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Suspension, steering, brakes and wheels

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

We have documented 51 faults with the wheel bearings in 51 cars. The most important by severity and frequency: insufficient tightening of the rear wheel hub (built December 2021) (Citroën C5 Aircross), rear brake discs poorly seated on the hub (early 2025 batch) (Citroën Jumpy III) and insufficient rear axle lubrication causing rear wheel bearing failure (Ford Transit).

Documented faults
51
11 of high or critical severity
Cars analysed
51
with at least one fault on this part
Affected models
51
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 severityOccasionalFrequency: 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 severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  3. 3Critical severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  4. 4Critical severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  5. 5Critical severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  6. 6Critical severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  7. 7High severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  8. 8High severityOccasionalFrequency: 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
  9. 9Medium severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  10. 10Medium severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  11. 11Medium severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  12. 12Medium severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  13. 13Medium severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  14. 14Medium severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  15. 15Medium severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  16. 16Medium severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  17. 17Medium severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  18. 18Critical severityRareFrequency: 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.
  19. 19Critical severityRareFrequency: 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.
  20. 20Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  21. 21Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  22. 22Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  23. 23Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  24. 24Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  25. 25Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  26. 26Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  27. 27Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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
  28. 28Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  29. 29Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  30. 30Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  31. 31Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  32. 32Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  33. 33Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  34. 34Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  35. 35Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  36. 36Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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).
  37. 37Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  38. 38Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  39. 39Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  40. 40Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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
  41. 41Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  42. 42Medium severityOccasionalFrequency: 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.
  43. 43High severityRareFrequency: 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
  44. 44Low severityCommonFrequency: 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.
  45. 45Medium severityRareFrequency: 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.
  46. 46Medium severityRareFrequency: 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
  47. 47Medium severityRareFrequency: 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.
  48. 48Medium severityRareFrequency: 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
  49. 49Medium severityRareFrequency: 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.
  50. 50Low severityOccasionalFrequency: 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).
  51. 51Low severityRareFrequency: 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.

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 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 Zafira Tourer C (recall over insufficient contact between the rear disc and the hub), Tesla Model Y (recall for possible breakage of the front wheel hub assembly (built 2020-2021)), Toyota ProAce II (rear brake discs with insufficient contact with the hub), Renault Twingo III (risk of a crack in the shock absorber and bearing noise from the front axle) and Volkswagen Passat B8 (badly manufactured wheel hubs). In total, 51 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, uneven tyre wear, wheel bearing hum, creaking or clicking when turning the steering wheel, vibration in the steering wheel or pedal when braking and rust or corrosion on the bodywork or underside.

Sources

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

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