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Suspension, steering, brakes and wheels

Problems with the wheel bearings: symptoms, cost and affected models

We have documented 67 faults with the wheel bearings in 67 cars. The most important by severity and frequency: insufficient tightening of the rear wheel hub (built December 2021) (Citroën C5 Aircross), faulty fixing of the front hub to the shock absorber: the wheel axle can break (2019 vehicles) (Citroën Jumper II and Peugeot Boxer III) and rear brake discs poorly seated on the hub (early 2025 batch) (Citroën Jumpy III).

Documented faults
67
19 of high or critical severity
Cars analysed
67
with at least one fault on this part
Affected models
67
car generations in our database
Garage repair
No data
No reliable published costs

2 sourcesHow we work

How it works and why it fails

Wheel bearings and hubs

Wheel bearings let the wheel turn on the hub with minimal friction. When they wear they produce a hum that increases with speed and changes when turning; if they fail completely, the wheel can end up with play.

What to do

If you hear a hum or a rumble that increases with speed and changes pitch in bends, have the bearings checked. Ignoring it can end up damaging the hub and, in extreme cases, the ABS sensor.

General explanation by MotorFiable. The specific faults of each engine and car, with their sources, are on the linked pages.

Common symptoms

The symptoms that come up most often in the documented faults with the wheel bearings. Open each one to see what other faults cause it.

Problems with the wheel bearings by car

Faults documented on specific cars, which occur with any engine. From most to least important.

