Hi guys,

I have a 3 year old car that i've just purchased & the belt was a little squeaky, the car is sound to drive (still in warranty etc).
I've put a little lubricant on the belt today, naturally this stopped the noise, but i noticed driving to work the belt slipping a little (miniature losses of power when driving).

I've read online that oil wasn't the best thing to use & to be honest i'm not the best with cars - is this as straight forward as wiping the excess lubricant off the belt & continuing to drive as normal, as the slip will stop within a day or 2?

Thank you.

What car
What mileage


Anyways if the noise stopped when you put lubricant on it, you need a new belt

Fiat 500; 2017 year & 22,000 miles on the clock.

It's my wife's car and it appears completely fine now, maybe she was wrong yesterday, but i guess we'll just keep an eye on the car as it has a year left on the warranty anyway.

oh a fiat, my condolences

Squeaky belts are primarily the result of a loose belt.
Check the tension of the belt by applying pressure with finger or rubber tool (handle of a screwdriver works well) there should be very minimal play or flex while doing this WITH THE VEHICLE OFF OFC inspect the belt for cracks frays or inconsistencies top sides and bottom (rib side).
If the belt seems tight and looks alright you then look to tensioner pulley and depending on what belt, the drive or recipient of generated power. Not sure of your location geographically but in my area we are seeing substantial temperature rise on average and in this case it may have caused the use of the ac condenser (air conditioner climate control) check the condenser for signs of red dust as this is typically rust that formed from lack of use during cold months yes the condenser pully always runs but not under a load or in operation until it is turned on electronically and mechanically. If you discover a loose or wobbly tensioner this could also cause a squeak and it may go away for some time and return. Take the sound as an alert to you that something is;
Loose
Damaged
Showing sign of detriment
Requires attention
Or in the best case was shaking of a little rust
Belt dressing is a quick way to hush a squeak temporarily and I would not recommend using any lubricant that is solvent based as it will cause a more rapid deterioration of the rubber and any other rubber hoses it sprays onto when you run the vehicle. Feel free to reach me via pm if I can assist any further!
Best of luck
-k2