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Going to explain everything...so bare with me. P.S..my car is a 2005 Kia Rio.
About five months ago, I went to the shop to have two belts changed along with having my spark plugs replaced. The belts I had changed I believe were the AC belt and the alternator belt. The next day, my car started squealing as soon as I started it. I immediately took it to the repair shop. As soon as I accelerated a bit, the squealing went away, however, it would start again every time I came to a stop. Once at the repair shop, he said the belts were likely not tightened, so he tightened them and that fixed the squealing. Five months later (a couple weeks ago), my car wouldn't start. The weeks leading up to it not starting, it was having problems. It would start just fine if it was sitting for a while, but if it had only been sitting for a few minutes before I tried starting it, it always acted like it didn't want to start, but it always did start until the day that it finally gave up. I took it to the repair shop and after diagnosing it, they said it was the battery. They gave me a new battery and did an oil change. The car starts fine now, though ever since then, it has been squealing again. It's not as severe as five months ago though. It only does it when I start my car and only does it about 80% of the time. I just barely have to step on the accelerator and let off in order for the squealing to go away. Weather doesn't seem to play a factor, nor does the amount of time the car has been sitting. Once the car is moving, the squealing doesn't come back at all...neither when I'm driving it or stopped at a stoplight. I have taken it to the repair shop a couple times. They tightened the belts once, but that didn't fix it, so I took it back. He looked at it and said that if he tightens the belts anymore, it will put too much pressure on them. The thing is, each time I have taken it to the repair shop, the squealing hasn't happened, so they have nothing to listen to. The belts themselves are new as stated, and the squealing wasn't present until recently when I got the new battery installed. Obviously, a battery can't make the car squeal. Anyone have any idea what the problem may be? Should I take it to a different repair shop that may have the answer or will they possibly be as stumped as my current repair shop? If it was nothing more than a harmless, annoying sound, then I wouldn't worry about it, but I have to assume that the squealing is slowly causing some sort of damage. I know next to nothing about cars, but did read that a squealing noise is a belt issue 99% of the time. Thanks for the help!
I'd take it to another mechanic/dealer for a new opinion. Still sounds as you explain it a belt problem. It also could be a bearing problem from over tightening the belt. Hard to say without seeing/hearing it. Best to see another mechanic/dealer and get his opinion, then take it back where you paid for the repairs and get it fixed right.
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