Same job at other shop types (everything else as set above): Independent shop (~$100/hr) $266–$482 · Chain shop / franchise (~$120/hr) $304–$545 (the headline above) · Dealership (~$175/hr) $410–$720. Each figure applies that shop type's hourly labor rate (market estimates, shown above) to the calculator's own hours and parts assumptions. It is modeled, not a quote.
Check a quote against these ranges
This sets your number beside published ranges and owner-written bills. It is not a verdict: ask the shop what the quote includes (parts grade, labor hours, fees, tax). It runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
How serious did it get for owners?
6% of the 275 complaints report a tow, the most common serious outcome; the other outcomes counted below are rarer, and an owner can file without mentioning one.
What it shows: Towed is the largest at 17, followed by Crash reported at 6; the smallest shown is Injury reported at 2.
Counts below are complaints filed with NHTSA, not failure rates: a longer bar means more owners reported it.
Is your car affected?
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
275 owner complaints name this part.
Owners most often describe "noise", in 37% of these complaints.
How fast were owners driving when it happened?
55 mph or faster is the largest group at 51%, out of 136 complaints.
Owners reported it most often at highway speed. Tell the shop what speed it happens at, because that narrows the diagnosis.
Which model years show up most in the complaints?
2015 is the most common model year in 275 complaints naming this part (26%); 3 model years account for 56%.
What it shows: 2015 is the largest at 72 (26%), followed by 2016 at 49 (18%); the smallest shown is 2025 at 7 (3%).
Which drive types show up most in complaints about this part?
Among 219 owner complaints about this part where the VIN identifies the vehicle, 31% involve vehicles with AWD/All-Wheel Drive, against 16% of complaints about all the parts we track.
What it shows: AWD/All-Wheel Drive is the largest at 31%, followed by 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 at 25%; the smallest shown is FWD/Front-Wheel Drive at 11%.
Has the replacement part I am buying been recalled?
NHTSA lists 8 equipment recalls that name wheel bearing since 2015 (suspension and steering), covering 13,835 items sold as parts rather than whole vehicles; the largest, by Saf-Holland in 2022, covered 7,040.
| Year | Maker and product | NHTSA component | Defect | Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Saf-Holland: Ulx40 | hub | certain ULX40 trailer axles, part number 1004300026950. | 7,040 |
| 2017 | Bearing Technologies Ltd: Edge | front hub | certain Duralast Wheel Spindles, part number DL930676K, sold as a service part for the front wheel hub. | 4,284 |
| 2017 | Ford Motor Company: Wheel Hub Bearing | hub | certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation. | 630 |
| 2015 | Timken Company: Escape | front wheel bearing | certain aftermarket front wheel bearings, part number 510072, sold from January 22, 2015, to May 21, 2015. | 576 |
| 2022 | Lippert: Axle Hub Assembly | multiple axle | certain hub assemblies produced for use in the Utility market, Brake Hub - 865H-5/8 part number: 243185. | 404 |
| 2017 | Timken Company: Rear Hub Unit Bearing | rear | certain Rear Hub Unit Bearings, part numbers HB5Z1104A and HA590446 sold by Timken for installation. | 400 |
| 2025 | Timken Company: Wheel Hub Bearing | hub | certain model TP1HUBA wheel hub bearings sold on or before December 31, 2024. | 370 |
| 2023 | Hendrickson Usa. L.L.C.: Composilite | linkages knuckle | certain COMPOSILITE EXS20 and SC20 Lift Axles. | 131 |
Has this part been recalled abroad on cars that may share it?
