Hello everyone,

I have 2003 Lancer which I bought second hand on 2009. Same year the timing belt was replaced in a garage close to my school.

From 2010, my Lancer started making very small squeaking noise and then getting louder and louder. It happens every time I start the engine but after running several minutes the noise disappears. If I turn the AC on, the noise is more obvious. When I drive the car for about ten minutes there is no noise until next time I started it again. The noise kept annoying me for about 1 year and half (2011), one day the serpentine belt broke but not completely (half way), so I still can drive it to a garage. My mechanic changed new serpentine belt for me. Everything looks ok since then.

Recently (Aug 2012), the noise is coming back again. The noise still sounds not strong but definitely same as the one it does last time. I am just worried about the belt would be broken when I am driving.

So my question is:
What is the noise from?
Do I need to change the belt again? How often should we replace this belt?


Also, when the car pass through some water filled pits, the car will make really big noise, this happens after a mechanic did alignment and replaced tires. Please advise what problem is it?


Thanks for your consideration. This car is important for my family.

 

The belt should be replaced every 60k miles i have heard. i just did mine today for the first time at 86k. The noise got worse when it was wet.

 

thanks.
the new belt last less than one year and I just run the new belt for 8000miles.

so I was not sure if this is because the belt.And the belt still looks new.

 

I know other things that make more noise when wet. OH!

Sure the belt is tight enough? A one year belt shoudnt squeal any. Maybe when it's damp but not really at all.

 

Yes. I just found that if it is sunny day I will not hear the sound. But if it is cloudy or moisture I will hear it. It is weird.