How long do wheel bearings last?

Per 100 MOT tests

Wheel bearings: failures and advisories by car age

3–5 yrsreg. 2020–2022

0.0

0.1

6–8 yrsreg. 2017–2019

0.2

0.3

9–11 yrsreg. 2014–2016

0.3

0.6

12–14 yrsreg. 2011–2013

0.6

1.1

15+ yrsreg. 2010 and earlier

1.1

2.6

Items recorded per 100 class 4 tests at each age, across the whole fleet. Advisories run ahead of failures: the tester saw the part wearing and said so a year or two before it failed. Peak band highlighted.

DVSA recorded wording

What the tester writes

• “A wheel bearing excessively rough”peaks at 15+ yrs · 0.7 per 100 tests
• “A wheel bearing with excessive play”peaks at 15+ yrs · 0.4 per 100 tests

When it fails

The defects behind it, explained

• Wheel bearing has excessive play or is rough

Steering and drive

Other parts in the same system

• Driveshaft gaitersfrom 12–14 yrs
• Ball jointsfrom 9–11 yrs

Every part, every age

Common questions

How long do wheel bearings last?

Across the British fleet, wheel bearings barely fail before 12 to 14 years: 0.0 failures per 100 tests at three to five years, rising to 1.1 at 15 years and older, 26 times the rate. Bearings wear with mileage and drone or rumble before they develop the play that fails.

At what age should I have wheel bearings checked?

From about 12 to 14 years, when failures reach half their peak rate across the fleet. Advisories for wheel bearings run ahead of failures by a year or two, so a car whose MOT history shows one is on the curve.

Is a worn wheel bearing an MOT failure?

It depends on how worn. "Wheel bearing has excessive play or is rough" is the defect testers record; each page explains the threshold at which the item fails rather than being advised.