Q: My car was making a loud squeaking sound,

The noise may have been due to a seized or seizing component, such as the water pump, that is driven by the engine’s serpentine belt. The serpentine belt either broke, or the water pump seized causing the belt to break. Regardless of the "first" cause, with a non functioning water pump, the engine will overheat immediately. Once the belt broke completely the power steering pump stopped turning, too, thus causing the loss of power assist. You can obtain a new serpentine belt by requesting serpentine belt replacement. Of course, until you obtain a new belt, be sure not to drive the car because with no serpentine belt driving the water pump, the car will overheat for sure and that can easily warp the cylinder head and/or engine block causing costly damage. If the water pump seized, or other rotating elements in the serpentine belt "circuit" do not operate smoothly (the various pulleys ride on grease filled bearings), those parts might have to be replaced as well. If you request serpentine belt replacement a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, will get the belt issue resolved for you promptly and check all other components. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.