My wife's Hyundai Veracruz, sometimes when she drives through a puddle, will lose power steering and charging. Usually she will hear squealing when this happens.

I am relatively certain it's the belt slipping, and so were Manny, Moe, and Jack. But they told me that there's nothing to be done. The belt is fine and it has a spring-loaded tensioner so there's nothing to adjust. I can't believe that. For one, she's had this car for eight years, and it hasn't always done this. And for two, that would seem to be an incredibly defective design.

So, any know how to fix this? Replace the belt even though they said it's fine? Adjust the tension even though they said it can't be adjusted? Is the problem something else entirely?

Tensioner assembly needs replaced? Looks at first glance like it may use a gas strut which could have become weak over time and not tensioning enough now.

I'd order a new tensioner and a new belt, and install them myself.

Keep the old belt - if it's indeed okay - and you'll know you have a good spare in the trunk.

I've heard of an old belt not holding grip even with the correct tension. The current one is at least 8 years old, so I think I'd try throwing a brand new belt on even if the mechs think it's OK.

belt first, easiest fix first. If that doesn't work, then do the tensioner.

You might check if there is any cover or guard missing or damaged that's allowing water to get to the belt. Sometimes those things have to be removed to work from below, and it speeds things up to not replace them. Other times, bad things can happen to the underside of a car.

Agree with the belt change. The get hard and more brittle over time and not as rubbery and sticky IMO. If you are desperate you can use spray on belt dressing. It will indeed quiet the belt for a while but it will also make a mess and attract all types of dirt. A light spray might stop it if a new belt does it as well. Also if the tensioner is not holding as hard as it should it can squeal. But then again you said it happened since new so who knows.

What Scurvy said!

Are any splash pans or shields missing? There is one inside the wheel well. Sometimes, if any service is performed that requires this be removed, a forgetful or lazy mechanic may not put it back on. Are any cowl (the area immediately in front of the windshield, containing the windshield wipers) drains out of place?

quote:

For one, she's had this car for eight years, and it hasn't always done this. And for two, that would seem to be an incredibly defective design.

If it were defective, it would have been doing it from day one.

My bet is on the belt and tensioner, especially since you indicate they are original. The tensioner, IIRC, is a self-contained hydraulic piston. These can be bad without any external sign.

quote:

Originally posted by bionic218:
I'd order a new tensioner and a new belt, and install them myself.

Keep the old belt - if it's indeed okay - and you'll know you have a good spare in the trunk.

This is what I had to do on my auto,problem went away

I would try spraying some belt dressing on the belt. It keeps the belt flexible, and provides improved performance of the belt. I do that on my truck from time to time, and the belts last a LONG time.

Recently had some AC work done on the truck and as part of that they replaced both belts.

I will continue to spray belt dressing on the belts from time to time, just to make them last longer.

quote:

Originally posted by Elk Hunter:
I would try spraying some belt dressing on the belt. It keeps the belt flexible, and provides improved performance of the belt. I do that on my truck from time to time, and the belts last a LONG time.

I've used belt dressing all of my driving life. Not quite so much on newer vehicles with a serpentine belt and tensioner. It is good stuff, but the overspray can get messy.

Thanks for all the responses. Sounds like the belt is the place to start. I'll have to take a look at the setup tonight to see how difficult that looks. We did check all of the splash guards and they are in place.

Please save dressing for salads and Thanksgiving turkeys. Don't use it on serpentine belts. It doesn't work, plus the additional problem of sticky shit all over the pulleys. I have been working with them since the first one was ever made. Plain water, however, can be useful as a diagnostic aid. If a squeal goes away when you dribble it on the belt, it's something to do with the belt (misalignment, low tension, etc.) If it doesn't it's a rotating component bearing.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Please save dressing for salads and Thanksgiving turkeys. Don't use it on serpentine belts. It doesn't work, plus the additional problem of sticky shit all over the pulleys. I have been working with them since the first one was ever made. Plain water, however, can be useful as a diagnostic aid. If a squeal goes away when you dribble it on the belt, it's something to do with the belt (misalignment, low tension, etc.) If it doesn't it's a rotating component bearing.

+ 1000

It could be a belt or tensioner. It could also be a bearing that is starting to lock up in an accessory such as the alternator when it gets hot causing the belt to slip. I’d pull off the belt, spin the accessories you can and see if you can feel any weird play in any of them. Hopefully it’s just the belt or tensioner but I’ve also seen accessories cause this when they’re on their way out.