How long should replaced wheel bearings last?

Lizzyste

Hi

I wonder if anybody can help. I have got a Seat Ibiza T Reg. My car has just failed its MOT with wheel bearing problems. My car failed on exactly the same thing last year and I paid £80 to have them replaced. Firstly, I am wondering if they should need fixing again so soon and secondly, if I have paid to have them replaced last year how long would this work be expected to last and should it have been guaranteed?

scheming_gypsy

guaranteeing bearings is like guaranteeing brake pads; it's a wear and tear item.

How many miles have you done since having them replaced

s_b

front or rear i would ask first

jim22

Another thing i would have to ask is were the bearings actually replaced. I say this because last year a 96 fiesta I had at the time failed on a whole host of things including front passenger side spring. Looking at the vosa website it failed on that problem the previous year. Could a brand new spring rust and snap clean in half in a year. Doubt it!

Were you aware of the bearing problem before the previous mot. Did any whistling sound go away after repair?

scheming_gypsy

s_b wrote: »

front or rear i would ask first

yeah, i meant to type that as well :whistle:

Rolandtheroadie

jim22 wrote: »

Could a brand new spring rust and snap clean in half in a year. Doubt it!

Was it a new spring that was fitted?

jim22

scotsman4th wrote: »

Was it a new spring that was fitted?

Well, it could have been a scrapyard job, I suppose. most garages I know will not use used parts, did the owner fit, could be. Bear in mind that this fiesta could only pass with £1000 of repairs. Obviously, it went for scrap. Have to say though it was the best car for driving I've had.

vaio

My car is about the same age as yours, has over 200k on it and still has one original wheel bearing (OSR) which is just starting to get noisy. The other rear one has been changed once and the front ones have been changed twice (or maybe three times).


I’d certainly expect them to last years unless you re doing mega miles.

paddedjohn

if its the rear wheel bearing then maybe it only needs adjusting or if it is goosed then it was probably overtightened last year.

hareng

Usually if they fail it its due to the bearings feeling notchy. They just usually warn you to nip them up otherwise.

Last car from new 137K no wheel bearings replaced and it had a hard life, now lives in scrap yard.

garethgas

First of all, I'm not a mechanic.
Wheel bearings should last years or lots of miles. My car has 125,000 miles on it and no bearing noise whatsoever. I'm sure there a lots of other similar examples too.
However, at £80 for replacement, it sounds like a DIY job to me. Can OP confirm or possibly shed more light on this?