Unfortunately, a vibrating steering wheel can be caused by more than your vehicle's Lane Keeping Assist function. This common sign of bad wheel bearings will often rear its ugly head when you're traveling at lower speeds and get worse as you accelerate. Such vibrations are also commonly owed to unbalanced tires, but they only arise at higher speeds in this case. In short, if it's not a driver-assist function that's making your steering wheel vibrate, we strongly suggest you contact us for a proper diagnosis.

Timingbeltreplacement recommendations by make and model

The following symptoms – especially when several occur at once, indicate that you should either inspect the belt yourself, or book a visit to your regular mechanic or service centre:

Replacing your cam belt is a vital part of your car’s maintenance schedule. Leave it to break, and you could cause untold damage to the rest of the car. If it fails, then the knock on effects can cause the engine’s pistons and valves to collide. Your car will break down, and it’s likely that the repair bill will be very hefty.

Timing chain

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No matter what kind of trouble it's in, your car will find more than a few ways to tell you it needs some TLC, often by making some troubling sounds. Bad wheel bearings are no exception, as they'll often make a loud grinding noise, especially during gear shifts and turns. Since worn-out wheel bearings often mean uneven tire wear, this unpleasant noise usually stems from a single wheel first - although the others could follow suit sooner or later - and is usually owed to a lack of lubrication in the wheel that causes heat to build up within.

Vibrations and excessive heat – as problems with the belt will impact the internal tensioner components, which in turn affects the overall performance of the engine.

Wheel bearings are paramount to keeping your tires - and by extension, your vehicle - running smoothly, but trouble with one doesn't always mean there's trouble with the others. At Cochrane Dodge Jeep RAM, we know a thing or two about front and rear wheel bearings and maintenance, and we're happy to provide our customers with a list of common signs they need to be replaced. If you hang your hat in Cochrane, Alberta or any of the nearby areas of Calgary, Airdrie, or Crowfoot, contact our service centre today to book an appointment and get your wheel bearings tended to.

And if the belt breaks Stop the car. It’s a bad sign that could lead to further damage. The sooner you turn the engine off the less chance that you’ll need a truly expensive engine rebuild or replacement.

Cam beltvs timingbelt

Without getting too technical, the cam or timing belt helps rotate the engine’s cam and crankshaft, so the two rotating systems are in synchronisation – keeping the pistons firing at the regularly required intervals. You’ll find it under a timing cover on the front or side of the engine, and it’s often made out of a highly durable rubber and nylon material, usually with grooves to keep it in place. However, over time this material will degrade due to friction before finally breaking. Some cars have chains, and these will last longer than their rubber cousins, but will also eventually fail.

Oil leaks – check in your favourite parking positions for patches of oil. If the cam belt is damaged, then this will result in oil leaking from the timing belt cover.

Cam beltreplacement cost

Most manufacturers will advise you to change your cam belt periodically – either every 4 to 5 years or 60K miles. As ever, a quick check in the owner’s manual for your car should give you the specific details. Keep to this schedule, and get your car serviced regularly to prevent damage to your engine – and by keeping one eye open for the symptoms on our list, you should be able to spot issues the moment they happen.

Unusual revs – if the belt is loose, then slips will cause unusual revs between 2000 and 4000 rpm generating strange behaviour from the engine whilst out on the road.

Rough idling of the engine – stuttering and spluttering coming from the engine when you’re idling, could be due to the loss of the grip teeth from your cam belt – causing it to slip away from the wheel. Detached teeth can even cause a severe jolt in the engine, should they fall into the gears.

CAM beltFord fiesta

As previously mentioned, one worn-out wheel bearing isn't a guaranteed sign its three mates are in the same condition. Wheel bearings wear down unevenly, and their condition will extend to your tires. While mileage and wear and tear can often make all four tires equally long in the tooth, uneven tire wear can be a tell-tale sign at least one of your wheel bearings needs replacing. That said, skewed wheel alignment and unbalanced tires can just as likely cause your tires to wear down unevenly, which is why we recommend looking out for other symptoms before getting your bearings changed at our dealership.

As the man at the helm of BreakerLink, it is no surprise that its Director, Justin Smith, has always had a keen interest in cars, bikes and most things wheeled. Having spent over two decades in the car parts industry, Justin combines his passion that since 2002, has successfully united those looking for new and used car parts with the breaker that supplies them. Follow Justin on LinkedIn.

The first thing to go in your wheel bearings is their lining, which is often part and parcel with corrosion. Once the bearing is pitted or corroded and the lining is worn out, its rougher surfaces are exposed, causing the tire in question to vibrate and pull your vehicle toward the corresponding side. Such drifting could also occur when applying the brakes and either be due to bad brake rotors and/or calipers or worn-out wheel bearings. In any case, if your vehicle is taking on a life of its own, we recommend getting it serviced at Cochrane Dodge Jeep RAM with minimal delay.

Engine misfiring – as a worn out cam belt can play havoc with the engine’s firing sequence. Slips will cause cylinders to open and close too early or too late. Such problems can cause the engine to blow apart if left unchecked.

Decline in oil pressure – if the timing of the cam belt is not right, it can skip causing fragments to break off the camshaft. These pieces sometimes fall into the oil pan generating a dramatic drop in pressure. If this happens, it could mean a complete engine rebuild.

Cam beltnoise

Yes, replacing the cam belt comes in at a significant cost. Which is why people might choose to ignore the warning signs. Remember however, that a written off engine is far more problematic.

Since a lift is required to detect it, this symptom may well go unnoticed until you leave your vehicle in the care of our technicians. Once raised, a member of our staff will rock one of your wheels to gauge its wobble or play, then do the same to the wheel on the opposite end of the axle. If a wheel is all too willing to rock back and forth, its bearing likely needs replacing.

Cam beltsymptoms

Noise coming from the engine – any kind of high pitched squealing, grinding, rattling, chirping, hissing or ticking can indicate that the belt is starting to slip from its position. If the noise gets worse in the wet, then this is a further indicator of problems. Be aware however that new belts also tend to squeal, which often means they need the tension adjusted – giving you a chance to inspect the belt for problems.

Increased exhaust fumes – if cam belt is failing, then the engine will need to work harder to get the same acceleration, causing greater volumes of exhaust gasses than usual.

Cam beltreplacement

Difficulty starting the car – if the vehicle does not start at all, but you hear the starter motor engaging, then the chances are the cam belt is broken. As the car starts, look to see if the crankshaft turns, whilst the camshaft remains stationary on starting, to confirm the belt is broken.

Whether your car's entire hub assembly or an individual wheel bearing needs replacing, our dealership's service centre can tend to your vehicle at an affordable price. Front and rear bearings both cost a few hundred dollars, while individual bearing replacement runs at about half the price. Since hub assemblies require wheel bearings to be installed as a single unit, this service is indeed a bit pricier, yet still soundly in the three-figure range. Feel free to get in touch with our parts department for more on wheel bearings and their price points, and contact us at Cochrane Dodge Jeep RAM to book your bearing replacement today.

Taking advantage of regular maintenance and service schedules might cost a little more – but it’s smart money if it prevents cam belt failure. If your mechanic indicates that there’s problems, then follow their advice – it’s better in the long run.