My car makes a nice, loud squealing noise whenever I have the wheel turned most of the way to either direction. My power steering fluid level is about 1/4" shy of the full mark on the res. I suspect the power steering pump, perhaps? Is there anything I should check? I appreciate any help anyone can offer.

 

if tighten up the belt doesn't work ,replace the belt ,you could have glazed the belt causing it to slip.

 

i had this problem before, and the first thing I tried was that stp belt dressing I got from auto zone, and it stopped ever since. but If that doesnt work, just change the belt. **** tightening it b/c you're gonna have to change it sooner or later.

 

Also, your power steering pump could be having its last days, but what other guys are saying is true. Most of the time it is the belt.

 

good news: the belt is cheap as hell, like 6 bucks
bad news: It's a pain in the *** replacing it.
more good news: You wont have to do this again for a while.

 

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET x 30 that the board is back up.
Actually, at Autozone it was $8 (probably cheaper at NAPA) but anyway, I just tightened it back up, easy as pie and no more squealing. Thanks for the help, guys. But yeah, if it starts doing it again, it's a BIG $8 out of my pocket. Big deal.

 

belt dressing is the 4 dollar way of not spending the 6 or 8 bucks.. not going to do anything but gunk up your pulleys and cover a problem that needs more than liquid gunk can solve...just for future reference.
peace

 

it doesn't just "gunk" up the pulleys, it makes the belt less likely to slip and make noise, the same results you would get from changing the belt. Unless the belt snapped, If I was someone unexperienced, as I should have done in the first place when I had the same problem, I would have used the belt dressing instead of breaking my back over something that could have been resolved with the press of a nozzle.

 

belt dressing is for lossers who are to damn lazzy to do it right.

 

I think he's calling you a loser!!! Are you gonna take that from him? Well, are you?!?!?

Since the only squealing while turning I get is from my tires, I can't offer any insight here. Sorray