Low belt tension, a worn tensioner pulley, or extensive belt wear likely lead to a loose belt or noisy belt. A loose belt can also result in a squealing or chirping belt noise from under the hood. Moreover, your car’s drive belt can sometimes slip off the pulleys or run too loose. So if you turn the steering or switch on your air conditioner and hear squealing, the chances are that your noisy belt has worn out. These devices demand a lot of torque from the belt to turn. Squealing From Power Steering, Air Conditioning, Or The Hoodĭrive belts actuate almost every engine component, including the alternator, power steering pump, water pump, and AC compressor. Since a bad belt or a worn belt can manifest itself in many ways, here are the most common signs of belt failure: 1. A faulty drive belt could severely affect your car’s performance, so it shouldn’t be ignored. A drive belt is responsible for several key engine functions.
