# Pontiac Vibe Chirps Like a Squirrel when hitting the gas!

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/pontiac-vibe-chirps-like-a-squirrel-when-hitting-the-gas/36753>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** pontiac, vibe\
**Created:** [September 17, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pontiac-vibe-chirps-like-a-squirrel-when-hitting-the-gas/36753 "2009-09-17T01:23:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![momofthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@momofthree](https://community.cartalk.com/u/momofthree)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pontiac-vibe-chirps-like-a-squirrel-when-hitting-the-gas/36753/1 "2009-09-17T01:23:09Z")

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My 2002 Pontiac Vibe has started making noise. When I put it in reverse it makes a low grumbling noise. When going from a complete stop to hitting the gas (in drive) it chirps like a squirrel for a quick moment and then is back to normal. It runs and drives just fine but why does my car sound like a squirrel?

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pontiac-vibe-chirps-like-a-squirrel-when-hitting-the-gas/36753/2 "2009-09-17T01:26:36Z")

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I’m going to guess that the serpentine belt is worn and dried out (it’s seven years old), and the chirping noise you hear when you hit the gas is the belt slipping.

You could check this by opening the hood and observing the belt as you move the throttle by hand, or have someone step on the gas.

If this is the source of the noise a new serpentine belt will fix it.

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**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pontiac-vibe-chirps-like-a-squirrel-when-hitting-the-gas/36753/3 "2009-09-17T01:33:04Z")

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It could also be the serpentine belt tensioner, after 7 years my tensioner had frozen solid from road salt and could not move to take up the slack as the belt wore or stretched.