Pull the hood release inside the cabin of the vehicle. To access the serpentine belt, you will need to open the hood of the vehicle

• Disconnect the battery. You should always disconnect your battery before starting an automotive project
• Locate the serpentine belt. Depending on the engine in your vehicle, the serpentine belt may be located at the front of the engine bay, or it may be along one side. There may be engine covers in the way, so be prepared to remove them if need be

Find the serpentine belt routing diagram. Many cars come with a sticker in the engine bay that shows exactly how the serpentine belt is supposed to be routed through the various pulleys on the engine. If your vehicle does not have a sticker, you will need to find another way to remember how the belt should be run:

• Look in the owner's or service manual for your specific year, make and model vehicle for a diagram
• You can also take a picture of the existing belt with your cell phone to use as a guide when installing the new one
• Use a wrench to relieve the auto tensioner, loosen the bolts in the alternator bracket. As you loosen the bolts, the tension on the belt will likely move the alternator toward the engine and relieve the pressure
• Then pull the belt off of the pulleys. With the tension relieved from the belt, pull it off of the pulley that has been placing tension on it, then remove it from the around the rest of the pulleys on the engine
• If the belt is severely damaged, be sure to remove any parts that may have come off of it as well
• Compare the new belt to the old one and make sure it is right one. Look at the new belt in comparison to the old one to be sure they are the same width and have the same number of ribs going across the belt horizontally
• Route the belt through the pulleys. Run the new belt through the pulleys in exactly the same way the old one was. Refer to the belt diagram in your vehicle's owner's manual or the picture you took of the belt before removing it to guide you
• Use one hand to hold the ratchet firmly while positioning the belt. Slowly release the tensioner so that you don’t damage your brand new belt.