# First problem, wheel bearing



## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

Well, at 80,500km, I finally encounter my first problem with the X-T.
The rear driver's side wheel bearing looks like it is on the way out. I started to get a low humming noise from that wheel the last couple days. Good news is, the bearing is $110 Canadian (I was expecting a lot more!), and about an hour labour according to my dealer.
Anybody else have wheel bearing failure?


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## ERBell (Aug 7, 2005)

Xtrailguy said:


> Well, at 80,500km, I finally encounter my first problem with the X-T.
> The rear driver's side wheel bearing looks like it is on the way out. I started to get a low humming noise from that wheel the last couple days. Good news is, the bearing is $110 Canadian (I was expecting a lot more!), and about an hour labour according to my dealer.
> Anybody else have wheel bearing failure?


That is cheap. My boss had a wheel bearing wear out on a 1989 Jeep and it cost over $500.


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## IanR (Sep 30, 2005)

ERBell said:


> That is cheap. My boss had a wheel bearing wear out on a 1989 Jeep and it cost over $500.


I'm guessing that on the XTrail the wheel bearings can be pressed out and replaced separately. On the Jeep the wheel bearing and hub are a one piece non servicable unit so if the bearing goes you need to replace the whole hub. But at $500 he still got ripped (unless that included labour), a new hub should only be in the $200-$300 range for the part.

Ian (used to own a '92 YJ)


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

Yes, sounds like it was all the one unit. I will get a better look at the wheel bearing assembly when I get it fixed on Monday.
My Brother's Pontiac Grand Am needed two wheel bearings replaced, and they have the ABS sensors built into the unit, and he paid a lot of $$ to replace those.
I might get the other side checked too while it is in for service.


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## damon (May 12, 2005)

Two rear wheel brgs replaced at 20000 km
Under Warranty but still not a good sign
Regards Jim


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

Sounds like there could be a few faulty bearings out there. 20k is not the average life of a wheel bearing.


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## XTrail1 (Feb 24, 2005)

damon said:


> Two rear wheel brgs replaced at 20000 km
> Under Warranty but still not a good sign
> Regards Jim


98,000km on mine and no signs of bearing problems. I would say this is isolated, but all brands get that every once in a while, even the great Toyotas and Hondas.


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## Terranismo (Aug 31, 2004)

I had my front left wheel bearing replaced some time ago. It came out to $15.00 U.S.


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

Had my bearing replaced yesterday. What a difference. The vehicle is so quiet now (compared to before). Made me realize how bad the bearing really was.
I guess you don't notice these things when the bearing gradually wears out.


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## Aman (Sep 29, 2006)

*Noise - please help!*

Hi all
I got 2006 Bonavista - It's just 20K on it. 
I noticed weird noise coming from ...front, I guess... First, I thought it's cooling fan/motor, coz it sounds exactly like it, but louder... Then I realized that there is no noise at all when car is idling. Engine runs perfectly quiet.  The nooise comes back always at about 30-40 km/h and up. Getting louder when car slows down (I don't even touch brakes)...

Sound familiar to anyone?... 
I take it to the dealer next week, but have little hope they can fix it...

Thanks.


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## GFB (Oct 16, 2006)

Aman

Could you try and describe the noise? (e.g. screaming, vibrationary, high pitch, plastic against metal, or...?)

Not when turning the steering wheel?

Could be the notorious muffler/silencer problem (search forum to read more). To find out; let someone rev the engine at different speeds while you grasp the end of the exhaust to see whether it affects the noise. First check this out just after having started the vehicle cold.

Regards


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## Aman (Sep 29, 2006)

GFB,

This is low pitch "grinding" noise only when car is moving. Not from steering for sure.
No noise when car is idling. I tried to rev it from 0 to about 4000 PRM - can't hear nothing.
Best heard at about 50-60 km/h gas pedal released and car slows down itself ("engine break").
If one can imagine sound of WWII era aircraft up in the sky - this is the best mach for that kind of noise.

Thanls for the reply, GFB
Regards,
A


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Sounds like one of the front wheel bearings is shot.


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## Aman (Sep 29, 2006)

aussietrail said:


> Sounds like one of the front wheel bearings is shot.


Correct - right side wheel bearing.
It's covered by warranty, but still... after only 20K??? 

Thanks all,
A


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## ValBoo (May 19, 2003)

Same problem encountered before by "Xtrailguy".
Threads were merged for reference.


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## Oreo (Nov 5, 2004)

Xtrailguy said:


> Well, at 80,500km, I finally encounter my first problem with the X-T.
> The rear driver's side wheel bearing looks like it is on the way out. I started to get a low humming noise from that wheel the last couple days. Good news is, the bearing is $110 Canadian (I was expecting a lot more!), and about an hour labour according to my dealer.
> Anybody else have wheel bearing failure?


I had the same bearing fail on mine in April.

Greg


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## DevilD (Apr 7, 2005)

I think I may have this issue now with 89,000km's, but in addition to the noise, I also feel a vibration. Did anyone else have a vibration from this issue?

Thanks
Damian


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

DevilD said:


> I think I may have this issue now with 89,000km's, but in addition to the noise, I also feel a vibration. Did anyone else have a vibration from this issue?
> 
> Thanks
> Damian


I remember getting a noise and some vibration (although not severe), especially on long turns.


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Guys,

Check your hub nuts!!!

This has been reported as defect in another thread on this forum and you better check that for sure, because it is the primary cause for bearings and rotor faliures.


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

Well, I have more news to report. My 2nd problem with the Xtrail at 143000km. Had the opposite side (rear passenger side) wheel bearing fail.
I can't complain though. This is still the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. Only two problems in 143k is pretty impressive... other than brake maintenance.

