photo2001 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Just recently, when the engine is cold on my 2000 Forester, the first time I put it in gear and drive a short distance, (less than a block), there is some kind of high pitched 'squeal'. It only happens on first putting it in gear, when the engine has been sitting overnight. then I don't hear it again. The car is overdue for a service, but I hardly drive it lately. It only has 35000 miles on it. Any ideas? Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadsubaruguy Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 auto or manual? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photo2001 Posted September 9, 2005 Author Share Posted September 9, 2005 auto or manual? It's an auto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 For what it's worth, my wife's '03 Forester has this very same problem. It only happens when she puts it into reverse after it's been sitting long enough for the engine to get cold. By the time she backs out of the driveway and puts it in drive, it's gone. But it's still a bit jarring. The brakes are 55,000 old and just about ready to be replaced, but the noise happens whether or not the brakes are applied. All the fluids (transmission, power steering) check out fine. Anyone with any insight on this would immediately be annointed as a god/dess. My gut is that it's nothing and probably related to the brake assembly, which will be replaced soon. But in the back of my mind, it nags at me that it's something transmission-related. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I would suspect maybe a drive belt, like the ac compressor belt, then the tranny. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 I would suspect maybe a drive belt, like the ac compressor belt, then the tranny. nipper Thanks for the input, Nipper. I'll have to do some trial and error and see if that's the deal. It's strange though in that it doesn't start right away, only when I put it in reverse to get out of the driveway. Testing will commence tomorrow morning. :-\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Engine speed changes as you put into gear and that could provoke a drive belt squeal. After squealing a bit, maybe the belt gets warm enough to grip and stop making noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 Engine speed changes as you put into gear and that could provoke a drive belt squeal. After squealing a bit, maybe the belt gets warm enough to grip and stop making noise. It's really dark right now, so I haven't had the daylight to check yet, but does this mean that the belt is in any way failing or starting to show wear/cracking, or could it be due to, for instance, the warm days we've been having with cold nights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted November 8, 2005 Share Posted November 8, 2005 It could be condensation on the drive belt. Check for fine cracks across the belt, missing chunks, signs of "hardening" which will mean shiny bits on the friction surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
photo2001 Posted November 16, 2005 Author Share Posted November 16, 2005 I use my emergency brake all the time. I wonder if it's 'sticking' when I first start moving, and then releasing? Btw, the squeal hasn't been happening lately as far as I can tell. Unless my hearing is going. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 It could be condensation on the drive belt. Check for fine cracks across the belt, missing chunks, signs of "hardening" which will mean shiny bits on the friction surface. I pulled the front wheels and confirmed my suspicions. Replaced pads and shoes, which were worn down to minimum specs on the dot, and no more squealing type noise. Problem solved for 80 bucks. Thanks for the help all, and hopefully photo2001's problem goes away as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 can we hit him now ? hehehe Glad you found it. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 can we hit him now ? hehehe Glad you found it. nipper I know, I know. Flog me like a Roman! But what had me thrown (and I am no mechanic, but I do have a good working knowledge) was that the noise would ONLY happen when the car was cold and in Reverse, with or without applying the brakes. I just couldn't imagine a noise that was reproducible in such a specific way was the brakes. But lo and behold, it worked. And when you get down to it, that's really all that matters: The noise is no longer there. I take full credit for my masterful diagnosis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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