooves with no twists. Check that the belt routing matches the diagram exactly. The belt should sit centered on each pulley with even rib engagement.

Reassembly

1. No reassembly required beyond belt installation

Verification

• Start the engine and listen for any unusual squealing or chirping noises from the belt area
• Observe the belt while the engine is running to ensure it tracks properly on all pulleys without slipping off center
• Turn on the air conditioning and verify the A/C compressor engages without belt squeal
• Turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock to verify power steering operation without belt noise
• Re-inspect belt routing and seating after the engine has run for a few minutes and cooled down

More procedures for this vehicle