Power Steering Pump or Belt - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

fireseeker · 10-11-2009, 11:20 AM

97 corolla makes squeaking noise every time I start the car in the morning and disappear after about 3-5 minutes. I'm not sure if it is a belt or a pump thing pump. However the belt looks still new. I'm thinking just buying a pump and replace it by myself. Could this problem caused by any other parts? Try to get the right parts before I go to auto parts store. Thanks in advance...

Bitter · 10-11-2009, 11:29 AM

sounds like one or more belts are not correctly tensioned.

Rip The E Brake · 10-12-2009, 04:23 AM

I had this issue for a long long time.

Make sure the alternator tension bolt is tightened down. I forget which one it is, but its one of the bolts on the right side of the alternator, that is kinda down towards to bottom of it. (from what I remember)

I gave that 4 full turns and the squeaks went away.

sequoiasoon · 10-14-2009, 10:32 PM

I had the same problem on mine drove me crazy. I couldn't locate which belt it was as they were all fairly new and correct tension. I thought it was a bearing in one of either alternator, A/C, power steering. One day I was ambitious and removed all the belts and replaced one by one starting car in between. Of course it didn't make any noise for any of them. Next day on the way to work it started again but disappeared after a couple minutes as it had been doing intermittently always on a cold start.

1 week later I found out what it REALLY was. My tensioner pulley on my timing belt was seizing. Was very evident and easy to find when the squeal didn't go away, I smelled burning rubber, and saw smoke coming out the back from the belt being torn apart.

SIDE NOTE: ALWAYS change your timing belt tensioner pulley at every timing belt change.

fireseeker · 10-16-2009, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rip The E Brake

I had this issue for a long long time.

Make sure the alternator tension bolt is tightened down. I forget which one it is, but its one of the bolts on the right side of the alternator, that is kinda down towards to bottom of it. (from what I remember)

I gave that 4 full turns and the squeaks went away.

Yes, that's exactly the problem. No belts replacement needed at all! I just re-tightened the alternator tension bolt and the noise went away although it took me almost an hour to reach it.

Thank you guys!