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Subaru Legacy/Outback Wheel bearing failure

2

Comments

  • agent86agent86 Member Posts: 9
    If you have had a wheel bearing failure on a Subaru. Please report it to the National Safety and Traffic Administration at
    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/index.cfm

    I suspect Subaru has a manufacturer defect that is causing the bearings to fail prematurely. My legacy bearings failed at 68,000 miles
  • agent86agent86 Member Posts: 9
    Hello, anyone know what is the expected life of sealed wheel bearings on a subaru?
    My front ones failed at 68,000 miles and seems to be too early.
    Thanks...
  • erik9erik9 Member Posts: 25
    You are one of the lucky my 07 forester bearings failed almost immediately..Ultimately the car was a lemon buyback..Read all my past posts..

    Good luck! :lemon:
  • agent86agent86 Member Posts: 9
    If you have had a wheel bearing failure on a Subaru. Please report it to the National Safety and Traffic Administration at

    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/index.cfm

    I suspect Subaru has a manufacturer defect that is causing the bearings to fail prematurely. My 2001 legacy bearings failed at 68,000 miles
  • andy_mclandy_mcl Member Posts: 1
    Just had a bearing (RHR - remember we are on the other side of the road!) replaced on a 2004 Outback at 107,000 kms (about 67,000 miles) and was a bit surprised. As others have said, I've never had a wheel bearing fail before and I've had a lot of vehicles older and with more mileage than this one. I've seen some posts indicating SoA is extending the warranty on wheel bearings in the US.
    Is this correct as Subaru Australia deny that there is a bearing problem?
    The dealer tried to tell me that I probably hit a very large pot hole on the road somewhere but I think that's just smoke. just wondering when the other one is going to fail now!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Only the 05 Legacies rear bearings (that may be your 04 though) got the warranty extension.

    Have you driven through water that came over the hub, that is also a way for them to fail.

    -mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I had two rear ones replaced, under warranty, no questions asked. Fitzgerald Subaru - I recommend them.

    Bearings on our Mazda 626 failed and cost us a bundle.

    So I had the opposite experience - Subaru took care of us, Mazda charged us a bundle.
  • ethaskellethaskell Member Posts: 10
    At 15,000 miles had the left front wheel bearing replaced on my 2006 legacy Outback. A surprise as I never had "any" issues with the '97 Ford Explorer it replaced. Thought it a fluke.

    Today, at 32,050 miles, I am having both rear wheel bearings replaced; both jobs on warranty. Very dissapointed. Have also had Chevy, Chrysler, and Porsche products with no significant issues. "93 Ford work truck still hasn't fallen apart.

    Your collective posting suggest that what I believed to be an exceptionally reliable may pose to many problems in future. Is it time to explore Toyota & Honda? I need a pretty much go any where any time vehicle.
  • agent86agent86 Member Posts: 9
    Please enter your wheel bearing failures with the national highway and transportation agency. If they get enough premature wheel bearing failures, they may ask Subaru to recall the vehicles because of a manufacturer defect. My front bearings failed at 60,000 miles and sealed bearings should last around 120,000 miles.
    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The rear wheel bearings are a known issue on the 05/06 Legacies. They are covering the warranty to 100k miles on them.

    -mike
  • agent86agent86 Member Posts: 9
    Unfortunately, my failure occurred on 2001 subaru legacy so I had to pay out of my pocket. I suspect the 2001-2006 all had similar problems with wheel bearings so please report to subaru and NHTSA. Hopefully, with enough complaints subaru will recall more models.
    Thanks.....
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Wait you are complaining about a wheel bearing issue on a car that is 7 years old????

    Jeez, you guys have some high standards.

    -mike
  • agent86agent86 Member Posts: 9
    As I said before, according to my local independent mechanic, sealed bearings are suppose to last on the avg, 120k miles and replacing them aint cheap, like $800 a pair. I hope the rears ones make it to 120k.
  • ross25ross25 Member Posts: 1
    I have an 1996 Australian Outback with @ 120,000 miles (192,000K) on it and no bearing problems (touch wood!!!).

