Alternator Drive Belt – BMW N52 6 Cyl. 2003-2013 1,3,5,X3,X5,Z4

December 28, 2023

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Alternator Drive Belt – BMW N52 6 Cyl. 2003-2013 1,3,5,X3,X5,Z4

The alternator drive belt, also known as the main accessory or serpentine belt, is not only in charge of operating the alternator, but also the power steering and air-conditioning compressor. When the belt starts to wear, it usually produces the infamous squealing sound from the engine compartment, caused by the belt slipping on the pulleys. The following article gives step-by-step instructions on replacing the alternator drive belt in the BMW N52 six-cylinder engine.

Not sure which engine you have in your BMW? Use our engine finder tool to easily identify it!

Possible Symptoms: Squealing sound from engine, loss of power steering, loss of air conditioning, battery not charging, cracks in drive belt

This repair can be used on the following BMW models:

2004

325i Sedan, 325i Touring, 325xi Sedan, 328i Touring, 330i Sedan, 330i Touring, 330xi Touring, 523i Sedan, 523i Touring, 525i Sedan, 525i Touring, 525xi Sedan, 525xi Touring, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 530xi Sedan, 530xi Touring, 630i Convertible, 630i Coupe, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan, Z4 2.5si Roadster, Z4 3.0i Roadster, Z4 3.0si Roadster,

2005

130i 5 doors, 323i Sedan, 323i Touring, 325i Coupe, 325i Sedan, 325i Touring, 325xi Coupe, 325xi Sedan, 325xi Touring, 328i Convertible, 328i Coupe, 330i Convertible, 330i Coupe, 330i Sedan, 330i Touring, 330xi Coupe, 330xi Sedan, 330xi Touring, 523i Sedan, 523i Touring, 525i Sedan, 525i Touring, 525xi Sedan, 525xi Touring, 528i Sedan, 528xi Sedan, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 530xi Sedan, 530xi Touring, 630i Convertible, 630i Coupe, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan, Z4 2.5si Roadster, Z4 3.0i Roadster, Z4 3.0si Coupe, Z4 3.0si Roadster,

2006

128i Convertible, 128i Coupe, 130i 3 doors, 130i 5 doors, 323i Coupe, 323i Sedan, 323i Touring, 325i Convertible, 325i Coupe, 325i Sedan, 325i Touring, 325xi Coupe, 325xi Sedan, 325xi Touring, 328i Convertible, 328i Coupe, 328i Sedan, 328i Touring, 328xi Coupe, 328xi Sedan, 328xi Touring, 330i Convertible, 330i Coupe, 330i Sedan, 330i Touring, 330xi Coupe, 330xi Sedan, 330xi Touring, 523Li Sedan, 523i Sedan, 523i Touring, 525Li Sedan, 525i Sedan, 525i Touring, 525xi Sedan, 525xi Touring, 528i Sedan, 528xi Sedan, 530Li Sedan, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 530xi Sedan, 530xi Touring, 630i Convertible, 630i Coupe, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan, X3 2.5si SUV, X3 3.0i SUV, X3 3.0si SUV, X5 3.0si SUV, Z4 2.5si Roadster, Z4 3.0i Roadster, Z4 3.0si Coupe, Z4 3.0si Roadster,

2007

125i Convertible, 125i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 128i Coupe, 130i 3 doors, 130i 5 doors, 323i Convertible, 323i Coupe, 323i Sedan, 323i Touring, 325i Convertible, 325i Coupe, 325i Sedan, 325i Touring, 325xi Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Coupe, 328i Sedan, 328i Touring, 328xi Coupe, 328xi Sedan, 328xi Touring, 330i Convertible, 330i Coupe, 330i Sedan, 330i Touring, 330xi Coupe, 330xi Touring, 523Li Sedan, 523i Sedan, 523i Touring, 525Li Sedan, 525i Sedan, 525i Touring, 525xi Sedan, 525xi Touring, 528i Sedan, 528xi Sedan, 530Li Sedan, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 530xi Sedan, 530xi Touring, 630i Convertible, 630i Coupe, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan, X3 2.5si SUV, X3 3.0i SUV, X3 3.0si SUV, X5 3.0si SUV, Z4 2.5si Roadster, Z4 3.0i Roadster, Z4 3.0si Coupe, Z4 3.0si Roadster,

2008

125i Convertible, 125i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 128i Coupe, 130i 3 doors, 130i 5 doors, 323i Convertible, 323i Coupe, 323i Sedan, 323i Touring, 325i Convertible, 325i Coupe, 325i Sedan, 325i Touring, 325xi Coupe, 325xi Sedan, 325xi Touring, 328i Convertible, 328i Coupe, 328i Sedan, 328i Touring, 328xi Coupe, 328xi Sedan, 328xi Touring, 330i Convertible, 330i Coupe, 330i Sedan, 330i Touring, 523Li Sedan, 523i Sedan, 523i Touring, 525Li Sedan, 525i Sedan, 525i Touring, 528i Sedan, 528xi Sedan, 530Li Sedan, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 530xi Sedan, 530xi Touring, 630i Convertible, 630i Coupe, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan, X1 25iX SUV, X3 2.5si SUV, X3 3.0i SUV, X3 3.0si SUV, X5 3.0si SUV, Z4 2.5si Roadster, Z4 23i Roadster, Z4 3.0i Roadster, Z4 3.0si Coupe, Z4 3.0si Roadster, Z4 30i Roadster,

