I just had my timing belt replaced (Honda Civic Coupe 2005 VP (value package) Auto transmission). When they backed it out there was this squeaking sound. So they turned it off and tightened a few bolts on something near the top front of the car -- Maybe a water pump or something. Then they started it up again and turned the wheel hard left and hard right. They said that it was "better" but it was still making some squeaking sounds when cranking the steering wheel. They declared that probably some grease or some water got on it and to come back in a week if it was still squeaking. Right now if I'm driving straight it doesn't squeak. But going around tight curves is often a different story. Even pulling slowly away from the curb caused it to squeak. At one point I was just driving up a slight hill a little to the left and by the time the road was straight it was still squeaking for a stretch of about a block.

Any idea what exactly is causing this? And is this "normal" after replacing a timing belt? My problem is that I am wanting to put this car up for sale in about 3 days. This squeak is going to scare people off.

 

Power steering belt. It has to be removed to replace the timing belt. If its properly tightened already, replace it. Many times the external belts are pre-emptively replaced during a timing belt job anyway.

 

UPDATE: The problem seems to be going away (still need to drive it some more). I went back to the shop. I had asked them to ask their 10 year Honda tech who was there today (but didn't work on the car). They said that sometimes when taking everything apart, fluids (like radiator fluid) leaks out and can get into the rollers and then onto the belt. When the car runs the belt gets hot and eventually burns off the fluid that got on there. This explanation seems to be consistent with the fact that when I start up the car it would be noisy. At one point I drove up to a parking space (no squeaking). When I came back 5 minutes later and drove away from the curb it squeaked at first (even though I hadn't turned the wheel since I had pulled up). When the belts are cold it squeaks. I'll see how this thing improves in a few days.
Is the power steering belt the smaller belt down lower or the bigger belt the runs up higher? How long does it take to adjust the power steering belt (assuming that it might need to be readjusted, which I don't expect)?

 

The power steering pump is on the top front of the engine. (The part on the bottom front is the A/C compressor.) Adjusting the belt is done by loosening bolts and moving the pump, it's a simple process.

Also if you're hearing squealing right after starting the engine, it could be the alternator belt. The alternator works hardest then because it needs to recharge the battery after it was drained by the starter.

 

It seems to do it when started up and then it squeaks for a couple of minutes. At start up when it squeaks I noticed that if I push down on the accelerator it squeaking sounds "faster". Then when I come to a stop it may squeak, or it may squeak when I drive forward again. At once point while coasting down a hill it started squeaking coming out of a bend in the road. Once I put my foot on the gas the sound stopped.

 

Here's a video of the squeal. It sounds like the squeal is coming from the pump (?) in the upper left hand corner of the screen. Is that the serpentine belt? The mechanics at the shop say that it's fluid that got on the belt during replacement. Today they cleaned off the belt. But tonight it's STILL making this squeal sound. If it is radiator fluid or something then how long would it take to burn this stuff off? It's been 3 days since I had the belt replaced. Tonight I tested turning on the air conditioning. This triggered the squeak noise to sound. I'd turn off the AC and the squeak would stop.