    But my 2003 Impreza had a RHR bearing fail at 57,000 miles. It was replaced under 2nd hand warranty by a Subaru trained mechanic at a Mazda dealer. It lasted about 2,500 miles before it failed. It was replaced and failed before it even left the workshop and then they found the LHR bearing was also failing and had to replace it as well. I am now another 2,500 miles later and have my fingers crossed.

    I spoke to my local Subaru specialist (who Subaru Australia threatened legal action to remove 'Subaru" from his business name) and he advised he uses older model bearings now as they fail less often than the new ones. I suspect they may be aftermarket bearings as well. Go figure.

    Ross
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I don't think mine failed prematurely, they lasted a lot longer than the wheel bearings on our 626, for instance.
  • britbikerbritbiker Member Posts: 5
    242,000 miles still goes like a bat leaving the hot place, leaks more eng. oil from rear crank seal and front camshaft seals than it burns, BUT the Transmission.....
    Nothing happens when R is selected. No drive. Fluid is clean and up to level; no warning lights or error codes in the TCU. Change up 1 to 2 is a bit harsh when the fluid is cold but otherwise the transmission behaves normally..BUT
    The FWD and RWD have always fought it out in low speed, tight turns forward or reverse. I have the second failure(first was about 100,000 miles ago) of the rear drive adaptor in the auto box rear extension housing. It is an adaptor welded onto a machined gear-wheel that takes the drive out of the back of the auto box to the prop. shaft. The weld fails under highway driving conditions so how Subaru gets it to stay together for their rally cars I do not know, unless they have a trick, one-piece machined item, if so it should be going in all their cars unless it is designed to be the weak link??
    Anyone ever come across this before /are these problems linked/can I fix the reverse drive problem? (I can restore the AWD by installing a new adaptor/gear unit in the back of the 'box.) :sick:
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    As I said before, according to my local independent mechanic, sealed bearings are suppose to last on the avg, 120k miles and replacing them aint cheap, like $800 a pair. I hope the rears ones make it to 120k.

    $800 a pair is a bit stiff. I think most dealers I know charge about $200-250 and it's a $30-50 part. They don't need to be replaced in pairs either. I agree 120k miles is about right, but lots of factors can effect the lifespan, most noteably, going through puddles that are above the bottom of the bearing line. This unfortunately will cause accelerated failure because the hot bearings draw in water when you drive through a puddle (that submerses the seal) and will begin to breakdown your bearings.

    -mike
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I would pickup a used '95 trans. It would me much less expensive than trying to fix what you have. This would also fix the issue of the fighting center clutch packs.

    I believe that is built that way to snap to prevent internal damage to the diffy/trans. Their rally cars bear almost no resemblence to street driven cars. :)

    -mike
  • jk764jk764 Member Posts: 17
    I have a 2005 Outback - 30,000 miles. When I drive over 40 mph the car is really loud. I think I have bad rear bearings.

    Here is the issue: the lease is up. Residual is $13k. I'd like to buy the car because it is otherwise in fantastic shape (garaged / only 30k miles). Do I negotiate for a lower buy-out cost and have them replace the bearings? Is the buy-out cost even negotiable?

    Or do I just trade it in. Please help!
  • britbikerbritbiker Member Posts: 5
    Thanks Mike. I have got myself a low mileage trans from a wrecker. What troubles me is that this is the second, similar failure; the original trans did 140,000 miles before the rear drive adaptor sheared; the used replacement trans has managed 150, 000 miles before the rear drive adaptor failed and reverse gear failed. It seems that :( Subaru transmissions are a liability after 150, 000 miles, in contrast to the rest of the vehicle.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The 05 Outbacks/Legacies have a known issue with the rear bearings, you should have gotten a notice saying that the warranty on the rear wheel bearings is extended to 100k miles. Get em replaced for free.

