I was driving my car when I stopped at a red light. After being there for about 20 seconds I heard a squeeking noise from where the belts are in the engine compartment. I obviously wasn’t going step out of my car and pop open my hood, but I decided to put the car in park for a second and the noise went away.
I tried to reproduce these conditions in a parking log but I wasn’t able to. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas what this could be. I had taken it to my mechanic a week back to check all the belts and he said they looked fine.
Another side note which is unrelated, when I tried to pop open the hood, the hood was already open, and I am certain that I closed it the last time I was under there. I double checked the latches and what not to make sure they will still strong and working as they should, last thing I need is the hood to fly open when I go on my 400 mile road trip today.
Any thoughts are welcome.
P.S. this is a 1999 Kia Sephia, automatic transmission I4.
Oh I forgot to mention its has about 104,000 miles.
The squeaking noise may have been the start of a worn pulley bearing.
Possibly from an alternator or perhaps the belt tensioner.
I’ll not comment on the hood.
The sqeaking noise mayy have been from the hood. Sometimes if something isn’t secured metal-to-metal rubbing will sqeak.
You’ve done all the right things. I’d sleep soundly and assume it was the hood. By the way. federal regulations require that a secondary “safety latch” be built into all hood systems to prevent the dangerous situation you’re describing. You can sleep soundly.