How dangerous is a bad wheel bearingreddit

Suspect that your car is suffering from a faulty wheel bearing? Our guide can help you check and diagnose the problem, and decide if and when it’s still safe to drive.

Temporary fix forbad wheel bearing

If you’re aware that there’s an issue with your car’s wheel bearing, it’s best to take it straight to a mechanic for a full diagnosis and repair. Often, it may just be a case of relubricating the ball bearings within the assembly before repacking them, which is significantly simpler to put right than the alternative.

Given the damage that can occur as a result of a failed wheel bearing, not to mention the dangers, this further reinforces the importance of getting those bearings checked and repaired the moment you realise there’s a problem.

Howlong willa wheel bearinglast after it starts making noise

To know if the wheel bearings in your car are going bad, listen for snapping, popping, or clicking sounds when you turn. These sounds are all signs that the joint connecting your wheel to your axel is starting to wear out. Notice if the sound coming from your wheel is changing as you change your speed, and notice if you feel your steering wheel vibrating when you drive. If you feel your wheels wobbling while you drive, you should stop driving immediately, since this is a sign of severe bearing damage. To find out how to evaluate your bearing damage, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

Howto tell whichwheel bearing is badwhile driving

To do that, you’ll first need to jack up your car so that both wheels are off the ground. We would strongly recommend using service ramps for this to ensure you can carry out the following checks safely.

Howlong can you drive ona bad wheel bearing

Wheel bearings are metal balls held by a ring and allow the wheel on your vehicle to spin with as little friction as possible. Over time, bearings can break down due to a lack of lubrication and typical wear and tear. Driving on a bad wheel bearing can be dangerous, and could cause severe damage to your vehicle if you continue to drive on it. Luckily, diagnosing a failing wheel bearing is relatively easy and you can usually determine if there's a problem by listening to your wheels and evaluating any changes in your car's handling.

If you suspect you have a wheel bearing fault but aren’t sure which side of the vehicle is affected, there’s a safe and simple test you can use to check. Our step-by-step guide below can take you through how it’s done…

Need to recap the signs of a failing wheel bearing? Here are the symptoms to watch out for while you’re driving, particularly when turning corners:

How dangerous is a bad wheel bearingwhile driving

As you’ll know from our car maintenance glossary, bearings allow the wheels to turn freely without generating huge amounts of heat. If a bearing were to fail, the wheel can seize up altogether, resulting in catastrophic damage and the potential for a serious incident. Indeed, in the very worst-case scenario, a failed bearing can cause the wheel to rip away from the car entirely.

When the car is elevated and in place, take hold of each wheel in turn and wiggle it backwards and forwards, side to side. If there is any play in the wheel, it feels wobbly or loose, or an unusual noise accompanies some minor movement, then you’ve found the problem wheel.

Once you’ve performed this basic wheel bearing test, you should have a better idea of where the problem is. Then, it’s a case of diagnosing the front or rear wheel on the side in question.

Frontwheel bearingnoise symptoms

Replacing all of your car’s wheel bearings might cost an eye-watering sum, but it’s guaranteed to be a lot cheaper than repairing the damage should a bearing fail.

The cost of a wheel bearing replacement in the UK is roughly £150-£300, dependent on the make and model of your car and a mechanic’s labour costs. The good news is that you don’t need to replace all wheel bearings at once if the other three remain in a safe and serviceable condition.

Wheel bearingreplacement cost

Continuing to drive on a bad wheel bearing can lead to extensive and critical damage which will be significantly more expensive to repair than a simple bearing re-grease and service. And in the worst cases, the damage from a faulty bearing that goes untreated can prove impossible to fix, particularly if it contributes to corrosion of surrounding components and the axle.

Typically, wheel bearings have a lifespan of around 85,000 to 100,000 miles, so if your car is approaching these kinds of figures, it’s important to keep an eye on the tell-tale signs of a bearing in decline.

You can still drive with a bad wheel bearing, but we wouldn’t recommend it for long distances. Keep your mileage to a minimum and look out for worsening symptoms of a wheel bearing fault; we cover the symptoms to check for later in this guide.

This article was co-authored by Hovig Manouchekian. Hovig Manouchekian is an Auto Repair and Design Specialist and the Manager of Funk Brothers Auto, a family-owned business operated since 1925. With over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, Hovig specializes in the process of auto repair and maintenance. He is also very knowledgeable in common automotive issues and needs including engine repair, battery replacement, and windshield accessory and maintenance. Hovig's knowledge and hard work have contributed to Funk Brothers Auto winning Angie's List Super Service Award for five consecutive years. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 177,285 times.

Confident in car maintenance DIY? Lubricate and service your car’s wheel bearings with Holts Multi-Purpose Lithium Grease. Trusted by professionals, it reduces friction and wear in all moving parts, even those that work under extreme pressure. For more top tips and advice, read the Holts blog or visit our help and advice centre.