• sns01
  • sns02
  • Pinterest
  • sns03
  • linkedin1
English
customers

Apr . 26, 2024 10:26 Back to list

How Long Can You Drive On a Bad Wheel Bearing + Is it Safe?


A bad wheel bearing got you wondering, “How long can I drive?”
Ideally, you should avoid driving altogether.

These minor issues can become major problems, such as reduced stability and control, if left unchecked. Aside from potential safety hazards, these can also lead to costly repairs. 

But don’t panic.
We’ll explore the ins and outs of wheel bearings, including how long you can drive on a bad wheel bearing and the potential implications of ignoring it.

 

This Article Contains: 

  • How Long Can You Drive On a Bad Wheel Bearing?
  • Is it Safe to Drive With a Bad Wheel Bearing? 
  • How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Bad Wheel Bearing?
  • How to Tell Which Bearing Is Bad 
  • How to Replace Wheel Bearings (Step-By-Step)
  • 3 FAQs on Wheel Bearing 
    • What Is a Wheel Bearing and Why Is it Important?
    • How Can I Prevent Wheel Bearing Failure?
    • Can a Bad Wheel Bearing Affect Fuel Efficiency?

How Long Can You Drive On a Bad Wheel Bearing?

There’s no surefire way of determining how far you can drive on a bad wheel bearing since it depends on your driving style, the condition of the road, and many other factors. 

Typically, wheel bearings, composed of steel balls housed in a wheel hub assembly, should last between 5 and 10 years or about 100,000 miles.

However, they can fail prematurely, leading to uneven wear on your tires and brake pads and potentially unsafe driving conditions. A grinding noise or more looseness in the steering are two common signs your vehicle’s wheel bearing needs to be replaced by a qualified mechanic. 

Now that we’ve explored the lifespan of a failing wheel bearing, should you even consider driving with one? 

Is it Safe to Drive With a Bad Wheel Bearing?

There are several consequences to having a wheel bearing fail while driving, from mild to potentially life-threatening.

  • Noise increase: Wheel bearing noise sounds like a loud growling or grinding noise from the wheel or tire. A noisy wheel bearing is not only unpleasant to drive with but is often one of the first indications you have a wheel bearing issue.
  • Vibration or wobbling: A loose wheel bearing or one that’s deteriorating can cause a noticeable vibration or wobble in the steering wheel. You may notice it worsens when turning or accelerating.
  • Steering issues: Once the vehicle’s wheel bearing has failed, it can create steering problems or make it difficult to keep the car straight. 
  • Wheel lock: In extreme cases, the failed bearing can cause the wheel to seize while driving, making the vehicle difficult to control. 
  • Wheel detaches: In the worst-case scenario, a worn bearing can fail catastrophically to the point where it can’t support the wheel, causing it to separate from the vehicle. 

A faulty bearing can also damage other critical parts, such as the axle, wheel hub assembly, brake rotor, or brake pad. 

Bottom line: It’s crucial to have a damaged wheel bearing replaced as soon as it shows signs of wear.
With that, let’s see how much a replacement costs.

Share


Next：

Latest news

If you are interested in our products, you can choose to leave your information here, and we will be in touch with you shortly.


en_USEnglish
afAfrikaans sqAlbanian amAmharic arArabic hyArmenian azAzerbaijani euBasque belBelarusian bn_BDBengali bs_BABosnian bg_BGBulgarian caCatalan cebCebuano coCorsican hrCroatian cs_CZCzech da_DKDanish nl_NLDutch eoEsperanto etEstonian fiFinnish fr_FRFrench fyFrisian gl_ESGalician ka_GEGeorgian de_DEGerman elGreek guGujarati htHaitian Creole haHausa hawHawaiian he_ILHebrew hi_INHindi hmnMiao hu_HUHungarian is_ISIcelandic igIgbo id_IDIndonesian gaIrish it_ITItalian jaJapanese jvJavanese knKannada kkKazakh kmKhmer rwRwandese ko_KRKorean ckbKurdish kyKyrgyz loLao laLatin lvLatvian lt_LTLithuanian lbLuxembourgish mk_MKMacedonian mgMalgashi ms_MYMalay ml_INMalayalam mtMaltese miMaori mrMarathi mnMongolian my_MMMyanmar ne_NPNepali nb_NONorwegian nyNorwegian orOccitan psPashto fa_IRPersian pl_PLPolish pt_PTPortuguese pa_INPunjabi ro_RORomanian ru_RURussian smSamoan gdScottish Gaelic sr_RSSerbian stSesotho snShona sdSindhi si_LKSinhala sk_SKSlovak sl_SISlovenian soSomali es_ESSpanish suSundanese swSwahili sv_SESwedish tlTagalog tgTajik ta_INTamil tt_RUTatar teTelugu thThai tr_TRTurkish tkTurkmen ukUkrainian urUrdu ug_CNUighur uz_UZUzbek viVietnamese cyWelsh xhBantu yiYiddish yoYoruba zuZulu en_USEnglish