    -mike
  • ethaskellethaskell Member Posts: 10
    Please excuse lack of message in post 73, cat and I fighting for keyboard. Have just over 32,00 on factory tires on my '06 Outback, looking for recommendation for replacements. Drive on streets, freeway, dirt, sand, rock, ice, snow, and what ever. Looking for best compromise for this type of use. Anyone have a recommendation? Thanks, eth.
  • ethaskellethaskell Member Posts: 10
    Make that 32,000 miles. Anyone want a cat? eth
  • caliberchiccaliberchic Member Posts: 402
    I fixed the blank post but sorry can't help you with your cat troubles. :P
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    They should be under the standard warranty anyway, just replace them.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,788
    Regarding wheel bearings and transmission issues:

    I had zero problems the transmission or wheel bearings on a '96 Outback with 220,000 miles. I did not baby it, either, though I did maintain it well. I towed vehicles twice its weight, sometimes up slippery drives, pulled stumps, extracted countless vehicles from ditches.... That car was worked.

    I had to deal with some seal/gasket issues on the engine a couple times, but all in all it was a good car. I guess the wheel bearing design became less reliable over time - there's nothing like leaving a good thing alone. :P

    As for that transmission, I just have to wonder if it was something else not working properly and the sheared part in the transaxle was merely the symptom. Put undue stress on something long enough, it is going to break.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • britbikerbritbiker Member Posts: 5
    I have had one front wheel bearing let go in 244,000 miles on my 95 Legacy, and that was due to water ingress after driving through winter floodwater. It was a pig of a job that I did myself and I can well understand 5 hours labor charge :) to have it done by a dealer.
  • dirtynailsdirtynails Member Posts: 1
    Re: post# 61-

    Just wanted to say thanks for the info on the warranty extension on 05 Outback wheel bearings (mine are growling at 65K) and do a minor clarification if I may...just called my local Subie dealer, who told me not all 05s have the warranty extension- it depends on the last 8 digits of your VIN, so be sure to call your favorite dealer with your VIN handy before making a service appt. I guess I'm lucky- mine has the 100K extension.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    No problem, mine is going in tomorrow to get a rear done as well. I have the extended BtoB warranty but it is being covered under the recall/TSB so I won't have to pay the deductable :)

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    In that case, Welcome to the Subaru Crew!
  • agent86agent86 Member Posts: 9
    What part of the country can you get $250 for replacing wheel bearings? I checked with another subaru dealer and they wanted the same, about $400-500 dollars.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The parts are $50 for the wheel bearings.

    The install takes no more than 2-3 hrs.

    In my book that's $250-300 max for the wheel bearing replacement.

    Dealers will rip you off obviously....

    :)

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • garyg1054garyg1054 Member Posts: 4
    My Subaru (our fourth since 1998, of which we still have three) is an '05 Legacy Outback with about 48K miles (& 11K since all brakes replaced). We have loved the vehicles, especially in our climate and geography, and the cars have by and large been reliable. The '98 needed replacement gaskets at about 110K, but don't they all. I have never had a wheel bearing failure in 35 yrs of hard driving. I now get a fairly loud and high pitched screeching noise, sounding like metal on metal. I hear it most of the time, regardless of the application of brakes. It cycles faster as the car accelerates. It appears that the noise is not present while driving in a straight line, but appears to return when the wheels are turned. Wheel bearing failure? Something else-center differential problem? The performance seems about the same. Any thoughts? One of the posters states that the warranty has been extended on certain 05 Legacy Outbacks, but no explanation known for difference in treatment. We purchased extended warranty from Subaru, and we expect/demand that the warranty will cover the problem. Will the dealer have seen this problem before? Can I trust my local neighborhood mechanic, who seems like a good guy? Thanks.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's how the failing wheel bearings on our Mazda 626 sounded. Speed dependent, just like yours, the pitch would change.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    If you have the extended warranty it will be repaired without question. If your VIN (as mine did) falls into the ones effected in 05 by the rear wheel bearing issue, then it will be covered under the original warranty (as opposed to the extended that may have a deductable).

