What causes a car to squeal when turning left and right and gets progressively worse as the car warms up however slightly applying the breaks will remove the squeal?

Answer 1

it sounds like one of your callipers is sticking or siezed causing the brakes to be slightly applied when driving this causes the discs to vibrate and make a noise, check for any wheels getting hotter than others, applying the brakes will tend to make the noise disappear as the discs are being clamped and are unable to vibrate.

alternativly you may have a stone lodged in between your discs and pads

Answer">Answer

I have never heard of brakes squealing... Usually a brake problem causes a grinding sound. What you have on your hands is a belt problem. When you turn your steering wheel, your Power Steering system is assisting you to make moving the steering wheel easier. The power steering system is powered by a pump which provides hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic cylinder which applies torque to the steering axis. When the steering wheel isn't being used, the fluid recirculates back into the pump via a bypass valve and hence the pump is not under pressure. As soon as you start turning, a set of valves operated by the steering wheel open and the pump has to supply the power steering cylinder. This causes the pump to work harder.

The pump is powered by your engine via a serpentine belt. If the belt is too loose, too tight or if there is fluid on it - the belt will slip. This slip causes the squealing noise. When your not moving the steering wheel - there is no resistance by the pump and the belt is able to move the pump pulley. As soon as you start turning - the pump has to work harder, creating more turning resistance at the pulley. If the belt is not tight enough, it will slip on the pulley and create a squealing noise similar to someone doing a burnout on pavement. If the belt is too tight, the motor pulley will slip. If the belt is not dry, the fluid on the belt will act like a lubricant and cause it to slip. To me it sounds like the belt is too loose - since you say that as the engine get's warmer the squealing intensifies. This could be the belt heating up due to friction caused by the slippage and causing the belt to glaze which intensifies slippage and noise.

Try this - Turn your steering wheel slightly left and right while stationary (in park). If it squeals it's a belt problem. Send it in to a mechanic to check the belt for wear, replace if needed and adjust tension.

This could be brake related, wheel bearing, belt, steering component, or suspension.

If the noise speeds up as you speed up: Brake rotors - Could be warped, it can make your brakes squeak as the rotor turns. You would also feel a pulsing when you press on the brakes. Replace your front brake rotors. Wheel Bearing: If it only happens in turns, you could have a loose wheel bearing making the wheel wobble very slightly when turning. Again, the noise would speed up as you speed up. Tighten or replace your wheel bearings. It could easily be a combination of both a warped rotor and a loose wheel bearing. CV joint: If front wheel drive your cv joint could be going bad. This is the shaft that goes from the transaxle to power the wheels. Usually the squeak would be accompanied by a tick. This is the most expensive possibility so you may want to check this last. Brakes: If you just replaced your brake pads it is often normal to have noises like this for a few hundred miles.

If it does not speed up when you speed up: Could be a loose belt, squeaky strut, a worn steering part, or a steering part lacking lubrication. Go to the car wash and wash your struts and then bring your car in and have them lubricate the front end. If it is a loose belt you will hear it more when turning when not moving. Open your hood, have someone turn the wheels when in park, and you will immediately hear where it is coming from. Either tighten or replace the belt.

It also may be worth having someone jog beside the car in a parking lot and listen for were the noise is coming from when you turn. The more info you can give the mechanic the better off you will be when you bring it in for repair.