While wheel bearings are built to last, proactive care can significantly extend their lifespan and prevent costly repairs. Regular maintenance isn’t just about saving money; it’s about ensuring your safety on the road. Here are some key practices to keep your wheel bearings in top shape:

Another tricky element of wheel bearing noise is the need to pinpoint which wheel bearing is making the noise. Sometimes even professional mechanics will struggle with this, and there are special listening devices shops use to pinpoint which bearing is making the noise. Some tire shops will replace both front bearings if there is a bearing noise coming from the front of the vehicle; not a bad practice, actually.

Note by Richard McCuistian, ASE-certified mechanic: I have personally seen a Crown Victoria that was making a noise I would have sworn was coming from the left rear axle bearing, but after removing and inspecting that bearing (which is difficult on a rear wheel drive vehicle), I discovered that the noise was actually originating from the left front tire. And I had nearly 40 years of automotive experience at the time.

Wheel bearingnoise

Most people know all about tire replacement, at least if they’re car drivers, but a lot of people don’t know much else about how the inside of your vehicle’s wheel works. That’s okay; the majority of the time, you don’t need to know how your wheels are working; you just need to make sure they are.

A: The time it takes to repair a wheel bearing can vary based on the complexity of the repair and the type of vehicle. However, it typically takes about 15 to 45 minutes per wheel for an easy job, and as long as 90 to 120 minutes for more complex tasks.

If your wheel bearing goes out while you’re on the road, it’s not advisable to keep driving. However, if there’s absolutely no alternative, make sure to maintain a slow and steady pace—do not accelerate or turn suddenly.

A bad wheel bearing can cause the brake rotor to wobble, which shoves the caliper piston back into its bore so that when you apply the brakes, you have unexpected pedal travel as a result – making it harder to stop or causing the vehicle to pull unexpectedly to one side – never a good thing in traffic.

It’s worth noting that tire noise will usually change depending on the road surface. Wheel bearing noise, on the other hand, is consistent regardless of road surface and acceleration.

In the event that this happens under weather conditions that make the road slippery, immediately maneuver your vehicle to the nearest safe spot off the road.

Since the wheel bearings keep the wheel and hub assembly spinning on an axis, if the wheel bearing is compromised to the point that it can no longer maintain that axis, driving with a faulty bearing can be extremely dangerous—especially at high speeds. Think about a wheel that starts wobbling because the bearing decided to completely come apart while you’re in freeway traffic. This can happen without warning if you’ve become accustomed to the bearing’s noise as it continues to warn you by getting louder.

Frontwheel bearingreplacement cost

Unexpected noises are always concerning when it comes to your vehicle, but loud noises from your wheels usually mean that something is going on either in the wheel hub or brake system.

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

A faulty wheel hub and bearing assembly can also cause a vibration felt in the steering wheel. Often, the sensation will change with vehicle speed or while the vehicle is cornering.

Rearwheel bearingreplacement cost

Wheel bearing failure is a potentially dangerous situation at any time, so have your vehicle towed to the nearest mechanic and have your faulty wheel bearings replaced right away. Vehicle safety should always come first.

However, if you also need to replace the wheel hub, which houses the bearings, it will typically cost between $200-$500 depending on the hub and wheel type.

By incorporating these practices into your vehicle care routine, you’re not just maintaining your wheel bearings – you’re investing in your car’s overall health and your peace of mind on the road.

A: While it’s possible to repair a wheel bearing yourself if you have the right tools and knowledge, it’s generally recommended to have this kind of repair done by a professional mechanic to ensure it’s done correctly and safely.

The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.

Now, this symptom is tricky because worn roads can also create more vibration, as can other problems that create friction or instability through your vehicle.

You might have seen a vehicle pulling trailer that has had the bearings neglected to the point that the wheel gets hot enough to set the tire on fire – it can happen on your vehicle in extreme cases, but it’s rare.

