GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I have a howl in my 03 base awd vibe. I talked to my mechanic and described that it comes from the back and when I unload the left (turn left) it gets quieter and when I load the left side (turn right) it gets louder. He is 99.9% sure it's the left rear wheel bearing. When we have the car up on a jack there really isn't any movement on either the left or right rear tires. The non-stop howling is driving me nuts. Any thoughts? He also said that it should be a fairly easy fix if I can find a reference or manual. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 03 AWD base vibe automatic

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me... Can't say much about the manual though... I have a copy of it somewhere, but, i've misplaced it.. If you search here, there is a link to MO.com and to a thread that has a link to the service manual, you can download it free... You don't feel any play in the bearing, because it's got a driveshaft running through it.. it's a wide bearing as well.. If it were a non-AWD model, you might feel something, but most often you won't on an AWD model for the reasons above.. (i'm a subaru guy, same thing)

for what it's worth, I have the same symptoms, except the noise stayed with the tire when I rotated them. Turns out one tire is cupped. Hopefully your mechanic checked for that, or duplicated the nose with the tire off the ground.Rear bearing isn't as easy on AWD as it is on FWD Vibes, like Sublimaru said, you can download the full Matrix manual from that other site, it applies to Vibes as well, but in the mean time, here is the procedure to pull the rear axle, some of it must be required to change the bearing. Steps 34 and 35 have some tests to check the rear wheel bearing.

Attached files x040001.pdf (165.5 KB) 

Geez, Joatmon sorry to have left this little piece of info out. My tires were getting pretty old. Just had new tires put on two days ago. I thought maybe my tires were making the noise. I was so hoping the noise would go away. The tire salesman said that I bought the quietest, best riding tires they had. The noise was still there, which led to my post. Your attachment looks like exactly what I need to give my mechanic. Many, Many thanks to you and sublimewind.

You are welcome... I should have said Vibe'aru guy though, cause I DO drive a vibe... and also a subaru... lol... I forget this from time to time.. lol..

I had a left rear wheel go bad somewhere around 80k to 85k miles (2003 Vibe AWD). It sounds awful. You should get it fixed soon before it locks up on you. That would be an ugly situation.

Hey Brent. Did you go to the dealer. I couldn't find one at a parts store. Finally found one online by Timken, $155 free ground. The dealer wanted $340 plus shipping. Should be here next week. Anyone here deal with Timken or heard anything, good or bad about them?

timmys are very well known.

Try Napa Auto Parts. The prices look at lot better. This link should have information for wheel bearings from Napa http://www.napaonline.com/Mast...tId=9

can't find anything on napa related to awd apps.

OK, I did find one on Autozone.com for a 2003 Vibe AWD, rear wheel bearing. It is made by Timken and lists at $239. I know Timken is the brand you mentioned before. They list the part number HA590002. http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/ also lists the part for $154. Check with your local parts supplier with that part number. It might be a little cheaper if you avoid having to pay shipping charges

thanks Brent. ordered from autopartswarehouse yesterday.

Has anyone on genvibe done one of these on a awd. The fwd rear looks easy. I just can't believe you have to take the whole suspension apart for this. It looks like you could loosen the four bolts, which you can reach, and the hub and bearing would come right off the front. If someone can see something in the manual I am missing please post. It calls for a new dust deflector, but is it really critical if you don't take the old one off, by removing everything from the front? Yes I am trying to save a lot of work and probably an alignment also. But I can't see why just can't pull it from the front after those four bolts are out.

there is no way around the new alignment.I haven't had to replace the hub yet but I have had the suspention apart many times LOL You might be able to skirt some of it. But the directions are there for the maximum amount of billable time LOL

Had dealer replace both rear wheel bearing assys (and differential seals) @ 80K on our 2004 AWD Vibe. Had a parking lot discussion with a woman who suffered this same fate at 75K on her 2004 AWD. She related that a coworker had the same problem at 78K on his AWD. Anyone know how common this problem is? Dealer maintains that ours is the first one they've seen (as if?). Now at 96K miles the problem has returned.

Can't say if it relates or not, but my 99' AWD subaru had both rear wheel bearing done by 90kmi.. The point here is, when the bearing where replaced, they where retrofitted with a better design.. I wonder if the Vibe might have the same issue and weather or not the bearing design is updated or if the same bearing is being used... one that might fail again in 90kmi..

Quote, originally posted by Sublimewind »Can't say if it relates or not, but my 99' AWD subaru had both rear wheel bearing done by 90kmi.. The point here is, when the bearing where replaced, they where retrofitted with a better design.. I wonder if the Vibe might have the same issue and weather or not the bearing design is updated or if the same bearing is being used... one that might fail again in 90kmi.. Subaru also has issues with wheel bearings; it is a known fact.

My 03 AWD Vibe had it's left rear bearing go at about 160000 miles and the other ones near end of life two. My guy at the garage found me a part in NYC somewhere pretty cheap. GM wanted $340! Don't think he had to do an alignment though. At least he didn't charge me for one. Sound so much better now!

hello, did that HA00059 hub turn out to be the right one? I have a 2006 AWD w/ABS , just received the HA00059 hub today, but I don't see any sign of a sensor in that hub for the ABS...thanks for any info you can send my way...

I called Rockauto on the lack of a speed sensor on that hub, and they called Timken, who told them that the speed sensor was not part of the hub on my car, but instead was mounted in the rear susoension knuckle, and rec'd it's signal from the half-shaft...so the HA000059 hub might be the right one for my 2006 AWD w/ABS car after all...I'll be bringing the part to my garage to have it installed...the saga continues...

ok, the HA000059 hub is installed and working fine...