A squeaky belt in my car???

I drive a 1998 KIA Sephia (piece of crap, I know) but ever since I've had the alternator belt and power steering belt s changed a few years ago, they sqeal like crazy when I first start my car up. Its particularly bad in cold weather, and when I turn my headlights or my a/c on, it squeals too. After the engine has been running for a while, it stops, but its incredibly annoying and I've had them adjusted and they STILL do it. I've tried the belt dressing that they have too. Didn't work.



Any ideas????
A squeaky belt in my car???
If it was my car and I worked on it today, I'd put two new high quality Gates Belts on it and properly tension them. However, I would make sure to clean the pulleys thoroughly to remove all residue of the belt dressing etc. I don't recommend putting anything on the new belts in the future. Instead, take the car back after a couple months to have the new belts re-tensioned.

Also check the Gates link below to see if your timing belt is due to be changed. If so, you could have all the belts changed at the same time.
A squeaky belt in my car???
If they're not loose then they're dry and need replacement.
I just replaced my wifes serpentine belt and it started squealing shortly afterwards.

I bought a can of belt dressing for it, and I believe that was what it needed.



If you have seperate belts on the engine, then you need to know that they are tensioned correctly.

I have always torqued them at the appropiate item such as the alternator, I test the belt to find a %26quot;play%26quot; about as big as my thumb (looking at the top of a full grown man's thumb)

Then tighten the bolt down.
I learned just recently that a squeak also comes from water pumps.



Loosen the belt that drives the water pump and if the noise stops then you found the problem.



Good Luck!!!
get a good make belt,like gates,or good year.also it might not be the belt,it could be the bearing in the water pump.i remember once i had a squeel and a mech.squirted a little oil in the radiator and it lubercated the bearing in the water pump,and the squeel stopped.maybe the tensioner is weak.