This paragraph doesn’t make sense: Older rear wheel drive vehicles had cone type wheel bearings on the front wheels that could be removed, inspected, and packed with grease, and reinstalled with new seals. Some rear wheel drive vehicles have wheel bearings of this type on the rear. In other words, if a vehicle has cone-type bearings that can be removed, inspected, and repacked, it will always be on the NON-driving wheels – the ones that don’t propel the vehicle.

Most people recommend that your bearings should be checked every time your brakes are serviced, and that can include things like realigning the bearings to help prevent uneven wear, checking lubrication, and looking for early signs that the bearings are starting to wear out.

Some may say that you can drive for up to a thousand miles with a failed wheel bearing—but the thing is, this is an arbitrary claim. There’s really no telling how long you can safely drive your vehicle in this state. It would depend on the severity of the damage to your wheel bearing, present road conditions, and other factors. So, it’s best not to push your luck.

When bearings wear out, it’s usually because they’ve changed shape slightly and are no longer efficient or because their surface has gone brittle and is starting to break apart.

So, it’s important to make sure you replace your wheel bearings as soon as possible after you notice a problem because otherwise, you’ll likely have a much more expensive repair when you get your vehicle to the shop.

How much to change wheel bearingreddit

Once again, there are other issues besides a bad wheel bearing that can cause steering wheel vibrations. A thorough diagnosis is needed to verify the cause of the concern.

A typical wheel bearing is either a metal sphere or a metal cylinder that can rotate freely to help reduce friction. There are several of them in all of your wheels; anywhere two surfaces would touch while the vehicle is moving. That way, the friction turns the bearing, which both reduces the friction and helps prevent overheating.

Loose wheel bearings can throw your car’s alignment off, leading to abnormal tire wear. There are, of course, many other problems that can create the same, undesirable results.  So, you’ll want to diagnose the issue thoroughly before condemning one or more of the wheel bearings

Vibration in your steering wheel is another symptom that can point to a variety of problems, but one of the more common ones is wheel bearing wear.

By now, you may have an idea of how important wheel bearings are. Thankfully, there are signs that can indicate that your wheel bearings are going bad.

The wheel bearing on a wheel usually consists of a pair bearing assemblies running side by side on the shaft or spindle – this keeps the spindle running straight, while a single row of balls or rollers might allow the wheel to wobble. Exceptions would be the non-tapered roller bearings on rear wheel drive vehicles, which will have only one bearing assembly at the wheel end of the axle, but the inboard end of the axle on those units is splined to the differential assembly, which is spinning in its own set of tapered roller bearings.

How much to change wheel bearingnear me

It’s this abnormal sound that’s the most obvious sign something is wrong with your wheel bearings. Of course, because other issues, such as cupped tires, can mimic a bad wheel bearing, you’ll want to diagnose the sound properly.

However, uneven tire wear can also be a sign that your wheel bearings are going out, especially if the wear seems to only affect one tire.

Noticing wheel bearing issues quickly is incredibly important, but a lot of people brush off the most common symptoms of bad wheel bearings.

How much to change wheel bearingcalculator

Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.

Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication. Read our full disclaimer here.

No matter how the bearing is starting to wear, wearing out will reduce the efficiency and create more friction, heat, and roughness while you’re driving.

However, every once in a while, something will go wrong, and you’ll need to take a closer look at your wheels or get your vehicle to a mechanic so they can check it out.

One of the sources of those problems is often the wheel bearings. Since your wheel bearings deal with a lot of the wear and tear work of wheel rotation, it’s not abnormal for them to eventually wear out and need replacement.

If the seal that is part of the bearing fails, moisture and dirt can enter the bearing’s grease, compromising the grease’s ability to keep the load bearing elements (balls and races) lubricated. But there are times when a bearing destroys itself even though the grease is not compromised. Tiny particles of metal can begin to flake off of the races, and when this happens, those particles mix with the grease so that it becomes a grinding compound of sorts, creating a “snowball” effect whereby more metal flakes off and enters the grease charge and the bearing gets noisier with time.

A single wheel bearing replacement should cost somewhere between $200-$400, depending on your location and the kind of bearings your vehicle uses.

