Honda Civic 2003 Belt Squealing?

My power steering belt started squealing a while ago, so I tightened it to the specifications listed in the owner's manual. It kept squealing, is this because it could be worn down? It was replaced 9 months ago, but could it have gotten worn down while it was squealing? Would it be a good idea to just replace it?

It is worn out. V-ribbed belts wear along the shoulders of the grooves so the wear is very hard to see unless it is removed. Then you can turn it inside out and sight along the grooves; a new belt will have sharp Vs at the bottoms of the grooves but wear makes those wallow out to be valleys. At that point the small surface at the top of the belt is pressing against the pulley and it will squeal and slip. Replacement is the only fix.

The old V-belts, for all their faults, often regained a decent grip when tightened again. V-ribbed belts are destroyed by the time you hear them squeal. In addition, the old rule of thumb for tightening V-belts (press in the center of the longest span with your thumb and adjust for 1/4 to 3/8 inch of deflection) seriously undertensions v-ribbed belts. For them, the belt should be tightened until it can barely be twisted 90 degrees in the middle of the longest span. I bought an actual tension gauge from NAPA (special order) and found out that test was very close every time I checked it.

My daughter's Sienna has some pulley alignment problem that eats up her alternator belt in a few months. I have to fix that. Tighten it again. There's a good chance that the belt is worn or glazed and requires replacement. It is also possible that the noise is coming from a pulley that the belt rides on and not the belt itself. That's a pretty new belt. I'd make sure it's not a pulley that's making the noise. Take the drive belt off and spin all the pulleys by hand to see if they feel dry or gritty. If they are ok you can dust the belt with talcum powder. Body power works too. Belt dressings never last for more than several hours if even that long.

Tighten it again.

There's a good chance that the belt is worn or glazed and requires replacement. It is also possible that the noise is coming from a pulley that the belt rides on and not the belt itself.

That's a pretty new belt. I'd make sure it's not a pulley that's making the noise. Take the drive belt off and spin all the pulleys by hand to see if they feel dry or gritty. If they are ok you can dust the belt with talcum powder. Body power works too. Belt dressings never last for more than several hours if even that long.