The serpentine belt on your Honda Element is a critical component of the engine and should be inspected for wear or damage at every oil change. Change the serpentine belt if you see cracking, glazing or pieces of the belt missing. Other indications of a belt that needs replacing can be slipping, squealing or if you notice that the battery is not fully charging, which indicates that the belt is slipping on the alternator. A new serpentine belt can be purchased at your Honda dealer or most auto parts stores.
Remove the negative battery cable from the battery with a wrench or socket and ratchet. Isolate the cable so that it cannot make contact with the battery while you are working on the engine.
Locate the serpentine belt tensioner on the front of the motor. Release the tension on the belt by placing a socket and ratchet on the bolt in the center of the tensioner pulley and turning it clockwise. You are not trying to turn the bolt but rather lift the arm off the tensioner.
Slip the serpentine belt off the tensioner and other pulleys and discard it. Slide the new belt into the engine compartment and onto the pulleys. Release the tension on the tensioner by turning it counter-clockwise.
Reinstall the negative battery cable onto the negative battery post and tighten it with a wrench or socket and ratchet. Start the engine and watch the belt to verify that it is running true on the pulleys.
