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Noisy pulley-belt in 2015 Volkswagen Amarok

There is a screeching noise from the pulley-belt in my 2015 Volkswagen Amarok. I have changed all the pulleys except the engine pulley. I have even changed the belt several times. It’s not going away. I have also changed the tensioner pulley, air-con compressor pulley, alternator pulley and water pump pulley.

It sounds like there’s not much left to change in terms of belts and pulleys on your vehicle. But did you change the relevant tensioners at the same time? Tensioners run on bearings which can start to seize up over time and kilometres, often contributing a squealing noise that is easily confused with belt-squeal. Also, simply changing the pulley on, say the alternator or the air-con compressor, will not cure the noise if it’s being caused by the alternator or compressor itself.

Other things to check include the correct belt tension and the alignment of the belt (is it running truly between the pulleys, or attempting to run slightly sideways?) Don’t rule out a coolant leak that is getting on to the rubber belt and causing it to squeal.

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