After reviewing two insightful first-hand accounts of Honda Accord wheel bearing noises, it’s clear this is a common issue for Accord owners before 100k miles. The good news is that the noise itself acts as an early warning system, allowing drivers to address failing bearings before catastrophic damage occurs.
In my experience, a grinding or humming noise emanating from the wheel area often indicates contamination buildup from debris or weather. If left unchecked, this progressively damages the bearing components, leading to uneven wear and hazardous handling issues.
Fortunately, there are preventative cleaning steps and affordable replacement parts that can restore smooth and quiet wheel bearing function. Read on for my in-depth guide on accurately diagnosing and correcting Honda Accord wheel bearing noises.👷
🚗causes Of Honda Accord Wheel Bearing Noise🚗
Table of Content
The wheel bearings in Honda Accords allow the wheels to spin smoothly while isolating them from the suspension and drivetrain. Over years and miles of use, contaminants can build up and damage these sensitive parts. Common causes include:
❌Engine Debris Buildup ❌
As the engine runs, small bits of metal and carbon debris can accumulate on rotating components. These contaminants then get flung onto wheel assemblies during operation. Over time, this debris works its way into delicate bearing seals and races. Even small particles can quickly wear down bearings, especially if the debris contains abrasive carbon deposits. Preventative cleaning is essential.
🚥Road Salt Contamination🚥
In northern climates, road salt used for ice prevention also sticks to wheel assemblies. While a moderate amount of salt rinses away easily, excessive buildup draws moisture into bearings. This salt-infused moisture causes corrosion of bearing components. Pitting and flaking damage bearing races and rolling elements.
⚠️Brake Dust Intrusion⚠️
The high heat and abrasiveness of brake dust makes it especially problematic for wheel bearings. Overheated brakes throw off clouds of fine particulates that coat the inner sides of wheels. Each brake application then pushes some of this dust past seals into the protected bearing cavity. The dust abrades races and contaminates grease.
🚧Oil and Grease Breakdown🚧
Even with robust seals, water vapor and contaminants slowly infiltrate the high-quality greases used to lubricate wheel bearings. Heat from braking and friction while driving also degrade lubricants over time. Thinned out or dirty grease fails to protect the precision-machined internals of bearings. Unlubricated metal-on-metal contact accelerates wear.
These contamination issues slowly take a toll on wheel bearings in Hondas. Let’s look at the warning signs of failing bearings next.
👂symptoms Of A Bad Wheel Bearing👂
Damaged wheel bearings typically produce a few key symptoms that alert drivers of problems:
🔊Grinding or Humming Noises🔊
As the hard steel components of bearings wear, their precision finishing gets compromised. Roughened rolling surfaces then emit grinding and humming noises, especially at higher speeds when rotation is the fastest. These noises start soft but get louder over time as the damage spreads across bearing races and roller elements.
🚗 Vehicle Pulling🚗
With the delicate balance of wheel bearings upset by damage, rotating wheels can shift subtly on their hubs. This imbalance then pulls the Vehicle slightly towards the affected side while driving straight ahead. If bearing damage is severe enough, the offset load can cause alignment issues and uneven tire wear.
⚠️vibration Through The Chassis Or Steering Wheel⚠️
Bad bearings also transmit vibration up through the wheels and suspension components into the body and cabin. Both front and rear bearing issues cause shaking that gets worse with speed. Damaged front bearings specifically create a vibration felt through the steering wheel or seat.
These symptoms alert drivers to inspect bearings and restore smooth operation. But first, temporary fixes can buy some extra miles if a bearing replacement is not possible right away.
🛠Short-Term Fixes and Prevention🛠
Catching bearing damage early opens up possibilities for extending the life of wheel bearings in your Honda Accord using stopgap measures:
🔧Flush Out Contaminants🔧
If bearings still spin relatively smoothly but noise indicates some internal contamination, flushing the bearings can help. This involves packing exposed bearings with grease before spinning them by hand to purge dirty oil. Fresh, high-quality grease keeps debris away from rolling surfaces temporarily.
🧹Clean Off External Grime🧹
Pressure washing accumulated brake dust, road grime, salt residue and other gunk from wheel assemblies limits future contamination ingress past seals. Degreasing hubs and brake components prevent particles from sticking around to get flung back onto bearings while driving.
🛢️Use High-Quality Grease🛢️
Repacking bearings annually with fresh, heavy, waterproof grease maximizes protection for bearing internals when small amounts of moisture or particles still make their way inside. Greases fortified with corrosion inhibitors also resist damage from trace salts and acids.
🚿 Wash Undercarriage Frequently🚿
Rinsing away engine oil leaks, road salts, brake dust build up, and winter grime from under your Honda’s chassis on a monthly basis prevents corrosion and contamination issues for components like wheel bearings. Catching leaks early also reduces mess.
Still, following these best preventative practices, bearings do eventually wear out in Hondas after thousands of miles of reliable service. Let’s discuss replacement options.
🔧Replacing Damaged Wheel Bearings🔧
Once diagnosed with failed or failing wheel bearings through physical inspection and symptom analysis, replacement becomes the only permanent solution. Depending on the severity, choose from:
Bearings Only
If races remain smooth, installing fresh replacement bearings and seals may restore quiet operation. This lower cost option works well for minor damage caught early. Races must get precisely measured and new bearings carefully matched to retain tight tolerances.
❗Entire Bearing Assemblies❗
Heavily damaged or corroded bearings often require complete hub and bearing assembly swaps. These convenient replacement packs include races, seals, and bolts for simplified installation and realignment. Costs range from $100-300 per wheel in parts.
While DIY bearing replacement is possible for mechanically skilled Honda owners with shop tools, having a professional technician handle the precision work often makes the most sense for long-lasting results. Budget $150-600 in total labor costs depending on the extent and location of repairs.
Restored smooth-spinning wheel bearings keep your ride quiet while protecting suspension and drivetrain components from damage. Investing in frequent inspection, preventative maintenance, and eventual replacement pays dividends in extended vehicle life.
FAQs
Why Is My Honda Accord Louder At High Speeds?
Noise from failing bearings that increase with vehicle speed points to contamination or damage in wheel bearings rather than other drivetrain components like wheel balance weights or CV joints. Bad bearings vibrate and grind more severely under higher loads above 50 MPH.
How Long Do Wheel Bearings Last In A Honda?
With proper lubrication and maintenance, factory Honda wheel bearings often last between 100-150k miles before requiring replacement. Lack of washes, off-road use, cheap grease, and northern climates shorten life spans to as little as 50-70k miles.
Can I Drive With A Bad Wheel Bearing?
Operating an Accord with confirmed failed wheel bearings risks further damage to hubs, axles, and tires due to wobble and misalignment under acceleration and cornering loads. Face complete failure if races overheat and seize. Still, carefully limping short distances to a shop won’t immediately strand you.
Is Replacing Just One Wheel Bearing Ok?
Since the front or rear wheel bearings share rotational and load stresses, technicians recommend always replacing them in pairs on the same axle. A new bearing paired with an old, worn one fails quicker from uneven loads. Staging the repairs over months can spread out costs.
How Much Is A Honda Accord Wheel Bearing?
Prices for Honda OEM front and rear wheel bearing kits range from $65-160 per side. Aftermarket bearings cost slightly less but may not last as many miles. At independent shops, expect another $150-250 per pair installed, while dealerships charge $250+ per axle.
Also Read:
- What Causes A Honda Accord Radiator To Start Leaking?
- Why Is My Honda Accord Cruise Control Not Working?
- Why Is My Honda Accord Usb Not Working?
- Diagnosing And Fixing Honda Accord Engine Ticking Noises
