3rd Gen. Tacoma Serpentine Belt Replacement

Thanks again for the write-up OP! I just swapped mine out this afternoon. Took about 30 mins but could do in 10 the next time. SO glad I did this, as I was getting some squealing but it was intermittent and not overbearing just annoying at idle… no more squeaking. And I was driving around with a time bomb… often in the mountains and away from service. Will be stocking a spare in the truck from here on out, not relying on this for my backup.

On the fan, easiest method isn’t to try and pull it around IMO. Just rotate each blade and slide it behind them one by one and there no weird reaching needed. Once threaded behind most of the blades it slides right on through.


note: my truck is just over 80k. Won’t go that long next time without a precautionary replacement especially given this belt drives everything…

edit: for reference, this is the one I replaced with:

$38 MICHELIN Serpentine Drive Belt SMAMV7PK2120

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08B36T2MK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8

 

Toyota OE belts are very reliable and last a long time. Unless you have a reason to change them (contamination, defect, noise), they are 100K miles easy. Changed my wifes original Highlander belt at 8 years and 125K and honestly not a crack or defect to be found. Threw it in the back of SUV for a spare.

 

Anyone tried the green Gates FleetRunner belt on the 3rd gen yet? https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=4590294&jsn=1

I carry it as a spare on the trail (considering all the water, mud, sand, twigs... that contaminate it), but haven't needed to swap it in yet.

 

Hello from Brentwood! .

No doubt they are reliable, I could just get the Michelin one delivered overnight and was afraid to go longer w/o one. I'll be picking up an OE spare to keep in the truck's toolbox though just in case the Michelin one ends up being a POS and wears quickly.

 

My 2017 is doing the chirping thing too. Only in the summer, after driving a half hour or so. I thought it may be a/c related.... A belt shouldn't churp unless its loose. It's got to be bearing related????
I have the 5yr extended warranty. Would this be covered including the belt?
Thanks

 

Thanks

 

I found I had 2 chirps going on after replacing my belt yesterday... One was apparently from my belt that had the crack in it, but there's still another chirp that seems to be tied to the A/C compressor. Only chirps intermittently sometimes louder than others when the A/C compressor kicks on and this chirps doesn't seem to be coming from a pulley on the serpentine belt. After seeing some earlier 3rd gens w/ locked engines I'm going to have to dig deeper to see where it's coming from. A/C / fans / truck still seem to be running just fine, just noisy - likely bearing related

 

Also could be the high pressure fuel pump if it sounds like crickets chirping, there is a TSB for it if I remember correctly.

 

My truck has been squeaking since last summer when it gets warm out. It's started again this summer...and I notice the squeak is a lot louder after or during when I have my AC on. I'm hoping its just the belt..but we'll see..

If you find out any other info or fixes, make sure and post it here because I may end up in the same boat.

 

Still haven't found the culprit but it didn't do that until recently and only does it when its hotter out (>80 or so). Had the AC on with it in the low 70s yesterday but sunny and it barely squeaked. Probably uncommon but definitely don't want to repeat a couple of the cases I've seen on the forum with the AC destroying the engine

 

If the belt doesn't fix mine, I'm probably gonna drop it off at the dealer and let them figure it out. If I get to that point I'll report back and let you know.

 

My 2017 Off Road has 67,000 miles, still the original belt, and I have never heard the slightest squeak or squeal from under the hood. I have not intentionally looked at the condition of my belt, I will do so this weekend just for giggles.

 

Haha mines just started squealing and I’m at 237,418 miles on a 2016 and I’m on my way to but new belt. so u should be good for a good while.

 

Literally just finished changing the belt in my Tacoma and used this as a reference. Thanks again OP.

 

Did you ever get it dropped off at the dealer? If so any updates? Thanks!

 

Nope. After I looked at it and checked the play in all the pulleys and dumped a little water on the belt…been dead quiet since lol. Haven’t even put my new belt I ordered on yet…

 

Awesome writeup. I didn't know about the service hole lol. Thx

 

Did mine yesterday, took 15 minutes or less thanks to this write up.

~112k hard miles on a 2017. Probably could have gotten a lot more miles out of it but good peace of mind for $45

 

Note the old belt has much wider grooves than the new one. That's how modern serpentine belts wear - they lose material and the gripping area with the pulleys is reduced, resulting in less traction.

Normally I'd recommend replacing the idlers as well, but in this case the lowest idler (most exposed to the environment) is behind the oil cooler, so it's a lot more involved.