My wife's 1998 nissan altima has recently started doing a high pitched squeal when she leaves for work in the morning and does a hard turn of the wheel to do a u-turn in our street. The squeal is continuous and lasts as long as she has the wheel turned doing the U-turn. I did some reading online and it seems as though it's either a belt of some sort, or the power steering.

Anyone have any ideas as to what this could be, and what I can expect to pay when I take it in for repair?

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clay
I did some reading online and it seems as though it's either a belt of some sort, or the power steering.

That would be my expert opinion.







I am not an expert.

Don't do U-turns .


Could be power steering belt tension.

Agree with belt tension. Probably time to replace, but might be possible to just tighten.

thanks for your ideas.

is this a $50 part plus labor, or a $500 part plus labor? Just trying to get a sense for what this is going to cost me...

The part should be like $20-30, but labor could be a lot depending on the type of engine. Figure about $85 per hour, maybe 1 hour. You could call for an estimate as this is a fairly routine thing.

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clay
thanks for your ideas.

is this a $50 part plus labor, or a $500 part plus labor? Just trying to get a sense for what this is going to cost me...

$50 part plus labor - taken to a local mechanic

$500 part plus labor - taken back to the dealer


I assume it has a serpentine belt which run up to the $50 mark. Labor to install - $60 to $100 (depending on your location).

That's just my guess and I'm not an expert, just a home mechanic. I, myself, would get a belt at AutoZone and install it myself.


Fred Also

thanks, again, all. good to know it's on the low-end of the cost scale.

Check the fluid in the power steering pump.

Ditto bruceko - check the level of the power steering fluid. When it gets low and the wheels are turned hard in either direction, the pump will squeal. A $5 fix.

is the power steering fluid something I can just top off, or would I need to flush it all first so the new/old don't mix?

Yep, what those guys said above. If the fluid is OK and the belt ONLY squeals when the wheel is at full lock, then don't worry about it. Also note that some vehicles take a specific kind of power steering fluid.

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"So be proud to be a decent American instead of just a w'anker whipping up fear!" - Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland

Time to trade in car & wife?

Now you're about to get a comment from somebody who knows virtually nothing about cars. But...

I seem to recall that when a front wheel drive car squeals when making a hard turn it might be that the boots on the universal joints had broken/split/degraded and the lubrication was lost and so the universal joints needed replacing.

But, maybe not...

> is the power steering fluid something I can just top off

Just top it off. Quick-change oil places can flush it for you but I don't think that's money well spent. If you want to change (or at least freshen) it yourself, I'd top it off, drive the car a few days, use a squeeze bulb to remove whatever you can get out of the fluid tank, and fill it back up again. Maybe do this 2-3 times.

The sound you're hearing could be the boots on the CV joints as Michael suggests. That's more than you'll want to do yourself, and probably a several-hundred-dollar repair, but first you should rule out the power steering fluid.

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Michael
Now you're about to get a comment from somebody who knows virtually nothing about cars. But...

I seem to recall that when a front wheel drive car squeals when making a hard turn it might be that the boots on the universal joints had broken/split/degraded and the lubrication was lost and so the universal joints needed replacing.

But, maybe not...

That's not a high pitched squeal - that's a grumbling, full of rocks in a bag sound...

I'll try the steering fluid tip.

I certainly hope it's not the boots on the CV joints--had them replaced just a year or two ago for several hundred bucks (and less than a couple thousand miles ago). If I have to replace them again this soon, I'll not be a happy camper.

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tenders
> is the power steering fluid something I can just top off

Just top it off. Quick-change oil places can flush it for you but I don't think that's money well spent. If you want to change (or at least freshen) it yourself, I'd top it off, drive the car a few days, use a squeeze bulb to remove whatever you can get out of the fluid tank, and fill it back up again. Maybe do this 2-3 times.

The sound you're hearing could be the boots on the CV joints as Michael suggests. That's more than you'll want to do yourself, and probably a several-hundred-dollar repair, but first you should rule out the power steering fluid.

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davester
Yep, what those guys said above. If the fluid is OK and the belt ONLY squeals when the wheel is at full lock, then don't worry about it. Also note that some vehicles take a specific kind of power steering fluid.

ALL vehicle use a specific type of power steering fluid; be sure to check the owner's manual for which type of power steering fluid the car in question uses because the two most common types (literal "power steering fluid" ((labeled as such)) for GM vehicles and automatic transmission fluid "Type F" for Ford vehicles) are NOT compatible, and one or the other or perhaps even a third type is used for other cars.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/2009 11:35AM by Thrift Store Scott.

do NOT go above the recommended amount of fluid. you could blow the seals by doing so, and then you're in for a world of hurt (read: money).

Stop and think about it, guys. The description is that it squeals when making a hard turn, such as in a u-turn.

Low power steering fluid would make the pump noisy all of the time, and that would a whine, not squealing.

Half-shaft boots torn/leaking would produce no squealing, but more likely clicks/clunks on hard turns, and likely some noise going straight if bad enough.

Serpentine belts connect everything - alternator, p/s, water pump, AC compressor. If it is a serpentine belt, with no teeth on it, it would squeal under load such as acceleration, turning or not.

Belts squeal when loose and under strain. Tighten power steering pump belt, or replace if badly worn.

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Mr. Curmudgeon, on Mountain Lion.

Is it too late for 'Cash for Clunkers' ?


Just kidding!

Fred Also

Have the same noise issue w/ my 99 Ranger on turns (200K miles). My mechanic looked it over and announced ball joints and tie rod ends - not replaced since I bought it 155K ago. Doing this next week.

A whining noise is usually a belt that is loose/old/cracked and slipping. Other problems to consider, could be the belt tensioner crapping out or power steering pump getting ready to seize and need replacing.

mrthuse, that would be a clunking noise when turning. I have a 98 Ranger and the same problem. Ball joints and tie rod ends. Make sure to get it realigned after the procedure.



Joe

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Fred_Also
Is it too late for 'Cash for Clunkers' ?


Just kidding!

Fred Also

Deals for Squeals ?

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Has that Altima had any recent upgrades ?

Tell her to not turn the wheel until it stops. Or have her back off a few degrees after turning the wheel until it stops. You may be low on power steering fluid but it could squeal even when properly filled.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.