So for the past week or two I have had a very strange problem.

I go outside I turn the car on I turn on the headlights and then hit the defrosters (front and rear glass). Suddenly this squealing shrieky nasty noise (pretty loud too) comes from the front of the car. It sounds like the noise is coming from the tire area but I know that with these kind of things the directional aspects of the noise can be easily misinterpreted.

This problem doesen't seem to happen as much after the car is warmed up, but maybe that is because by then I am probably not using the defrosters as much. I can usually stop the noise immediately by turning off the headlights and the defroster.

Sometimes the noise isn't being made and then I will make a turn after a red light turns green and the noise comes back, (somehow it seems loosely associated with turning). The noise actually sounds a little like the noise you hear when a cars wheels are turned allllll the way in or out.

Please if anyone has any ideas what the problem is or has actually experienced this problem before Chime in! I really need to work this out ASAP.
I drive 30 minutes to work every morning on rural roads that are foggy, I can't afford to have a problem that limits my ability to use headlights and defrosters. I am going to try and get a service appointment ASAP but the techs always work 100X better when you can give them a good idea of whats wrong going into the service appointment.

Any ideas? Alternator? Please help!!!


Thanks in advance

 

Might it be your belts? Mine started doing it the other morning when it was cold out and i had to go buy some belt spray (it helps them stick better to the pulleys). Mine only does it on start up for about 3 seconds then it stops....

 

Mine was also doing this. I checked the belts. They are in good shape, so I adjusted the tension and noise is gone, for now.

 

Yeah I broke the cardinal rule, I didn't do enough searching before posting. Seems like others have had a similar problem to varying degrees, although I did not find any posts that indicated the sound was as serious as mine is. My sound is pretty loud and it comes back at weird times. I am leaning towards one of the A/C belts or the actual compressor itself.

I have an appointment on Monday at the local Nissan Dealership. The nearest infiniti dealer is 118miles and I am out of original warranty anyway. I bought an extended warranty through the local nissan dealer so hopefully they will cover this, I am guessing if it is just the belt they wont if its the compressor they will, either way the deductible is like $100 so probably little difference unless this is a more serious issue than even that. Hopefully its not the alternator because I have lots of accessories that they could blame for the problem in that case (if they are dicks).

Thanks for the responses keep them coming if you guys have any additional insight.

 

sounds very much like your belts, when you put that full load on the alternator and accesories (a/c). they will start to slip. iam an alternator rebuilder and the belts and tensioners on the g's are supposed to be adjusted manually unlike most of your american cars that have self adjusting tensioners that are spring loaded. what you need to do is go to the local parts house and get both the belts. shouldnt have no more than 50 bucks in it. it takes about 20 minutes to change them both. dont tighten them crazy tight just snug, you dont want alot of flop between the pulleys. whne you get done and they still squek then tighten them about twice around and you should be good

 

Well I did some more experimenting and it just doesen't seem to be tied to the A/C. If I turn the A/C off and run the front and rear defroster plus headlights i get the noise.

Any further advice based on that?

 

A/C comes on with the front defroster. You can`t control that without pulling a fuse or something. Sure sounds like loose belts, now probably glazed and needing replacement.

 

Sounds like it is your main belt. The A/C has a separate belt. When you put a heavy load on the car like the defroster (rear), fans, windows, ect. and the car is cold the belt may squeal.

Check your belts, it may need adjusted or replaced.

 

sweet ttrank knows his **** thanks. That sounds like its accurate, probably the main belt, probably needs replacing judging by the severity of the squeal.

RetAF you obviously don't know what you are talking about try turning on the defroster and then hitting the a/c button, at least on the 03's it turns the a/c off. When you turn the front defroster on it automatically turns on the a/c but you can turn it off by just hitting the button.

 

Big Sash, thanks for your kind words. You are an absolute gentleman, as we can all see. Sorry I tried to help. Won`t happen again.

 

RetAF I wasn't trying to disrespect you, sorry if you took it that way.

Anyway, took the car in, they replaced the two main drive belts, now everything is back to normal.

Thanks for the help.