Toyota RAV4 Forums banner
1 - 10 of 10 Posts

· Registered
Joined
·
10 Posts
Discussion Starter · #1 ·
hello i bought a used 2019 rav4 XLE and after a month it started to squeak , i tried all kinds of additive to stop squeaking and nothing is stopping this. I had a Camry 2009 I never changed the belt on it and it never made any noise like that. The car is at 25K mileage, i have no idea how this would happen for newer cars.
 

· Registered
2021 Rav 4 XLE gas engine
Joined
·
2,184 Posts
This is the first time I have read about a noisy serpentine belt on a 5th generation RAV or 8th gen Camry (same 4 Cylinder engine) either here or in the Toyota Nation forum. It certainly is not a common complaint or issue and 25k miles is very low to have it wear out. If you are sure it's the belt area of the engine making noise it could be the either belt itself is defective (or stretched) or one of the pulleys or even a bearing in the alternator is making the noise. Your best bet is to diagnose exactly what's making the noise and repair it--spraying additives or rubber lubes on the belt do nothing. If you are not covered by warranty, I'd remove the belt and examine it for wear, missing or ripped or damaged teeth. Belts are not terribly expensive so I'd just replace it. With the belt off you should spin the various pulleys or idlers and make sure they spin freely and easily with no noise and do the same with the alternator. Replace bad components. It is vaguely possible the squeak you are hearing is internal to the engine--the VVT mechanism or the plastic chain tightener mechanism for the timing chain--but this is very unlikely and those parts last for 100k and more miles. It is also vaguely possible but unlikely your squeak is from the A/C components or valves. Lastly, I had a 2003 Jeep Liberty and the serpentine belt squeaked whenever the temperature dropped below 25 F and the engine was cold. In the summer and with engine warmed up it did not squeak--just something to think about.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
10 Posts
Discussion Starter · #3 ·
thank you so much , i am just so surprised about this, newer car and this is Happening do you this this would be the tensioner ? as the cost of changing the tensioner and the belt is the same "Labor wise" or i would wait until i go change the oil at Toyota next time?
do you think this would be covered under the power train as it is part of the engine?
 

· Registered
2021 Rav 4 XLE gas engine
Joined
·
2,184 Posts
Like I said, It could be the tensioner/idler pulley or the belt itself or something else--only way to tell is to remove the belt and spin them. If the squeak has just started and it's not really loud and scary sounding I think you could wait a few months before your next scheduled dealer visit for an oil change to get it fixed. However if that squeak has been going on for 6 months or more and is quite loud and noticeable I would get it checked out sooner than later. If a pulley or tensioner freezes or the belt breaks it could strand you and require flat bed towing and could damage other parts of the engine if they grenade through the engine compartment. If the 3 year Basic Warranty is still in effect on your RAV then it's a covered FREE repair (so you might want to go in right away to a dealer before that warranty expires.) I doubt the longer Power Train Warranty covers this belt malfunction.
 

· Registered
2021 RAV4 XLE Premium Hybrid
Joined
·
2,488 Posts
hello i bought a used 2019 rav4 XLE and after a month it started to squeak , i tried all kinds of additive to stop squeaking and nothing is stopping this. I had a Camry 2009 I never changed the belt on it and it never made any noise like that. The car is at 25K mileage, i have no idea how this would happen for newer cars.
Try belt dressing at your local auto parts store. Squeaking belts are often caused by the belt being glazed. Belt dressing helps some, but if it continues, replace the belt.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
10 Posts
Discussion Starter · #7 ·
Try belt dressing at your local auto parts store. Squeaking belts are often caused by the belt being glazed. Belt dressing helps some, but if it continues, replace the belt.
i did and still , i noticed it comes up only when the AC is on and not always happening , it is not that loud but it sounds like birds or rat into the engine.
 

· Registered
2021 Rav 4 XLE gas engine
Joined
·
2,184 Posts
comes up only when the AC is on and not always happening
That is a new symptom you did NOT mention previously and it helps in diagnosis of your issue, The squeaking you hear may not be from the belt or pulleys but from the A/C itself. There are all sorts of valves and internal parts that could be making the noise.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
675 Posts
hello i bought a used 2019 rav4 XLE and after a month it started to squeak , i tried all kinds of additive to stop squeaking and nothing is stopping this. I had a Camry 2009 I never changed the belt on it and it never made any noise like that. The car is at 25K mileage, i have no idea how this would happen for newer cars.
check the belt tension with this serpentine belt tension tool.

most of the time squealing serpentine belts are a bad belt tensioner.

and yes replace the belt every 4-6 years as rubber does go bad over time
and yes oil or heavy dust does trash the belts faster.
so check for leaking oil seals or water pump seals.

there are other things like the alternator that can have bearing issues that sounds like a belt issue.
 
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
Top