  1. 1Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalCitroën C5 AircrossInsufficient tightening of the rear wheel hub (built December 2021)In March 2023 Citroën recalled C5 Aircross cars built in December 2021 because the rear wheel hub may not be tightened to the correct torque on the axle, which can make the wheel tilt noticeably.
  2. 2Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalCitroën Jumper IIFaulty fixing of the front hub to the shock absorber: the wheel axle can break (2019 vehicles)Yes: Citroën recalled Citroën Jumpers built between April and June 2019 because the wheel axle could be faulty and break, changing the behaviour of the steering and creating a risk of accident. The DVSA describes it as a fixing of the hub to the front shock absorber that might not meet specification.
  3. 3Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalCitroën Jumpy IIIRear brake discs poorly seated on the hub (early 2025 batch)A batch of Jumpy and Spacetourer built in late January and early February 2025 is covered by campaign GN5 because the rear brake discs do not sit firmly enough on the hub: the disc can crack, the wheel bolts can loosen and, in the worst case, the wheel can come off. The repair is free.
  4. 4Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalFord TransitInsufficient rear axle lubrication causing rear wheel bearing failureRecall 24S57 covers Transits built between 26 September 2023 and 29 April 2024: the rear axle may not be lubricated enough, which causes the wheel bearings to malfunction and can lock the rear wheels, with a loss of control.
  5. 5Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalOpel SignumRear hub bearing with incorrect hardening (2005 recall)In December 2005 Vauxhall (Opel) recalled 783 Signums in the UK because the hardening of the inner ring of the rear wheel bearing may have been incorrect: a dull noise could appear and, in extreme cases, the hub could come loose. The date stamped on the hub is checked and the assembly is replaced if necessary.
  6. 6Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalOpel Zafira Tourer CRecall over insufficient contact between the rear disc and the hubAccording to the fiches-auto.fr profile, recall KU9 deals with insufficient contact between the rear brake disc and the hub, with a risk of the wheel coming off. We have not been able to confirm it with another source.
  7. 7Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalPeugeot Boxer IIIFaulty fixing of the front hub to the shock absorber: the wheel axle can break (2019 vehicles)Yes: Peugeot recalled Peugeot Boxers built between April and June 2019 because the wheel axle could be faulty and break, changing the behaviour of the steering and creating a risk of accident. The DVSA describes it as a fixing of the hub to the front shock absorber that might not meet specification.
  8. 8Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalTesla Model YRecall for possible breakage of the front wheel hub assembly (built 2020-2021)In April 2022 Tesla recalled Model Y cars built between June 2020 and November 2021 over a possible failure of the front wheel hub assembly, with a risk of losing control of the vehicle.
  9. 9Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalToyota ProAce IIRear brake discs with insufficient contact with the hubToyota opened campaign CI25-036 for ProAce and ProAce Verso built between 24 January and 1 February 2025: the rear discs do not sit firmly enough on the hub and can crack, with a risk of the bolts loosening and the wheel coming off.
  10. 10High severityFrequency: OccasionalRenault Twingo IIIRisk of a crack in the shock absorber and bearing noise from the front axleYes: Renault recalled Twingo III cars built up to 24 March 2015 over the risk of a crack in the tube of a shock absorber; a French reliability guide adds complaints of bearing noise from the front axle between 2015 and 2016 in the same area.
  11. 11High severityFrequency: OccasionalSaab 9-3Rear wheel hub bearing with incorrect heat treatment in the inner raceIn January 2006, 571 Saab 9-3s were recalled because the hardening treatment of the inner race of the rear wheel bearing may have been incorrect, which could cause a rolling noise and, in extreme cases, the hub to detach.
  12. 12High severityFrequency: OccasionalVolkswagen Passat B8Badly manufactured wheel hubsAuto Express documents a Passat B8 recall over badly manufactured wheel hubs, which can cause noise and premature bearing wear.Repair: €0
  13. 13Medium severityFrequency: CommonCitroën C4 IWear of shock absorbers, ball joints and wheel bearings on the front axleIn a reliability survey with 573 responses on the Citroën C4 (2004-2010), the front shock absorbers, ball joints and wheel bearings add up to 89 cases, with knocking, vibration and uneven tyre wear as the most cited symptoms.
  14. 14Medium severityFrequency: CommonCitroën XsaraWear of the rear axle and its bearings on the Citroën XsaraThe rear axle is the most cited fault on the Xsara: around 90 mentions out of 495 owner reports on fiches-auto.fr, with uneven tyre wear, noises and a floaty rear end; the repair may require reconditioning the whole axle. No public recall is recorded.
  15. 15Medium severityFrequency: CommonFord C-Max IUneven tyre wear caused by wheel bearings and suspension geometryThe C-Max's weight puts heavy demands on the suspension: the wheel bearings become noisy with use and the alignment can drift over time, causing fast or uneven tyre wear.
