Jay Carter

So just as an update: I have replaced the belt, tensioner, and idler pulley. The squeak still persists, my next step is to flush the power steering fluid (it’s due anyways) hopefully this helps but any other advice would be appreciated.

Willgatlin25

I doubt that flushing the power steering fluid will do anything to correct the squeak. If you turn the wheel all the way to the right or left do you hear a scream from the pump? There’s a big difference between the internal hydraulics failing on the power steering pump and the pulley bearings being bad. Two different sounds.

A simple test I used before was to get a hose with a spray nozzle: With the engine running, AC ON, start lightly spraying water around the belt and pulleys. Don’t get water around the coil packs or fuse panels. Does the squeak stop? If so it’s usually the belt or tensioner has failed.
If there is absolutely no change listen to the noise it makes: Does it sounds like a rubber chirp or does it sound like a higher pitched metal on metal squeal?
If you’ve replaced the belt, tensioner, and idler pulley you only have a few pulleys left like alternator, power steering, and AC. You may have bad bearings on one of those.

Best thing you can do is take the belt off and clean around every pulley with engine degreaser. Wash all the gunk off and let it fully dry. Once it’s all dry get in there with your hands and check each pulley for play and resistance. Alternator for example should have almost no resistance and can easily be turned by hand. If you can’t easily turn it by hand then your alternator is seizing and needs to be replaced. If one of the pulleys has heavy resistance or failed bearings it will not turn freely as the others do and you’ll get a random or constant chirp as the belt slips.

From what you’re describing it sounds to me like a failed pulley or one of your pumps / alternator is seizing. Flushing the power steering won’t do anything for a serpentine area chirp. Preventative yes, but won’t contribute to fixing your issue.

J. Patterson

Try cleaning ALL the pulleys ( grooved part) with degreaser then with brake cleaner. Same for the new belt. Belt dressing residue can make the pulley belt interface noisy as the belt sticks to the pullley and “chirps” as it pulls away. Again, if a light spray of water on the inner surface of the ( running) belt silences the noise then the problem is the belt pulley interface, not a bearing.
Good luck. I know it is frustrating.