Every car functions with the help of belts; though they often differ in configuration, and sometimes in material, these belts help drive many of the engine functions, and a broken, worn, or cracked belt can give your car severe problems if it isn�t taken care of. Most Subaru models have at least one serpentine belt, replacing the older v-belt styles, and finding good Subaru Impreza car parts is just a mouse click away. Be sure to order the correct belt before beginning the replacement procedure.

How to Replace a Serpentine Belt on a Subaru Impreza WRX

The Subaru Impreza WRX has several belts, and the instructions below deal with replacing the belt that attaches to the power steering pump and the alternator.

1. The first thing to do is to remove the black cover that protects the engine block. This is done by using a 10mm socket to remove two bolts, allowing the cover to be set aside and giving you complete access to the belt beneath.

2. Next, use a 12mm socket to loosen one of the bolts that hold the alternator in position. You are not going to fully remove the bolt, only loosen it so that the alternator has a little play to move when releasing the belt. This bolt is found to the right of the alternator as you are facing the vehicle.

3. You will next loosen a second bolt that holds the alternator in place. This bolt is found on the other side of the alternator, beneath the tensioning bolt that you will release in the next step. You can identify the tensioning bolt as a really long bolt that is completely visible and only runs through a cylindrical metallic part.

4. Once this bolt is loosened, you are ready to release tension on the belt. Many vehicles require a breaker bar and some effort to release a tensioning pulley, but the Impreza uses a system that involves a single bolt. Loosen the bolt, keeping an eye on it so that it still remains connected through the cylinder. As you loosen this bolt, you will notice that the tension on the belt will slacken.

5. Once the tension on the belt has been released sufficiently, you should be able to slip the belt off of the three pulleys and remove it completely. Rotating it as you slip it off can help with this process.

6. Now that the belt is off, check it against the replacement belt to make sure it is the same size and design (the belt may have stretched a little, so it might be slightly bigger than the replacement), and then fit the new belt back into the grooves on the pulleys, and tighten the three bolts again in reverse order.

Using quality Subaru Impreza car parts, you can replace this belt without any trouble and with minimal tools and time, keeping your car running smoothly.