  16. 16Medium severityFrequency: CommonFord Fiesta VWear of wheel bearings, shock absorbers, springs and ball joints in the running gearThe Fiesta V's wheel bearings, shock absorbers, springs and ball joints wear with use across the range, with noise that grows with speed and knocking from the ball joints, according to both sources consulted.
  17. 17Medium severityFrequency: CommonFord Focus IPremature wear of wheel bearings and anti-roll barsThe Focus I's wheel bearings and anti-roll bars wear out sooner than expected across the whole range: two independent sources point to it as one of the chassis's weak points, with increasing noise and poorer handling in corners.
  18. 18Medium severityFrequency: CommonFord Focus IIPremature wear of shock absorbers, suspension bushes and wheel bearingsThe Focus II's shock absorbers, suspension bushes and wheel bearings wear out sooner than expected: a 2021 German technical inspection report points to wheel bearings as a frequent finding on units from the final years of production.
  19. 19Medium severityFrequency: CommonFord Kuga IWheel bearing wearWheel bearings on the first-generation Kuga are cited as a weak point: rolling noise and play, sometimes at the rear axle and at low mileage, and the TÜV flags them as prone to wear.
  20. 20Medium severityFrequency: CommonOpel Vectra CNoisy front axle and fragile rear wheel bearingsThe Vectra C's front axle can become noisy and its subframe mounts can corrode over time; the German TÜV report adds that the springs and shock absorbers often wear, and fiches-auto.fr also documents that the rear wheel bearings are known to be fragile.
  21. 21Medium severityFrequency: CommonRenault Laguna IWear of the rear bearings, ball joints and suspension bushesAccording to the owner reports collected by fiches-auto.fr, the rear bearings wear early (rubbing) and the rear ball joints, drop links and bushes deteriorate, causing noises and imprecise handling. No official recall is on record.
  22. 22Medium severityFrequency: CommonToyota Yaris IIPremature wheel bearing wearSeveral owners describe wheel bearings that fail sooner than expected: 41 documented cases out of 277 reports on the second-generation Yaris, and one source even describes it as unusual for this type of part.
  23. 23Critical severityFrequency: RareCupra FormentorRear left wheel bearing housing may break (2023 recall)Yes: a Safety Gate alert from August 2023 covers Formentor built between 31 March and 20 April 2023, whose rear left wheel bearing housings could break prematurely and compromise stability.
  24. 24Critical severityFrequency: RareFiat 500Front wheel bearing that could come loose (2024 campaign)In 2024 Fiat opened a recall campaign (code 6687) to check the bearing of a front wheel that, on certain 500 units, could come loose. The source consulted does not specify the production period covered or the number of cars affected.
  25. 25Critical severityFrequency: RareMINI Countryman F60The front axle bearings can break (2018 batch)On units assembled between 26 April and 1 May 2018, the front axle bearings can break, causing the wheel to be lost control of while driving. MINI recalled these units in July 2018.
  26. 26Critical severityFrequency: RareNissan Micra VCracks in the front wheel hub (2018 recall)The European recall list records a recall from April 2018 on the 2017 Micra: cracks in the front hub could break it and cause the wheel to come off.
  27. 27Critical severityFrequency: RareOpel CrosslandRear hub fixing not tightened properly (2017-2018 campaigns)Gebrauchtwagenberater.de reports a campaign (18-C-022) covering a few Crossland Xs built on 15 September 2017 in which the rear hub fixing may not have been tightened properly and could release the wheel.
  28. 28Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalAbarth 500Wheel bearing wear and suspension play on the 500 Abarth-platformGebrauchtwagenberater.de says the Fiat 500's wheel bearings wear out early, sometimes around 60,000 km, and that the TÜV often rejects for axles, springs and shock absorbers; fiches-auto.fr records rear-end noises. These are Fiat 500 data, not Abarth.Appears at around 60,000 km
  29. 29Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalAudi A6 C7Premature wheel bearing wearAccording to testimonies collected by fiches-auto.fr, there are cases of wheel bearings replaced between 85,000 and 193,000 km on the A6 C7. You notice it as a hum that grows with speed.
  30. 30Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBMW Serie 1 F20Wear of shock absorbers and suspension bearingsWith mileage, the F20 can develop noises and wear in the rear suspension shock absorbers and bearings at around 100,000-110,000 km; the optional adaptive suspension is also expensive to repair if it fails, according to German and French sources.
  31. 31Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBMW Serie 3 E36Premature failure of the rear wheel bearingsRear wheel bearings feature among the faults in the accounts (7 out of 160 on fiches-auto.fr, with replacements from around 120,000 km), and in 1995 the DVSA recorded a campaign for 152 British 3 Series whose rear bearings may have been fitted without the correct preload.
  32. 32Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBMW Serie 3 E90Wear of shock absorbers, bushes and suspension bearingsWith mileage it is common for the E90 to need shock absorbers, bushes or suspension bearings: fiches-auto.fr places several cases between 150,000 and 170,000 km, and gebrauchtwagenberater.de cites German TÜV inspection data that flags springs and shock absorbers as a frequent point of attention.
