Bad Wheel Bearing!

[djkeev]

Ok, It took 3 years and 75,000 miles to break my Vibe! The perfect performance streak is over.My 07 is spending the night at the "Pontiac" dealer. First time it has entered the shop since it rolled off the dealers lot as my new car. It came with an extended 100,000 mile bumper to bumper so this isn't costing me a dime!!For about 2 weeks I had a constant "whirring" sound at any speed above 40 MPH. It set up a constant drone as you drove. I noticed last week that it changed in pitch if I swerved left and right while the noise was happening which is a classic and a major indicator of a wheel bearing. To be sure, I rotated the tires around and the noise was the same.It has gotten louder and louder as the miles went by so I stopped by my dealer just to see if it was covered.They were almost excited to see me, pulled the car in, checked it out and sure enough, bad "hub" and said they'd have the part first thing in the morning and fix it ASAP......sweet!I usually do ALL my own work and actually am a tad uncomfortable with other's working on my car but for free....... I'll put up with my mechanical OCD this time!Dave

[star_deceiver]

Quote, originally posted by djkeev »free. Ah, that 4 letter word!!!

[djkeev]

Car is back, noise is gone, bill total...... $0.00Now, I hope the LF goes bad before the warranty goes out!!Dave

[Bedlam]

glad they got you fixed up under warranty. My RF wheel bearing went out on my 07 5spd at 103k miles. I was a little annoyed at it's poor timing. I would have loved a free fix there.

[West Coast Viber]

My car (05 model, manual trans, w/68K miles) has been making a humming noise too. I noticed it maybe a couple thousand miles ago and starting around 35mph and gets louder when I reach hwy speeds. The sound resembles a lifted 4 wheel drive truck w/ swamp tires, maybe not that bad, but it seems to come from the bottom or maybe the front and if I want to hear the radio I really have to turn it up. I don't notice a change in pitch when turning. Q: Is that like turning as in changing lanes on the highway or like going through cones on a slalom course to find out if bearings?Q: any other test that might tell me if it's the bearings?I should point out that I thought the sound might be from my older tires that I found out on tirerack dot com and here and confirmed by my "tire guy" that they (Fuzion's) have a reputation for being noisy - even if they don't have many miles on them (about 37,500 over 4 years) (stock set-up other then ordered wider tires then the stock ones 205/55/16)Thanks

[Waxler6942]

I had to do my passanger side on my 03 around 100,000. I decided to get both done. I shortly after did the struts all the way around and the tie rod on the passanger side.

[star_deceiver]

Quote, originally posted by West Coast Viber »Q: any other test that might tell me if it's the bearings?Jack the tire off the ground and grab it at 6 & 12 and try to rock it back and forth. If there's play then the wheel bearings on it's way out.

[djkeev]

Quote, originally posted by West Coast Viber »My car (05 model, manual trans, w/68K miles) has been making a humming noise too. I noticed it maybe a couple thousand miles ago and starting around 35mph and gets louder when I reach hwy speeds. The sound resembles a lifted 4 wheel drive truck w/ swamp tires, maybe not that bad, but it seems to come from the bottom or maybe the front and if I want to hear the radio I really have to turn it up. I don't notice a change in pitch when turning. Q: Is that like turning as in changing lanes on the highway or like going through cones on a slalom course to find out if bearings?Q: any other test that might tell me if it's the bearings?I should point out that I thought the sound might be from my older tires that I found out on tirerack dot com and here and confirmed by my "tire guy" that they (Fuzion's) have a reputation for being noisy - even if they don't have many miles on them (about 37,500 over 4 years) (stock set-up other then ordered wider tires then the stock ones 205/55/16)ThanksThe noise you describe is very much how I would say mine sounded. It was unusual for I've heard many bad wheel bearing over the years and this one is somehow different. Yeah, just warn you passenger and swerve left and right like you would around an obstacle in the road while listening carefully. The noise will change in one direction but maintain it's rhythm going the other way.I cross rotated my tires (switched them left/right as well as front to rear ) to change their noise pattern characteristics. It changed nothing which verified to me my bearing was shot. One really shouldn't cross rotate radials so I'll probably put them back on the side they belong on.Dave

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by star_deceiver »Jack the tire off the ground and grab it at 6 & 12 and try to rock it back and forth. If there's play then the wheel bearings on it's way out.Only works if the bearing is REALLY bad... these bearing are almost 2" wide, so feeling any sort of slack is rather difficult..

[star_deceiver]

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »Only works if the bearing is REALLY bad... these bearing are almost 2" wide, so feeling any sort of slack is rather difficult.. Friends moms 93 Chrysler Dynasty has much play in both rear wheel bearings... Quiet as a mouse though.

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by star_deceiver »Friends moms 93 Chrysler Dynasty has much play in both rear wheel bearings... Quiet as a mouse though.And?Apples to Oranges mang..

[star_deceiver]

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »Apples to Oranges mang.. Yup, same problem with diffrent diagnosis...