2009

125i Convertible, 125i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 128i Coupe, 130i 3 doors, 130i 5 doors, 323i Convertible, 323i Coupe, 323i Sedan, 323i Touring, 325i Convertible, 325i Coupe, 325i Sedan, 325i Touring, 325xi Coupe, 325xi Sedan, 325xi Touring, 328i Convertible, 328i Coupe, 328i Sedan, 328i Touring, 328xi Coupe, 328xi Sedan, 328xi Touring, 330i Convertible, 330i Coupe, 330i Sedan, 330i Touring, 520Li Sedan, 523Li Sedan, 523i Sedan, 523i Touring, 525Li Sedan, 525i Sedan, 525i Touring, 528Li Sedan, 528i Sedan, 528xi Sedan, 530Li Sedan, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 530xi Sedan, 530xi Touring, 630i Convertible, 630i Coupe, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan, X1 25iX SUV, X3 2.5si SUV, X3 28iX SUV, X3 3.0i SUV, X3 3.0si SUV, X5 3.0si SUV, Z4 23i Roadster, Z4 30i Roadster,

2010

125i Convertible, 125i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 128i Coupe, 130i 3 doors, 130i 5 doors, 323i Convertible, 323i Coupe, 323i Sedan, 323i Touring, 325i Convertible, 325i Coupe, 325i Sedan, 325i Touring, 325xi Coupe, 325xi Sedan, 325xi Touring, 328i Convertible, 328i Coupe, 328i Sedan, 328i Touring, 328xi Coupe, 328xi Sedan, 328xi Touring, 330i Convertible, 330i Coupe, 330i Sedan, 520Li Sedan, 523Li Sedan, 523i Sedan, 523i Touring, 525Li Sedan, 525i Touring, 528Li Sedan, 528i Sedan, 530Li Sedan, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 530xi Touring, 630i Convertible, 630i Coupe, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan, X1 25iX SUV, X3 2.5si SUV, X3 28iX SUV, X3 3.0i SUV, X3 3.0si SUV, X5 3.0si SUV, Z4 23i Roadster, Z4 30i Roadster,

2011

125i Convertible, 125i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 128i Coupe, 130i 3 doors, 130i 5 doors, 323i Convertible, 323i Coupe, 323i Sedan, 323i Touring, 325i Convertible, 325i Coupe, 325i Sedan, 325xi Coupe, 325xi Sedan, 325xi Touring, 328i Convertible, 328i Coupe, 328i Sedan, 328i Touring, 328xi Coupe, 328xi Sedan, 328xi Touring, 330i Convertible, 330i Coupe, 330i Sedan, 520Li Sedan, 523Li Sedan, 523i Sedan, 523i Touring, 528Li Sedan, 528i Sedan, 530Li Sedan, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan, X1 25iX SUV, X3 28iX SUV, Z4 23i Roadster, Z4 30i Roadster,

2012

125i Convertible, 125i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 128i Coupe, 323i Convertible, 323i Coupe, 323i Touring, 325i Convertible, 325i Coupe, 325i Sedan, 325xi Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Coupe, 328i Touring, 328xi Coupe, 328xi Touring, 330i Convertible, 330i Coupe, 330i Touring, 520Li Sedan, 523Li Sedan, 530Li Sedan, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan, X3 28iX SUV,

2013

125i Convertible, 125i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 128i Coupe, 325i Convertible, 325i Coupe, 325xi Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Coupe, 328xi Coupe, 330i Convertible, 530Li Sedan, 530i Sedan, 530i Touring, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan,

2014

530Li Sedan, 730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan,

2015

730Li Sedan, 730i Sedan,

Advanced level repair.

Step 1 - Purchase Parts

You will need the following parts and supplies to perform this repair.

Accessory Drive Belt Kit

If you're not too thrilled about purchasing each part from separate vendors, this all-in-one kit by Contitech has everything you need to complete this repair in a single package delivered to your door with prime shipping. Included in the kit are the belt tensioner, deflection pulley, and accessory belt making it easy for those of us who prefer not to track each part number down individually. Highly recommended.

Step 2 - Repair Procedure

Unless otherwise noted, all vehicle repair step images in this article are copyrighted, and used courtesy of BMW of North America, Inc. .

The N52 six-cylinder engine was found in many different BMW vehicles. The following instructions may differ slightly depending on year and model.

1. Removing the N52 alernator drive belt

BMW N52 alternator drive belt - all vehicles except Z4

Click to enlarge image

- Locate the belt tensioner pulley (3) on the front of the engine.

- Using a torx bit and a long handled socket wrench, turn the belt tensioner CLOCKWISE until it releases tension on the drive belt (1).

- While the tension is removed from the alternator drive belt, slip the belt off of the tensioner pulley (2). Remove the belt from the vehicle and replace.

View part diagram for this step