Expert: John Kingery - 2/19/2008

Question
Hi, me again. My serpentine belt was replaced less then 2 yrs ago and lately it has had this horrible screeching noise when I start the car. It continues the whole time I am driving. It started about 2 weeks ago, then it stopped for a few days and now it is back again. Would moisture from the weather cause this, it is slippage or to tight or to loose? Is there a way to quiet it if it is just from the weather? thanks.

Answer
Possible it's the belt again, but 2 years is pretty short life.  You don't say what your car is....might there be two belts, with one replaced 2 years ago?

Might also be a belt tensioner being bad, or mis-adjusted, depending upon your model.

A good way to determine which belt it is:  squirt it with water.  water should quiet it momentarily.