Why has steering started squeaking loudly when parking or low speed turning?

Loud squeak when turning on is usually low power steering fluid or a water pump going out. If the power steering fluid is fine keep an eye on your temp gauge and make sure it is staying consistent when hot.

Squeaking CV Axle bearings... Bad CV axles are expected to click but they can also on rare occasions squeak... I know because I had that experience with a 1984 Sentra when doing a U or close turn only. Other parts that could theorically squeak at low speed, and depending on the condition and brake pad material.. would be warped disks or glazed brake pads... but at low turning speed, the CV Axle is more likely.

check that you have enough fluid in the power steering reservoir. Check that the power steering pump drive belt is properly tensioned.

It could be the power steering pump going bad or thethe steering rack going bad.

Would it possibly be a power steering belt. i would have to hear it but this is most likely your cause of noise. Mike. Rate 100% please.

sounds like you may have a bad front cv axle inspect it you may find that i'm right ,and no you can't disarm the all wheel drive . hope this helps you!

yes power steering is most likely very low , repair leak , as the fluid is flameable

you need to get grease into pittman arm there is no grease fitting so get a needle fitting for your grease gun and poke thru the rubber ive done twice on 97 f150s and fixed the problem

Get a friend to turn wheel back and forth in the garage, get on the ground and use your hands to feel where the noise is coming from. Metal gives off a significant amount of vibrations with noise. Should be easy to tell where it's coming from. Could be your rack and pinion, however I would be much more willing to consider ball joints. Hard to tell without getting "down and dirty" on the floor under the vehicle feeling for the noise.

Could be your steering gearbox, tierod end, rack and pinion piston, low power steering fluid, bad serp belt, ball joints, front struts/mounting hardware.

Also test steering with the entire vehicle on the floor and with the front end off the ground lifted by a few floor jacks lifting on the frame of the vehicle.

Ball joints especially on Ford vehicles tend to squeak after a while (mostly since they are the sealed type) even if they pass a safety inspection.