Manufacturers filed 12 foreign recall campaigns that name wheel bearing with NHTSA since 2015; the latest, from Toyota Motor Corporation in 2024-11. These are recalls abroad, and they apply to U.S. cars only if the same model is sold here.
| Filed | Manufacturer | Foreign recall no. | What the filing says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 283 | Description of Problem: The subject vehicles are equipped with a steering system that uses a lower universal joint (u-joint) with needle bearings to connect the intermediate steering shaft to the steering gear assembly (which controls the front wheels). |
| 2024-11 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 255 | Description of Problem: The subject vehicles drive the front wheels with two front-axle shafts. |
| 2024-09 | Ford Motor Company | 199 | Wheel bearing failure due to metal-to-metal contact due to lack of lubrication between small wheel bearing rollers and wheel bearing outer ri |
| 2020-08 | Mercedes-Benz - DBA Sprinter | 143 | The issue only concerns eSprinter vehicles with electric drive powertrain and front-wheel-drive (FWD) due to the specific drive system that is different to vehicles with combustion engine and rear drive sold produced for the US market. |
| 2023-03 | Mazda Motor. | 051 | If the vehicle continues to be operated in this condition, the lug nuts may loosen completely, causing the wheel to detach, leading to a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 2021-02 | Mercedes-Benz - DBA Sprinter | 036 | The issue only concerns EQV/eVito vehicles with electric drive powertrain and front-wheel-drive (FWD) due to the specific drive system that is different to vehicles with combustion engine and rear drive sold produced for the US market. |
If this part was recalled, is the repair free?
Federal law (49 U.S.C. 30120) requires a maker to fix a recalled defect without charge for cars first bought within 15 calendar years (tires within 5), and NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for parts matched to a wheel bearing replacement since model year 2015, covering about 856 vehicles.
| Rule or count | What it says |
|---|---|
| Age limits | The free-remedy duty does not apply to a car first bought more than 15 calendar years, or a tire first bought more than 5 calendar years, before the recall notice. |
| Failure to fix | A repair not done adequately within 60 days of presentation is prima facie evidence of failure to repair within a reasonable time; the maker must then replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price less depreciation. |
| Free remedy | A maker must fix a recall defect without charge. |
| NHTSA recalls matched to a wheel bearing replacement since model year 2015 | 7 recall campaigns covering about 856 vehicles |
Is it recalled or covered?
| Recall number | Vehicles | Cars recalled | What the recall says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17E-048 | Ford Explorer 2015–2017 | 630 | A loss of the wheel or wheel end can increase the risk of a crash. |
| 17V-651 | Mercedes-Benz Metris 2017 | 109 | The loss of a front wheel would increase the risk of a crash. |
| 24V-911 | Toyota RAV4 2024; Lexus NX 2025 | 70 | A damaged brake line can cause a brake fluid leak, reducing brake performance and increasing the distance required to stop the vehicle. |
| 21V-812 | Volkswagen Atlas 2021; Volkswagen Passat 2021; Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 2021 | 30 | The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 19V-879 | Volkswagen Jetta 2019; Volkswagen Golf Alltrack 2019; Volkswagen Golf 2019 | 8 | The excessive stress can cause steering, traction or other stability issues or breakage relating to the front wheels, and increase the risk of a crash. |
| 16V-649 | Maserati Ghibli 2015 | 7 | Wheel bearing failure may adversely affect vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 24V-909 | BMW X3 2025 | 2 | A loss of vehicle handling and control increases the risk of a crash. |
A bulletin is a repair procedure a maker sends its dealers, not a safety defect: if your maker is listed, ask the dealer whether one covers your car and quote its number.
| Maker | Vehicles | Bulletin number | Date | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge | Charger EV 2024–2027; Charger 2026–2027 | 02-007-26 | Aug 20, 2026 | Front Wheel Bearing Click Noise Issue Customers may comment on the following: SYMPTOM: Single or multiple clicking noises from the front wheels during static or very low speed steering maneuvers (left or right). |
| Lexus | ES Hybrid 2019–2022; ES350 2019–2022 and 1 more | L-TT-0321-22 | Nov 10, 2022 | TT: Confirm there is an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle, some customers describe the noise as a roaring type noise. |
| Chrysler | Pacifica 2020–2021; Voyager 2020–2021 | Y97 | Apr 14, 2022 | Customer satisfaction notification Y97 hub. |
| Audi | Q7 2017–2023; RS Q8 2020–2023 and 24 more | A402237202431811 | Mar 29, 2022 | This bulletin describes the proper procedure to address a clicking or clacking noise from the wheel. |
| Mazda | CX-3 2016–2021; Mazda2 2015–2021 and 7 more | SA-006-22 | Feb 28, 2022 | There have been warranty claims submitted for growling or bearing whine noise in differentials, transfer units and transmissions where the source of the noise was a wheel bearing. |
| Acura | RDX 2021 | BTI&11162021903 | Nov 16, 2021 | Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. |
45 more bulletins name this part; the car finder at the top checks yours, and the NHTSA bulletin file linked below lists them all.
