Car makes high pitched squeal noise

Mavrck

Mavrck

Active member
when I start and occasionally when the wheel is turned. I know nothing about cars but it sounds like some sort of belt. its getting really annoying, wondering if anyone had the same thing and if its an easy fix
 
not so much a loose fan belt but a worn/glazed one. get a new one and watch a video of how to put it on, they're about 20 bucks
 
not necessarily, the power stearing is run of the belt and when you're turning than you are putting a load on your pump this puts more resistance on the belt and makes it squeal.
 
Hah. That would be the reason behind my rpms increasing a small amount when I turn the wheel on a park car. Excuse me if that was a really dumb conclusion, I don't know a whole lot about cars.
 
probably a belt. but its probably just happening now because its cold out. let your car warm up sufficiently before driving.
 
If you're going to do one belt do all of them at the same time. You'll most likely have 2 or 3. No point pulling them off to only put an only one back on that's going to need replacing again.

Before starting do a visual and make sure it looks like the new belts are going to fit. You don't want to have the old ones off and be stuck with the wrong ones.

Make sure you're got the right tools. You'll probably want a small set of spanners so you can get in behind stuff and loosen the tensioners. My car was a pain I had to loosen the tensioner bold less than 1/4 of a turn then flip the spanner and do it again! Also get some CRC or WD40 to spray on the bolts to loosen then up a bit. They tend to gather lots of shit in them.

Don't be alarmed if loosening the tensioner doesn't appear to be loosening the belt. They generally aren't sprung so if you pull the alternator or whatever in the direction to loosen it it'll probably move.

There will probably also be a retaining bolt or something that you need to loosen before you can move the alternator. It's there to keep it in place once the tension is right.

Basically it's a pretty easy job if you are prepared and use common sense, it can also be frustrating if you're working in a cramped engine bay but it's worth it when that horrible squeeling noise is gone! You also don't want a worn belt in winter especially because you'll be using accessories like lights and heaters more. If it snaps you're kinda stuffed because you'll loose all your electrics and your car won't start without a jump.
 
Oh and also don't bother with the belt dressing shit you can get in a spray can. It only masks the problem it doesn't fix it.

And yeah, the cold accentuates it, but there is still a problem. It doesn't get better on it's own unfortunately haha
 
Could be a problem with the AC. Try turning your AC off before you turn off your car the next time. Next time you start it up and it doesnt make the noise with the AC off then bingo.. Happens all the time in my jeep.
 
JoeRogan-1.jpg


A dddduuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.... does not compute.
 
actually alotta people use AC in the winter in tandem with the windshield fan to defog the windows it removes alot of moister so the window can't continue to fog. I use it all the time.

Sounds like a belt cause its like a repetitive squeal.
thanks for all the help guys. I'ma have a look and see if I can't fix it without the shop charging me a trillion dollars to look at it
 
yea i have pretty much the same problem, its something to do with the steering mechanism because it squeeks when the car first turns on and the wheel doesn't turn fluidly until the car warms up.
 
some cars will automatically run the compressor when defrost is on without the ac switch being on, i know mitsubishis do for example

and yeah, depending on your car setup it is probably whichever belt is turning your power steering pump, do you notice its harder to turn the wheel? My car does this first start of the day just about anytime its below 25F, but only for a minute or two
 
My car did that, scares the shit out of people because it was so loud. I got it into the shop, and I think it was some sort of belt. I also had a dead mouse in the air vents.
 
If you have the power steering belt off its probably a good time to replace the headlight fluid and prime the transmitter.
 
if its an old car i suggest checked your fan belt anyway. mine broke on the highway and when it snapped it broke another belt, my engine overheated and i had to get it towed home
 
dude you said its when you start up and when you turn. check the power steering. or go to a shop and ask them to check it.
 
thanks guys +k for the good help. I was messin with shit today trying to get it to diagnose where its coming from and forwhatever reason when I turn the car on with the fan going it squeals and if I turn the fan off while its squealing the noise stops. but its definitly not coming from inside the car
 
It could be the front wheel wells. My car would make this horrid squealing if i turned the steering wheel while it was on and parked. Got it fixed today.. $300 later...
 
Its your alternator belt.

It squeels then because you've placed a load on it by turning the fan on.

The air fans are also not related to the fan belts lol
 
the serpentine belt tensioner was slightly bent on my first car and that made a squealing noise until i replaced it
 
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