  33. 33Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBMW X1 E84Noises and wear in the suspension, bushes and bearings of the X1 E84According to fiches-auto.fr, the suspension, bushes and bearings account for 23 mentions out of 315 reports on the X1 E84: creaks, premature tyre wear and bearing noise from around 170,000 km.
  34. 34Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalCitroën Berlingo IWear of the rear axle arm bearingsThe Citroën Berlingo I page and that of its twin cite wear of the rear axle arm bearings: knocking, the rear of the car sitting low and unevenly worn tyres. The Berlingo page has 21 reports.
  35. 35Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalFiat BravoFiat Bravo wheel bearing wear and driveshaft defectsAccording to the reports gathered by fiches-auto.fr, wheel bearings fail between 85,000 and 185,000 km (around €400 in one case) and defects of the front right driveshaft are cited (over €650). There is no official campaign.
  36. 36Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalFord FusionPremature wheel bearing wearAccording to fiches-auto.fr, 13 Fusion reports (out of 206) cite wheel bearings that are noisy or worn sooner than expected, with cases at 76,000 and 120,000 km and some associated ABS faults.
  37. 37Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalKia Picanto IIIRear wheel hub ABS sensor failing at low mileageSeveral Kia Picanto III owners (1.2 84 hp version) describe the ABS sensor built into a rear wheel hub failing between 36,000 and 55,000 km, with the ABS/ESP warning light on, according to fiches-auto.fr.Appears at around 36,000 km
  38. 38Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalMazda 6 IINoise and wear in the front suspension top mounts and bearingsThe TÜV report cited by gebrauchtwagenberater.de lists the suspension axle among the points that most often draw attention in German roadworthiness inspections; French owners document noises from the shock absorber top mounts and worn bearings.
  39. 39Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalMercedes-Benz Clase B W245Wear of front suspension springs and bearingsGerman technical inspection (TÜV) reports frequently cite the front suspension springs and wheel bearings of the B-Class W245 among the failure points, with growing rumbling noise and, occasionally, a broken spring.
  40. 40Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalMercedes-Benz Clase G W463Grease leaks from the steering knuckle seals and wheel bearings damaged by water ingressA German workshop explains that, with wear, the seals of the front axle steering knuckles let grease escape, which dirties the inside of the wheel and lets water in; the water ruins the bearing and the constant-velocity joint. The bearing play is set with a dial gauge, not simply tightened.
  41. 41Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalMINI Cooper F55Wear of wheel bearings and suspension bushes on the Mini F55According to the reports collected by fiches-auto.fr, some owners of this Mini have wheel bearings that grind in proportion to speed and wishbone bushes or shock absorber top mounts that need replacing. This is a source of owner reports, not a campaign or manufacturer data.
  42. 42Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalNissan Leaf INoise and premature wear of the front wheel bearingsThe Leaf I's front wheel bearings can develop play or become noisy earlier than usual, with a hum that increases with speed and is sometimes mistaken for tyre noise.
  43. 43Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalNissan Micra IIINoise from wheel bearings and CV jointsOn the Micra III, wheel bearings, CV joints and suspension parts such as bushes and shock absorbers can wear sooner than expected, with noise when turning and geometry that can affect tyre wear.
  44. 44Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalNissan Micra IVNoise and premature wear of the front and rear wheel bearingsThe fiches-auto.fr page records 13 reports of noisy wheel bearings on the front and rear axles, with failures between 22,000 and 80,000 km.
  45. 45Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalNissan X-Trail IPremature wear of the Nissan X-Trail wheel bearingsAccording to testimonies collected by fiches-auto.fr, wheel bearings are the most cited suspension fault on the X-Trail (15 cases), failing between roughly 90,000 and 300,000 km. There is no campaign or public bulletin.
  46. 46Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalNissan X-Trail IIPremature wear of Nissan X-Trail wheel bearingsAccording to owner reports collected by fiches-auto.fr, wheel bearings are the most frequently cited suspension fault on the X-Trail (15 cases), with failures between roughly 90,000 and 300,000 km. There is no recall or public bulletin.
  47. 47Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalOpel Corsa CEarly wear of wheel bearings, driveshaft boots and rear shock absorbersA German used-car guide points to wheel bearings, driveshaft boots (gaiters) and rear shock absorbers as common failure points on the Opel Corsa C at the technical inspection (TÜV/MOT).
  48. 48Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalPeugeot Partner IWear of the rear axle arm bearingsThe Peugeot Partner I page and that of its twin cite wear of the rear axle arm bearings: knocking, the rear of the car sitting low and unevenly worn tyres. The Berlingo page has 21 reports.
  49. 49Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalRenault Mégane IPremature wheel bearing wearAccording to the testimonies collected by fiches-auto.fr, the wheel bearings wear between 80,000 and 250,000 km and produce a rubbing noise that increases with speed. No official recall is recorded.