A faulty wheel bearing can cause your vehicle to pull to one side during braking. This symptom can also be related to faulty brake components.

Can your car still run with a faulty bearing? The technical answer might be yes; some wheel bearings might continue to operate normally despite the vehicle being driven with one or more noisy bearings for a very long time. The problem is that since the noise begins gradually and slowly gets worse, you might not even notice the noise if your vehicle is noisy in other ways.

In cases like that, or when you just decide to keep driving until the failure is complete, the bearing itself will decide for you when it must be changed, and it can do so in very unpleasant ways and never at a good time. In other words, there are instances, when left unattended to, a faulty wheel bearing can create hazardous conditions, such as the following:

When you’re driving with the music cranked up, you may not notice the different sounds that your vehicle makes. But the moment you turn the radio off and notice a growling, humming, or rumbling noise coming from your wheel bearing, you’ll know there’s a problem.

That’s because the extra friction from a worn wheel bearing gets transferred through your entire vehicle, especially the wheel assembly and steering system.

Wheel bearings are one of the parts of your vehicle that a lot of people don’t think about much, partially because it’s common for people not to know that your bearings are part of a brake service.

Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.

Reducing the friction when you’re driving makes it a lot easier for you to move and steer, so one of the first signs that your wheel bearings are starting to go out is if you’re starting to have more problems steering.

A: While it’s technically possible, it’s not safe or recommended to drive with a damaged wheel bearing. Doing so can lead to further damage, loss of wheel control, and even accidents.

A worn-out wheel bearing may also make a high-pitched squealing sound while you’re driving. If you are able to observe these symptoms, have your vehicle checked right away. Even if your wheel bearings are not the culprit—there’s definitely something wrong with your vehicle.

Unfortunately, like all bearings, wheel bearings can wear out and occasionally need to be replaced. In fact, replacing them is especially important because a worn bearing can create more friction than your wheels can handle, resulting in damage and even more instability the longer you wait to fix the problem.

The answer to this question isn’t as  simple as you’d expect. Let’s look explore the difference between gas and diesel engines and explore just how many spark plugs a diesel engine actually has.

Uneven tire wear is often a sign that you need to get a wheel alignment, and since alignments need to happen more often than a wheel bearing replacement, you’ll normally be able to fix the problem with an alignment.

All the wheels on your vehicle have bearings, and that’s important for helping reduce the friction between moving parts and to help keep your ride smoother and quieter.

A: Common signs include a humming or rumbling noise that increases with speed, a loose or vibrating steering wheel, uneven tire wear, and the ABS light turning on.

A: Generally, car insurance does not cover wheel bearing repair as it’s considered part of regular maintenance. However, if the damage was caused by an accident, it might be covered under your policy.

Your wheel bearings or wheel hub will likely need to be replaced every 85,000-100,000 miles if they’re sealed, which prevents maintenance but also helps the bearings last a little longer.

The problem is when you don’t catch wheel bearing problems fast enough, and you don’t need to just replace the bearings; you need to deal with the damage the broken bearings caused as well.

The older style cone shaped bearings have a series of tapered rollers in a cage with a window for each roller to keep them evenly spaced while they ride between inner and outer races. But most modern sealed bearings have steel balls with inside and outside races.

The CoPilot app isn’t just for buying a car - our new CoPilot for Owning tool will help you keep track of recalls and gives you advice on which scheduled maintenance tasks are most important.

I have personally seen a Crown Victoria that was making a noise I would have sworn was coming from the left rear axle bearing, but after removing and inspecting that bearing (which is difficult on a rear wheel drive vehicle), I discovered that the noise was actually originating from the left front tire. And I had nearly 40 years of automotive experience at the time.

The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.

Wheel Bearingcost AutoZone

If you catch that your wheel bearing is starting to have trouble quickly, you might just be able to replace one or two of the bearings without needing to fix anything else inside your wheel hub.

Wheel bearingreplacement near me

For other wheel hubs and bearings, the replacement schedule is a little more variable and also depends on the kind of driving you do, in addition to how many miles you’ve driven.