What do owners say?
4 complaints quoted word for word, each with its NHTSA number.
Recommend replacing both rear wheel bearings due to noise while driving $2,249.
Within 55,000 miles I needed to replace both of my front wheel bearings, for an approximate cost of $1,000.
On february 25, 2020, I went through another multipoint inspection, and this time, the technician found both rear wheel bearings noisy and recommended replacing them for $1155.oo plus tax and my car had 69057 miles.
Dealership diagnosed faulty wheel bearing and replaced it under warranty on feb 13, 2017 at 22,600 miles.
Check your car
Our calculator's default estimate for one front wheel bearing is $304–$545, using a budget aftermarket part at a $120/hr shop. Three things move it most: the part grade, the shop's hourly rate, and how many bearings you replace.
What does the estimate cover, and what does it leave out?
The estimate is for one bearing on one front wheel: the part, the labor and nothing else. It assumes a budget aftermarket part and a $120/hr shop.
It leaves out sales tax, shop fees, a wheel alignment, and any part that failed alongside the bearing. Ask the shop to check the nearby suspension parts while the wheel is off, and to quote anything extra before it starts.
How do part grade, shop and number of bearings change the price?
Each row below changes one setting from the default and leaves the rest alone.
| Setting changed | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Default: 1 front bearing, budget aftermarket, $120/hr | $304–$545 |
| 1 rear bearing | $228–$431 |
| Quality aftermarket part (Timken, SKF, Moog) | $342–$697 |
| OEM or dealer original part | $431–$888 |
| Independent shop, about $100/hr | $266–$482 |
| Dealership, about $175/hr | $410–$720 |
| 2 front bearings (both sides, same axle) | $552–$995 |
| 4 bearings (all wheels) | $1,046–$1,896 |
The OEM part adds more than any other single change, and a dealership adds the next most. Ask whether your car uses a bolt-on hub assembly or a pressed-in bearing, because the second takes more shop time.
Frequently asked questions
Should I replace both bearings on the same axle?
Not automatically. Replace the bearing that is confirmed worn. If the other side is noisy or loose when the shop checks it, doing both in one visit saves a second labor charge, and the table shows the two-bearing price.
Can I keep driving on a noisy bearing?
Only to the shop. The noise means the bearing is wearing, and a failing one can damage the hub or let the wheel come loose.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- NHTSA owner complaint file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA recall file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA service bulletin file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA owner complaint files with VINs decoded by NHTSA vPIC data from 2025
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, Foreign Campaigns (filings under 49 CFR 579.11, public API) downloaded 2026-10-05
- 49 U.S.C. 30120 (Remedies for defects and noncompliance), text via Cornell Legal Information Institute; NHTSA recall campaigns data from 2026
Terms: US government data, public domain.
Observed: records as filed; owner reports are unverified and are not failure rates. Derived: computed from the records; an association, not a cause. Rule: a published legal rule, not a measurement; whether it covers a given repair depends on the car and the facts.
What is our own estimate
The price range comes from our calculator's formula. Its parts prices, labor hours per job and shop-rate tiers are CalcScrape estimates, not a published price dataset. Checked against RepairPal's range ($346–$504) on 2026-10-10: our default's midpoint is 0% below the middle of that range. Price evidence grade C: one outside published range; the hours and parts prices behind the estimate are CalcScrape assumptions and have not been checked against repair invoices. Methodology