  50. 50Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalToyota Avensis T25Worn wheel bearings on the Toyota Avensis T25The reports on fiches-auto.fr record 20 cases of wheel bearing failure on the 2003-2009 Avensis, with failures between 130,000 and 170,000 km on the 2.0 D4D 116 hp and between 130,000 and 150,000 km (front) on the 2.2 D4D 150 hp.
  51. 51Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalToyota Corolla IXThe front wheel bearings wear out earlySeveral workshops and owners document premature wear of the Corolla E120's front wheel bearings, with a hum that grows with speed and that in some cases ends up affecting the ABS sensor readings.Appears at around 70,000 km
  52. 52Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalToyota Yaris IPremature wear and noise from the wheel bearingsSeveral owners describe wheel bearings that start making noise sooner than expected for this type of part: 18 documented cases out of 227 reports for the first-generation Yaris.
  53. 53Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalVolvo XC70 IIVolvo XC70 wheel bearings prone to wearGebrauchtwagenberater's article on the second-generation V70, of which the XC70 is the crossover version, states that the wheel bearings wear easily and have to be replaced more often than normal. It gives no mileage or cost.
  54. 54High severityFrequency: RareAudi Q2Rear wheel hub with a manufacturing defect (August 2017 cars)In November 2017, Audi recalled 30 Q2 cars (and A3s of the time) built in August that year because a defect in the rear wheel hub could end up causing the wheel to come off.Repair: €0
  55. 55High severityFrequency: RarePeugeot 107Wheel hub wheel-fixing thread badly machined (2009 production)Gebrauchtwagenberater records a KBA recall for a badly machined thread in the hub, which did not guarantee the torque of the wheel bolts; it affected around 58 cars from 2009.
  56. 56Low severityFrequency: CommonVolkswagen Golf VSuspension arm bushes and front bearings wear earlier than expectedYes: the front suspension arm bushes ("Querlenkerbuchsen") and the wheel bearings have to be replaced more often than usual, according to gebrauchtwagenberater.de; the fiches-auto.fr testimonies confirm the same pattern with noises and wear on the front axle.
  57. 57Medium severityFrequency: RareAudi A5 IWheel bearing wearAccording to testimonies collected by fiches-auto.fr, 9 A5 8T owners replaced wheel bearings, typically between 80,000 and 170,000 km. It shows as a growing hum.
  58. 58Medium severityFrequency: RareBMW X3 F25Premature wear of the wheel bearingsAccording to reports collected by fiches-auto.fr, some X3 F25s have needed their wheel bearings replaced, even the rear ones at 30,000 km, with a hum that increases with speed. There are few cases.Appears at around 30,000 km
  59. 59Medium severityFrequency: RareHonda CR-V IVPremature wear of wheel bearingsAccording to gebrauchtwagenberater.de, wheel bearings are a typical weak point of the CR-V IV and can fail early, even at low mileage; the source gives no figures.
  60. 60Medium severityFrequency: RareRenault Koleos IIWorn bushes and bearings causing vibrationsAccording to testimonials collected by fiches-auto.fr, 6 Koleos II owners cite vibrations from worn bearings or bushes, and one case of play in a steering ball joint at only 16,800 km. There is no official campaign.
  61. 61Medium severityFrequency: RareŠkoda YetiPremature wear of the Škoda Yeti shock absorbers and wheel bearingsOwners cite shock absorbers replaced at 22,000 and 34,000 km and front bearings at around 40,000 km, plus a broken front spring. The entry groups about 6 cases, with no official campaign.Appears at around 22,000 km
  62. 62Medium severityFrequency: RareVolkswagen Scirocco IIIUneven rear tyre wear and wheel bearing wear on the Volkswagen SciroccoThe sheet records 4 bearing failures and 3 damping failures, as well as uneven rear tyre wear attributed to geometry and worn bushes, with one case at 169,000 km.
  63. 63Low severityFrequency: OccasionalHyundai i30 IWheel bearings that do not last longGebrauchtwagenberater.de warns that the i30 FD wheel bearings do not last long and should be replaced more often; fiches-auto.fr backs this up with 7 testimonies out of 211.
  64. 64Low severityFrequency: OccasionalMazda CX-5 INoises and wear in the front suspension ball joints, bearings and shock absorbersWith use, some first-generation CX-5s develop knocking or humming noises from the front end, attributed to wear in bearings, shock absorbers and ball joints; a German used-car guide confirms that the suspension and front axle joints are among the usual reasons for failure in the German inspection (TÜV).
  65. 65Low severityFrequency: OccasionalRenault Twingo IWheel bearings and front axle on the Twingo IThe front wheel bearings of the Twingo I become noisy and need replacing before 100,000 km, especially if the car hits kerbs or runs quickly over potholes; the front axle also needs attention at the 5 and 7-year checks.
  66. 66Low severityFrequency: OccasionalVolkswagen Golf PlusWear on bearings, suspension bushes and dampersFiches-auto says the bearings, dampers and suspension bushes on the Golf Plus can cause noise, vibration and uneven tyre wear, because the car is heavier than a standard Golf.
  67. 67Low severityFrequency: RareBMW X4 F26Rear suspension noise and damaged rear wheel bearingTwo reports on fiches-auto.fr: a rubbing noise from the rear suspension at 23,000 km, which required replacing a shock absorber and spring cup, and a rear wheel bearing failure at 136,000 km.

