Questions and Answers

Ford Ranger XLT Squealing And Chirping Q. Hi Vincent, I have a 1999 Ford Ranger XLT with about 65,000 miles on it, it is a 6 cylinder. I noticed it makes a squealing/chirping noise when I start it up in the morning. It is especially loud in the winter when it is cold. What do you think it is? Thank you so much for helping us girls out that don't know much about vehicles. Your friend, Serenity

A. Sounds like you have a bad serpentine belt. Squealing and chirping are classic symptoms. And at 65,000 miles it is due for replacement.

What you can do to check this is get a spray can of belt dressing and spray it on the belt while the engine is running. Wear eye protection when you do this. If the noise stops as soon as you apply the belt dressing, then it is, indeed, the serpentine belt.