Hi, I have a 2001 Optima that has about 108,000 miles on it. My daughter is currently using it to drive back and forth to school. Problem is that I
Answers from the Automotive Experts
Brenda,
Your squeak very well might be coming from one of the main drive belts, it might be cracked and worn. It also may be a belt tensioner giving you some noisey feedback, usually belt replacements are typically no more than $180.00 parts and labor.
As for the check engine light you can take it to a nape or advance auto for a free diagnostic check to know why it is on.
AJ Pierce
Dear Brenda,
A screeching belt could mean that it's worn, loose or the pulley it's on needs to be looked at. It's best not to let this problem continue, because it will only get worse. If the belt is worn and breaks, then this could cause other problems.
As for the check engine light, you should get that looked at as well. Even though you may not feel any problems with the vehicle, this light is telling you that the computer is getting a bad reading from a sensor. You may be doing more damage by not fixing the sensor or componant that is bad. You will need to take this to a shop and have a technician use a scan tool to tell you what code has been stored and what the problem might be.
Make an appointment to have these two things checked out and then you'll have a better idea of the cost to fix them. You can always shop around for the best price once you know the problem.
Lori Johnson