On the 9th gen Accord this is a genuinely straightforward job that gets awkward only because of where the belt lives. Both the 2.4 K24W and the 3.5 J35Y use a single belt with a spring-loaded automatic tensioner, so there is no adjustment to make - you just swing the tensioner with a 14 mm wrench, pull the old belt out, and route the new one back. Neither engine drives power steering off the belt since the whole generation uses electric assist, so the belt only turns the alternator and the A/C compressor.
The part that varies is access. Most people pull the right front wheel and the plastic inner fender liner (10 mm bolts and push clips) and work from the side; the V6 is tighter around the frame rail and often wants a swivel extension or a long offset 14 mm wrench. The single most common mistake is not photographing the routing first, then seating the belt one rib off on a pulley - it looks fine, sounds fine for a minute, then the belt shreds. Check every pulley with a light and mirror before you crank it.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel chocks Block the rear wheels before lifting the front. | Safety | shop |
| Breaker bar and lug socket 19 mm 6-point socket, 1/2 in drive Loosen and remove the right front wheel to reach the belt. | Required | shop |
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum Lift the right front corner at the pinch-weld jack point. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands 2 ton pair Support the car while the wheel is off. | Safety | shop |
| Socket wrench set 10 mm socket, 3/8 in drive with short extension Removes the inner fender splash shield bolts and lower engine cover bolts. | Required | shop |
| Trim clip / panel removal tool Plastic pry set Pops the plastic pin-type clips holding the wheel well liner without breaking them. | Required | shop |
| Phillips screwdriver #2 Some splash shield fasteners are screw-type push clips. | Recommended | shop |
| Tensioner wrench / serpentine belt tool 14 mm socket on 3/8 in drive long breaker bar, or serpentine belt tool kit Rotates the automatic tensioner arm to release belt tension. | Required | shop |
| Long 14 mm combination wrench 14 mm, offset/long pattern Alternative to the belt tool in the tight space between engine and frame rail. | Recommended | shop |
| Flexible ratchet or swivel extension 3/8 in drive Helps reach the tensioner bolt past the frame rail on the V6. | Recommended | shop |
| Flashlight or work light LED Confirm belt routing and check idler pulleys for noise or wobble. | Recommended | shop |
| Mirror on a stick Telescoping inspection mirror Verify the belt is fully seated in every pulley groove before starting the engine. | Recommended | shop |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 20-150 ft-lb Torque the wheel lug nuts back down correctly. | Required | shop |
| Drill bit or pin Approx. 5-6 mm rod, if tensioner has a lock hole Some tensioners can be pinned in the released position so both hands are free. | Recommended | shop |
| Serpentine belt Engine-specific: K24W 4-cyl or J35Y V6 accessory belt The replacement belt; match by VIN or compare to the old belt. | Parts | shop |
| Belt tensioner assembly Engine-specific auto-tensioner Optional but worth doing at high mileage if the arm is loose or the pulley is noisy. | Parts | shop |
| Nitrile gloves Keeps grease and rubber dust off your hands. | Safety | shop |
| Brake/parts cleaner Aerosol Clean oil film off pulley grooves so the new belt does not slip or chirp. | Consumables | shop |
Both engines use the same 14 mm tensioner pulley bolt, 10 mm splash shield hardware and 19 mm lug nuts; only the belt part number and working room differ. The 3.5 J35Y has a tighter tensioner reach past the frame rail, so a swivel extension or offset wrench helps. Belt length differs between the 2.4 and 3.5 - order by VIN or match your old belt.
| Wheel lug nuts | 80 ft-lb (108 Nm) |
| Inner fender / splash shield bolts | 7-9 ft-lb (9-12 Nm) |
| Belt tensioner mounting bolt (if tensioner replaced) | verify in the service manual |
| Idler pulley bolt (if replaced) | verify in the service manual |
The 14 mm tensioner bolt, 10 mm splash shield bolts and 19 mm lug nuts are standard across the 9th gen Accord, but if your tensioner bolt head does not take 14 mm cleanly try 15 mm before forcing it, and confirm belt part number by VIN.
Put a 14 mm socket on a long breaker bar (or a serpentine belt tool) on the center bolt of the automatic tensioner pulley and swing the arm against its spring until the belt goes slack. Watch the arm to see which way it travels, hold it there, and lift the belt off a smooth idler first.
Not strictly on the 2.4, but nearly everyone does. Pulling the right front wheel and the plastic inner fender liner gives you room to get a wrench on the tensioner and to feed the belt around the crank pulley, and it is 10 minutes of work.
No. All 2013-2017 Accords use electric power steering, so the accessory belt only drives the alternator and the A/C compressor. That is why the belt is short and the routing is simple compared to older Accords.
Honda calls for inspection rather than a fixed interval, but most owners replace it around 90,000-100,000 miles or when the ribs show cracking, glazing or chunks missing. If it chirps on cold start or after the A/C engages, inspect the tensioner too.