    It's a fairly easy job that most dealers can do without messing up your car. Your neighborhood mechanic probably can't do the job if you want it covered by Subaru since it would need to be done at a Subaru Dealer.

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • thomas43thomas43 Member Posts: 1
    I drive a 92 Subaru Legacy and I'm pretty sure that today my rear left bearing went. I first heard it pulling in to the driveway and it sounded like something dragging. Now I can hear it while driving at a slow enough speed. The Holidays, etc, and I'm broke. How long can I drive on a toasted bearing?
  • w8ifiw8ifi Member Posts: 78
    I'm not a mechanic by any means, but usually a wheel bearing will show beginning signs of failure for awhile, not sudden like yours. Sounds to me like a spring holding a brake shoe might have failed and the shoe is dragging in the brake drum. One of the regulars here can probably give you a better diagnoses.
    Jim
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    It could be either the brake shoe of a rear drum brake, a brake shoe of a parking brake, or a bearing. If it is the bearing you are usually ok for 100-2500 miles depending on how bad it is. I'd plan on getting it fixed/looked out soon though.

    -mike
    Subaru Guru and Track Instructor
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'd fix it ASAP...the increased friction may kill your gas mileage.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I did some work on my LGT. I had 2 bad LCA Bushings so we replaced them. When you do that you also need to do the ball joints so I put in the AVO LCA Bushings, Whiteline's roll-center kit which includes the Ball Joints and tie-rod ends. Also added he Whiteline front sway bar and kartboy end links. And finally a Whiteline Strut bar.

    Well when we went to put the ball joints back on one side the knuckle cracked. So we replace that. Oddly we had to press out the bearing even though the LGT has a bolt in bearing/hub setup. After putting it back together, the bearing appeared bad, so we had to replace that. My thought was that the bearing was going bad all along and overheated the knuckle,making it brittle.

    So the bottom line is that the bearings should get done ASAP. I also paid $200 to get the bearing/hub replaced!

    -mike
    Subaru Guru and Track Instructor
  • lupinelupine Member Posts: 1
    First time poster, so be gentle :)

    $200 for the parts to do it yourself?

