# Cold / Squealing / Stiff Steering



## Danaleer (Feb 10, 2014)

I was having a discussion with my friend about my car. When it's really cold outside, the steering wheel is so stiff I need to use both arms to turn, and it makes this embarrassingly loud squealing when turning. It does go away when it's all warmed up though. I've been asked about my power steering fluid, and it's not low. My friend did bring up a possibility of it being the tensioner pulley (which coincidentally my mechanic said I needed replacing before and have it in my car just waiting on him to put it in).

Is it the tensioner pulley or could it be something else?

PS in addition to the tensioner pulley, I need(ed) a Poly Rib Belt, motor mount, tie rod end. I'm unsure of which ones he already put in for me, as he wasn't able to put all of them in at the time.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

There is no idler pulley for the power steering belt. The idler pulley is used on the other belt to run the alternator and the A/C. The power steering belt may be loose or glazed. For proper tension adjustment, a tension gauge should be used.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Could be a loose belt or bad P/S pump. I don't recall very many Nissan pump failures, so I would concentrate on the belt. I would advise to use a genuine Nissan or Bando brand belt and not an aftermarket belt.


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