I hear a squealing type sound (high pitched) that occurs once the vehicle is in Drive and the sound seems to be tied to the speed of the vehicle. I think it is a belt problem, but am not sure. What do I need to do to check it out? I have belt dressing but I’m reluctant to use it because I don’t want to get any of the spray on the serpentine belt. Any hints?
RESPONSE
How I like to test a belt squeal is by using a check a replace method. I have found over the years that if a serpentine belt starts to squeak there is no fixing it, only replacing it. But of course you want to know for sure that the squeak is in fact coming from the belt.
Test Squealing Belt
- Raise hood and start engine
- Listen for squealing belt
- Spray WD-40 Directly on the belt(safety googles, it may spray all over)
- If the noise disappears while spraying, Replace the belt.
Now lets suppose the noise did not go away when spraying the belt. This means the belt is not the issue. Next step would be to remove the belt and start the engine. If the noise is still there you know it is internal int he engine. If the noise is gone, you know one of the components the belt drives is faulty.