I’ve been dealing with persistent squeaking belts on my Kia. I replaced all three belts and tried multiple adjustments, but the squeaking continues. The issue seems to be with the belt running from the power steering to the crank pulley. It’s especially bad when the engine is cold or when the power steering is under load. The belt feels snug, with about 3-5 mm of movement, and there’s no oil or fluid on the belt or pulleys. Any ideas?
It might be a misaligned pulley. Have you checked if the crankshaft pulley is separating at the hub? That can cause belt noise even if everything else seems fine.
Lisa said:
It might be a misaligned pulley. Have you checked if the crankshaft pulley is separating at the hub? That can cause belt noise even if everything else seems fine.
I had a similar issue, and it turned out to be the crankshaft pulley. Replacing it solved the squeaking for me.
Lisa said:
It might be a misaligned pulley. Have you checked if the crankshaft pulley is separating at the hub? That can cause belt noise even if everything else seems fine.
Good point. The crank pulley is often overlooked, but if it’s not aligned, it’ll cause all sorts of noise.
Have you inspected the power steering pump pulley? Sometimes wear or slight damage there can cause similar problems.
julielarson said:
Have you inspected the power steering pump pulley? Sometimes wear or slight damage there can cause similar problems.
Good call. I’d check for any wobbling or uneven rotation when the engine is running.
Did you use OEM belts, or are they aftermarket? Sometimes cheaper aftermarket belts don’t sit properly and can cause squeaks.
Try cleaning the pulleys with brake cleaner. Even if they look clean, there might be residue causing the belt to slip.
If you’ve ruled out the belts and pulleys, the tensioner could be the issue. Worn tensioners might not hold the belt tight enough under load.