If you drive long enough, you’re bound to come across the term wheel bearing at some point. But the question is: “How long can you drive on a bad wheel bearing?”
You should not drive your car with a bad wheel bearing. Wheel bearing problems can be dangerous, therefore, it’s best to replace a bad wheel bearing immediately.
Here are a few things to consider about your wheel bearings and why ignoring them could lead to dire consequences, including expensive tow bills and damaged rims and tires. And how can you tell if it’s in need of repair?
How long can you drive on a bad wheel bearing?
Most people would never consider driving on a bad wheel bearing; it’s simply too dangerous. There are things to know about how long you can drive on a bad wheel bearing and what to do if your car starts exhibiting symptoms. To save yourself from a potentially serious accident, take note of these answers.
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Does it hurt to drive a car with a bad wheel bearing?
It does hurt to drive a car with a bad wheel bearing. Driveability issues are common symptoms of a problem with your wheel bearings. Wheel bearings keep your wheels turning, but they’re also what makes a lot of noise while you drive. If there’s too much play in one or both of your wheel bearings, you may notice a rumbling or grinding sound that comes from under your car whenever you’re driving on rough roads.
It might not be much, but it can drive you crazy. However, just because it doesn’t hurt to drive doesn’t mean that nothing is wrong: A bad wheel bearing will cause excess play in your wheels and could ruin them prematurely if left unaddressed for long enough.
How to stop wheel bearing noise?
Is your car’s wheel bearing making noise? This may be because of bad wheel bearings. Bad wheel bearings are easy to spot on modern cars because most of them have sound alerts built into the system that let you know if there’s anything wrong with your wheels when you start driving.
However, since these systems don’t exist in older cars, you’ll need to become familiar with the sounds that can indicate a bad wheel bearing, and how to fix it before it becomes a problem. Keep reading this article to learn more about how to stop wheel bearing noise by yourself!
What happens if you keep driving on a bad wheel bearing?
Don’t know what that means? It’s not your fault. I didn’t know either, until my car started making noise and it turned out I had bad wheel bearings. That meant only one thing: it was time to buy new wheels (and tires).
But how can you tell if your bearings are bad? And when should you get them replaced? What happens if you keep driving on a bad wheel bearing? Let’s find out.
How Can I Tell If My Car Has Problems With Its Bearings?
When you start noticing your car driving differently—feeling rougher, making more noise than usual, getting harder to turn—it may be time to take a look at your wheel bearings. How long can you drive on bad wheel bearings? That’s an important question, because ignoring them will only cause more damage.
If you hear weird noises coming from your wheels, or if you notice that it’s tough to steer or stop as well as it used to be, it could mean there’s something wrong with your tires. But before you get new tires or even change anything out at all (especially while you’re driving), check your car’s wheel bearings first. It could save you major time and money in repairs!
How long will a wheel bearing last once it starts making noise?
If you live in an area where there’s no winter weather to worry about, you might get lucky and end up with a noisy wheel bearing that lasts for several years. On average, though, it’s more common to hear a grinding or squealing sound from your vehicle and then find out weeks or months later that there’s significant damage to your bearings.
The simplest way to avoid driving on a bad wheel bearing? Make sure to get in tune with your senses so you can learn how long it takes before you hear loud noises coming from your car. You might be surprised by how quickly issues can crop up.
What Happens If You Drive With Damaged Wheel Bearings?
Unfortunately, nothing good. According to estimates from AAA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), up to 50 percent of vehicle accidents are caused by mechanical failure. A damaged wheel bearing could be at fault in many of those accidents. This makes it even more important to pay attention to any indication that your bearings need work: How does your steering feel? Is there more play than usual in your car’s movement?
Are you hearing odd sounds when you turn? It’s easy to brush off these signs as part of normal wear and tear, but ignoring them is a recipe for disaster—especially if you continue driving with a damaged wheel bearing on any road where traffic is moving quickly or conditions are slippery.
What Happens If You Fail To Diagnose And Repair A Damaged Wheel Bearing?
Failure to diagnose and repair a damaged wheel bearing can result in catastrophic damage to your vehicle. Without proper protection, your car or truck can develop uneven tire wear, steering and suspension issues and other problems that could cost thousands of dollars. To avoid these problems, schedule regular maintenance checks with your mechanic.
Call your car repair professional today; we’ll quickly diagnose your bad wheel bearing and replace it with an OEM unit if necessary. If we don’t find any signs of damage, we’ll still have you take care of it as soon as possible—before it does any harm.
What If I’m Already Driving On A Bad Wheel Bearing?
It might be tempting to say you’ll drive on an obviously bad wheel bearing—but you should avoid doing so. Sure, it might not fail today or tomorrow but that doesn’t mean it won’t fail at some point. For example, most wheel bearings can last up to 100,000 miles—which means that driving with a bad wheel bearing for just 10 years could potentially cost you tens of thousands of dollars in repairs.
The best way to ensure your safety and prevent costly damage? Replace your car’s wheel bearings as soon as they show signs of wear. If you do plan on driving with a bad wheel bearing (or already are), pay extra attention while behind the wheel.
Bad Wheel Bearing Symptoms
How can you tell if you have a bad wheel bearing? Bad wheel bearings are usually the result of age, wear and tear, or neglect. If your wheel bearings start making noise while you’re driving, that could be an indicator that they need to be replaced soon.
Another thing to watch out for is uneven tire wear; if one side of your tire has more wear than the other, it could be due to something like wheel misalignment or bad wheel bearings. This article lists several ways to determine whether your wheel bearings are bad and what kind of symptoms to look out for.
What happens if a wheel bearing fails?
When a wheel bearing fails, it could cause a lot of damage to your vehicle. First, you might notice a small shake in your steering wheel when you drive over bumpy roads. Second, you may see signs of tire wear on one side of your car—or on both sides if both bearings have failed.
Finally, and most dangerously, if a wheel bearing fails while you’re driving on a highway or at higher speeds, it could cause your wheel to lock up and fly off! That’s obviously something we don’t want to happen—so why do bearings fail? And how can we avoid them from failing in the first place? Here are some tips that will help
Are Cheap Wheels More Likely To Have Damaged Bearings?
If you’re driving on damaged wheels and don’t take your car in to get them checked, you could be at risk of facing a serious accident. Damaged wheel bearings may cause your tires to go flat or become stuck. If that happens while you’re driving, your steering will likely be severely impacted as well, which can lead to a car crash.
Damage can occur if your wheels are removed and replaced improperly—in fact, it’s one of the most common mistakes tire shops make.
How do you check for damaged wheel bearings?
The easiest way to check your wheel bearings is by shaking each tire while it’s off of your vehicle. If you hear any loose or rattling noises, it may be time to visit your local auto mechanic. A simple inspection of your brakes and/or suspension systems should reveal any major problems.
If you suspect that a damaged wheel bearing could be causing vibrations in your vehicle, bring it into see an auto mechanic immediately; ignoring damaged wheel bearings can lead to serious problems down the road. You can also go online and fill out our convenient contact form; we will contact you within 1 hour during business hours, Monday through Friday.
What Is A Wheel Bearing?
A wheel bearing is an essential component to your vehicle’s suspension and steering system. In short, it allows each wheel on your car to turn freely within its axle and rotate easily when you want to drive somewhere. Without a working wheel bearing, driving would be difficult at best; you couldn’t turn left or right without considerable effort and you’d have no control over how straight or curved your path was.
A bad wheel bearing can lead to many problems with your car, including extreme tire wear—which leads us back to that bad wheel bearing. If your car has trouble turning or feels as if it drifts while turning (or while going straight) there’s probably an issue with your wheel bearings.