Wheel bearings and hubs: compare prices in shops

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Problems with the wheel bearings by make

How much it costs to repair a fault with the wheel bearings

Sorted from the most expensive repair to the cheapest. Prices in Spain including VAT (parts and labour); what each figure includes is on its page.

How we calculate costs · The most expensive repairs across all engines

Frequently asked questions

Which cars have problems with the wheel bearings?

Among those we have analysed: Citroën C5 Aircross (insufficient tightening of the rear wheel hub (built December 2021)), Citroën Jumper II (faulty fixing of the front hub to the shock absorber: the wheel axle can break (2019 vehicles)), Citroën Jumpy III (rear brake discs poorly seated on the hub (early 2025 batch)), Ford Transit (insufficient rear axle lubrication causing rear wheel bearing failure), Opel Signum (rear hub bearing with incorrect hardening (2005 recall)), Opel Zafira Tourer C (recall over insufficient contact between the rear disc and the hub), Peugeot Boxer III (faulty fixing of the front hub to the shock absorber: the wheel axle can break (2019 vehicles)) and Tesla Model Y (recall for possible breakage of the front wheel hub assembly (built 2020-2021)). In total, 67 cars with documented faults with the wheel bearings.

How much does it cost to repair a fault with the wheel bearings?

It depends a lot on the engine or car. At a dealer, from €0 to €0, including VAT, based on the 2 faults with a documented cost. The most expensive is badly manufactured wheel hubs (Volkswagen Passat B8).

What symptoms does a fault with the wheel bearings cause?

The most frequently cited in the documented faults: knocks or creaks from the suspension over bumps, creaking or clicking when turning the steering wheel, uneven tyre wear, wheel bearing hum, abnormal vibrations or unstable idle and vibration in the steering wheel or pedal when braking.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

  1. Used Volkswagen Passat (Mk8, 2014-2021) review and buyer's guideAuto Express · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026
  2. Used Audi Q2 reviewAuto Express · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026