    Rear right bearings are failing on our 1995 Subaru Legacy LS wagon, and just got a quote for $370 + tax from our local Subaru shop (not a dealership). Parts are much cheaper, and I believe I could do it myself, with the help of a auto mech friend of ours (Ford), but reading through the forums and seeing all the different part options makes me a bit nervous. Off topic, but going to replace the shocks at the same time (190k on the original set would infer that they're due lol).
  • blackbeanblackbean Member Posts: 100
    My front right bearing went at 77k on my '02 bean. It was $414.03 at the Subie dealer. I actually asked them to replace both front bearings and they said it was not needed. I guess back in the day (25 years ago), as a backyard mechanic I would just make a day out of it and replace all of them thinking that if one went, they were all close...maybe true for my old 67 Volvo, but the bearings on Subies should last for 150-200k (unless ther eis a defect and premature failure) according to the dealer.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,788
    That should be right. I put 220K on my '96 Outback with no wheel bearing problems whatsoever.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • garyg1054garyg1054 Member Posts: 4
    First of all, let me state that we just bought our fifth Subaru. We only still have four of the five, because the 2003 Outback was lost in an underground garage flood.(We now have two Outbacks and two Impreza Sports). All have run exceptionally well, in my humble opinion. They have been safe cars for my children. I have owned two Toyotas and two Hondas in my 38 years of driving and the Subarus are at least as well made. The Odysseys have had ongoing transmission and catalytic converter problems documented at the Ody club site. The Subarus are better made than the Mazda and Nissan which I formerly owned. The '98 Outback had the gasket problem. Anyway, I will get to the point. I wrote last fall to this forum to inquire into the potential of a wheel bearing failure in my '05 Outback Legacy, but it turned out to be a brake issue. I am now newly hearing a rather loud (and never before heard) noise from the rear at low speed while the engine is cold, and it is a little intermittent. It sounds like metal scraping on metal but might have a little grinding mixed in. The noise disappears at higher speeds when the engine is warm. The noise tends to most often occur while making a turn at low speed when it seems to echo off the walls of the underground parking facility. Just a few weeks ago I had the transmission and transaxles flushed for the first time (at 58k miles). Is it possible that the oil in the differential was not replaced? While I no longer do my own repairs, I foolishly think that I can understand the mechanics of the car well enough. This noise has me stumped, though I have never really had a bad wheel bearing before. I have read thru all of the prior 95 messages in this forum, and no one provides a basic explanation of the noises and symptoms which lead to a diagnosis of a wheel bearing (or CV joint) failure. Would one of the pros (like paisan Mike, or kcram) explain symptoms and clues? Would the noise of a bad wheel bearing be constant? Is is always a grinding noise? Could it occur as I have described? Would the car ride any differently, such as with a slight vibrational up and down movement? Almost all of the posts in this forum seem to assume that the diagnosis has been already been made. What should I expect to occur? I do have the 80,000 mile Subaru extended warrant-the car now has 59,950 on it. For repairs, I switch back and forth between a good local mechanic and my dealer, depending on the issue, level of expertise involved, warranty coverage, etc. but that assumes that I have a good idea of the problem. Thanks guys, I appreciate your willingness to impart your knowledge. Postscript after reading prior messages: erik9 may have somehow bought a lemon (I never heard of self-prep on a new car) but he really was determined for a good while to just show up at the forum and bad mouth the entire brand. If many people really had his experience then the brand would be in bankruptcy.....Thanks again.
  • orangelebaronorangelebaron Member Posts: 435
    I'm glad I found this thread and read about this extended warranty. On the way home tonight (cold out!) on the parkway I started hearing loud strange growl and pitch from the right rear on my 2005 Outback with 64K.

    I'm like ARE YOU KIDDING ME? It sounds like a wheel bearing. It actually made noise also as I was slowing down... then after I pulled into a parking lot to check it out, it went away. See what happens tomorrow.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Usually the pitch of the noise will vary with speed, i.e. higher as you increase speeds.

    Our 626 went "chunk chunk Chunk CHUNK CHUNK CHUNK" when its bearing went bad.
  • graycewgraycew Member Posts: 1
    Anyone have consistent problems with Subaru wheelbearings? I have a 99 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport with 250,000 miles on it. Engine runs great. My only real problem is the wheelbearings going out over and over again. I have replaced the wheel bearings on the car SEVEN times. The first time at 77,000 miles after the 50,000 mile warranty was expired. No one has been able to put in a wheelbearing that lasts more than 50,000 miles and no one has been able to tell me why they keep going out. I am the original owner/driver. The car does not carry extra weight and usually has just the driver in the car. :lemon?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    For Foresters, Subaru recommended replacing the wheel bearings with similar parts from the Legacy, which were heavier duty. You should try the same, I bet they'll fit.

    I'm surprised your mechanic wasn't aware of that, or what it a Subaru dealer? Maybe they wanted you to keep coming back, if so shame on them.
  • gt40mk2gt40mk2 Member Posts: 3
    Hi - I've got a 2005 Legacy wagon that I bought last year at 95 km, now 112. Just found out the front bearings need replacing. Not surprised - I had been hearing a fairly loud hum that I thought was the tires combined with AWD (my first AWD vehicle). Don't know if first owner was hard on it or what, or if that can possibly make a difference with bearings. It was a lease though. I'll be forking out $720 for the two at dealer (Toronto).
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I guess you're past the powertrain warranty?
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