Is your ABS light on, and you do not know what is causing it? A faulty wheel bearing can be a possibility. On some vehicles, the ABS sensor or encoder ring is integrated into the wheel hub and bearing assembly. As such, a failure of the wheel bearing can trigger the ABS light.

Screeching or rasping noises are two of the most common, but a loud rumble or grumbling sound can also be a sign that your wheel bearings are starting to do.

Mechanics will find a safe, empty, smooth paved road, then listen carefully to the noise while swerving gently from side to side – typically when you swerve to the right, you’re increasing the load on the left side bearings, and vice versa. And again, while this is a good practice, it’s easy to be fooled into replacing the wrong bearing, even using this method – that’s why some tire shops replace bearings in pairs. If you use this method and believe the noise is tire related, you can move the front tires to the rear and see if the noise changes.

One tricky thing about wheel bearing noise is that a bad tire can make almost exactly the same noise as a bad bearing; you don’t want to replace a wheel bearing for a noise concern when all you need is a new tire.

Depending on how quickly you’re able to get your wheel bearing replaced, there are two replacement costs you need to know about.

Also, by replacing a bad bearing early on, you can also save yourself a lot of money by avoiding possible major repairs.

Thank for pointing out that typo. The paragraph was supposed to read: Some front-wheel drive vehicles have wheel bearings of this type on the rear. We have updated the article.

Wheel bearings are in a hostile environment and are working very hard, but wheel bearings are very tough – they’re designed for the work they do. But product variability is a real thing, and again, some bearings fail while others never do.

Remember, the wheel bearing not only allows the wheel/tire assembly to rotate along with the hub the wheel is bolted to, the bearing also carries the weight of the vehicle and maintains the spinning wheel’s axis by keeping it in a straight line. A failed wheel bearing won’t usually allow the wheel to come off completely unless the bearing has become so hot that the axle or spindle is glowing red. Not only can this cause a fire in the wheel well area, the wheel and hub can separate from the vehicle and… well, finish the thought. Granted, this is a very extreme case of a wheel bearing failure, but wheel bearings that have lost their grease can get extremely hot.

Here’s what you need to know about what wheel bearings are, how much repairs cost, and the signs and symptoms that it might be time to get your wheels checked.

Fortunately, quick repairs or replacements usually help prevent excess damage and make it easier to get back on the road.

Wheel bearing noise coincides with the rotation of the tires. The sound typically increases with vehicle speed as well. In some instances, the noise may also change when you turn the steering wheel in one direction or the other.

There are different kinds of wheel bearings depending on the year model and the design of the vehicle. Older rear wheel drive vehicles had cone type wheel bearings on the front wheels that could be removed, inspected, and packed with grease, and reinstalled with new seals. Some front-wheel drive vehicles have wheel bearings of this type on the rear. In other words, if a vehicle has cone-type bearings that can be removed, inspected, and repacked, it will always be on the NON-driving wheels – the ones that don’t propel the vehicle. Trailer wheels often have bearings of this type.

Pro Tip: If a noise happens after the tires are rotated on a front wheel drive vehicle, it may be due to the wear pattern on the tires, so be aware of that, too.

The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.

Modern vehicles have sealed wheel bearings that cannot be disassembled without destroying the wheel bearing assembly in the process, and on vehicles with bearings like those, you only know a bearing is bad when it begins to make noise. That’s the earliest indication of a bad wheel bearing, and front wheel bearings (both on front wheel drive as well as rear wheel drive vehicles) are the most prone to fail on modern vehicles.

If you’re ready to start shopping for a used car and reliability is a priority for you, take a look at our list of the top 10 most reliable used sedans on the market today.

Wheel bearings support the weight of the vehicle and allow the wheel/tire assembly to rotate when you’re traveling down the road. All four of your car’s wheels have wheel bearings and they are designed to last the life of the vehicle. In fact, many vehicles will travel hundreds of thousands of miles/kilometers and never need a wheel bearing replacement, but others may need one or more wheel bearings replaced over their lifetime.