Car problems - please help

[richardboy316]

everysince the big snow storm, and me driving at high rpm's getting out of snow and what have u..my car has been f'd up

my battery guage is bad, or a cable is disconnected because they meter is fine then is goes to 9 volts and a red 'check gauges' comes on..but i know the battery is fine..

also my temperatue gauge keeps going really high if not to the red line.....i noticed for some strange reason i didn't have one drop of antifreeze in, so i put some in and i guess the next time i drive it i'll find out if i continue to have this problem

randomly it will be really hard to steer, and then a loud screeching noise will occur for a few seconds and then once it stops it easy to steer

when i rev the engine it seems like after i let off the accelerator, it's taking twice as long to get from that rpm back to idle

what seems to be my radiator, or that area is making a weird noise and smoke is coming out of it

if any of u know about any of the problems and how to fix them or anything please reply, and help is greatly appreciated thank you

[SmaartAasSaabr]

Check the drivebelts... seems like it's loose or something, and it's not driving the alternator (low voltage), the water pump (overheating) and the power steering (heavy wheel) as a result. Screeching is classic loose or glazed belt. Open the hood and look should be fairly obvious, and a new belt is only a few dollars.

[richardboy316]

ok so i dont know if this helps

but my car is already decently warmed up

i turn it on, and the batter meter is between 9 and 12...the heat should be hot but it isn't..i start to cruise along and then i hear the screeching and between the middle of the sounds and when it ends the battery meter goes back to normal and the heat kicks in and kicks in stronger and hotter....then i keep my hands on the vent, and i can feel the air getting weaker and colder and i look and my battery meter and lo and behold it's back between 9 and 12..and agian the schreeching and they both go back to normal


saab..does the belt having to be replaced have to do with the smoke that comes out...and if it's not the belt wat else could it be

[SmaartAasSaabr]

Maybe the belt is slipping so much it's started to burn! Seriously all those things happening at once screams belt... and it's a very simple and easy fix, and if you open the hood when the sun comes up it should be fairly clear that it's messed up (either it's loose or it's loose and it looks in bad shape). Might have something like ice on the tensioner and it's keeping it loose too.

[Audi Quattro]

I'm thinking your belts are needing replacing.

[batwings]

low battery voltage? something aint charging
screeching when you accelerate/rev? belt/alternator

I suspect alternator going bad or a pulley is gone.

[RadarRick]

Seems to me that your poor taste in RD's has inevitably rubbed off on ya. Like how you neglect to maintain your vehicle

J/K....do you know a good mechanic? Because i haven't got a clue :?
RR

[kpatz]

I'm thinking either your belt(s) are shot, or one of your accessories (A/C, power steering pump, water pump, alternator) is binding and causing the belt to slip.

Do you have a video camera? Maybe videotape under the hood with the engine running while the problems are happening.

Battery warning is due to the alternator not working. Power steering problems due to power steering pump not working. Overheating is due to water pump or the aforementioned lack of coolant. If the belts are slipping, it can cause these symptoms, plus the screeching sound.

The loss of antifreeze concerns me though, maybe it's your water pump that's the root of the problems. Take it to a mechanic, they should be able to sort it out.

[TheTexan]

while it doesnt explain the voltage issue, high RPM's can create an excess coolant pressure and blow out a weak link in your cooling system, happened twice to me in my wrangler. That would explain the heater being cold, and the empty coolant. Voltage sounds like a toasted alternator or a bad belt, not sure if high RPM can kill an alternator but its possible.

Probably what everyone else says though, the belt that runs the alternator and the water pump are one in the same. Has your power steering started acting up too, then its almost 100% a belt problem. Of the water pump and alternator I am pretty sure the power steering pump will put the most strain on on the belt and is usually a good indicator of a bad serpentine.

[SmaartAasSaabr]

while it doesnt explain the voltage issue, high RPM's can create an excess coolant pressure and blow out a weak link in your cooling system, happened twice to me in my wrangler. That would explain the heater being cold, and the empty coolant. Voltage sounds like a toasted alternator or a bad belt, not sure if high RPM can kill an alternator but its possible.

Sounds like a crappy design, isn't the cap supposed to vent that?