The first wheel bearing went bad shortly after towing a travel trailer. This 2nd bearing went bad shortly after towing a trailer with a snowmobile a fairly long distance. I'm beginning to think the problem is caused by the extra weight of the trailer on the rear wheels. Might be unrelated, but awful coincedental.


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## Oreo (Nov 5, 2004)

Xtrailguy said:


> Well, I have more news to report. My 2nd problem with the Xtrail at 143000km. Had the opposite side (rear passenger side) wheel bearing fail.
> I can't complain though. This is still the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. Only two problems in 143k is pretty impressive... other than brake maintenance.
> 
> The first wheel bearing went bad shortly after towing a travel trailer. This 2nd bearing went bad shortly after towing a trailer with a snowmobile a fairly long distance. I'm beginning to think the problem is caused by the extra weight of the trailer on the rear wheels. Might be unrelated, but awful coincedental.


Last spring (as mentioned above) I had the rear driver's side wheel bearing replaced. This was around 140,000km. This past week I had the rear passenger wheel bearing replaced (193,000km), which cost me around $450. A bolt had to be adjusted after the bearing was replaced but it would not move. A new bolt had to be ordered before they cut it off and once replaced a wheel alignment was needed. I guess this should be expected with the mileage I have on it, however, it appears it is more time related. I don't think it is due to hauling a trailer, as I rarely do and the bad bearings were discovered during the past two winters. Could be weather related too, as salt is used on the roads in large quantities in my area.

Greg


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

I guess I'm not the only one Oreo. Our roads are very salty too. As a result the mechanics needed more time removing the assembly due to corroded bolts. Luckily for me, they managed to remove them without breaking or cutting the bolts. The last time I had a bearing replaced, the part was $103. This time around it was $123 (+ 2.5 hours labour to install).


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## Revhead Kev (Apr 1, 2007)

It might be worth getting the front bearings replaced now as they have done the same milage as the rears.
That way, all 4 should be good for another 120k atleast.


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## Sask.Connection (Dec 6, 2004)

Yes,drivers front wheel bearing replaced at 76000 km as it was considered as part of drive train ,warranty to 100,000km


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## boggarte (May 16, 2005)

*Wheel bearing*

Passenger's front wheel bearing replaced last week. 46000 km!!! I'm a little surprised but being the first problem in 3 years... Forgiven!


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

How much did the front wheel repair cost boggarte (if you don't mind me asking)? I would like to compare to the rear bearing replacement cost.


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## boggarte (May 16, 2005)

Xtrailguy said:


> How much did the front wheel repair cost boggarte (if you don't mind me asking)? I would like to compare to the rear bearing replacement cost.


Nothing! Still under 3 years/60k warranty. However, they told me the cost would have been around 120$ otherwise.


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## Sean King (Jan 12, 2006)

Anyone know the part no of these wheel bearings?


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Sean King said:


> Anyone know the part no of these wheel bearings?


Part Number: 40210-2Y000 (BEARING ASSY-FR) suitable for Ti and ST T30 xtrail.

Price was $114.00AUD each.



The bearings made by NTN-Japan.


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## raid235 (Jan 2, 2007)

*re: bearing*



Xtrailguy said:


> Well, at 80,500km, I finally encounter my first problem with the X-T.
> The rear driver's side wheel bearing looks like it is on the way out. I started to get a low humming noise from that wheel the last couple days. Good news is, the bearing is $110 Canadian (I was expecting a lot more!), and about an hour labour according to my dealer.
> Anybody else have wheel bearing failure?


Yah I just replaced my right rear bearing on my 2005 x-trail LE at 102,000 km the warranty expired at 100,000 my rear breaks seized and wore down the rotors just after the warranty period for the breaks as well. I also have the rust on the right rear tire well which I see someone else reported. So far I think everything is pretty consistent in that im getting all the same defects


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## Sask.Connection (Dec 6, 2004)

I had my other front wheel bearing replaced yesterday under warranty at 90,000 km .


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

Well, that rear bearing that I had replaced at 80,500km (which started this thread) is now shot again at 154,000km. This is definatly a weak point in the XT design!


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## pgames38 (May 12, 2005)

Just had a passenger side read wheel bearing replaced at 78 000 km, but at least it was covered under warranty. The two rear rotors and brake pads weren't though.


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## raid235 (Jan 2, 2007)

The right rear bearing I had to replace at 105k has just been replaced again 10k later under warranty (20k - 12 months on replacement parts)

They told me I should replace the left rear and told me my tie rod was loose and should be replaced. The first bearing replacement cost me over $400.00 canadian at the Nissan Dealer and they quoted me the same if I get the right rear done. a private auto repair shot has quoted me $315 using the same genuine Nissan parts.

The right rear hasnt starting making any noise and the other shop told me it was fine BTW. I only got the warranty work done for now and passed on all the other things they say I need


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

has anyone change the bearing himself.Mine is due so i wonder if it s a job you can do it yourself.I m calling the dealer for a quote this week and wait for your answers.thx


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Called the dealer and they charge 300$ can. I think that it s a rip off: an hour and a half to change the bearing plus the alignement and the bearing cost.I can almost do that with a pair of pliers and two drops of wd-4o in one hour.No one has done this before? (not with the pliers and stuff...)lol


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

otomodo said:


> Called the dealer and they charge 300$ can. I think that it s a rip off: an hour and a half to change the bearing plus the alignement and the bearing cost.I can almost do that with a pair of pliers and two drops of wd-4o in one hour.No one has done this before? (not with the pliers and stuff...)lol


That is about what I paid. The part was somewhere around $100-$110 I think.
The problem with doing the bearing repair is corroded bolts. They had a hard time getting some of the bolts loose to get the suspension arms off the vehicle. They had to use heat (torch) and it took a while. Good luck with it.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Xtrailguy said:


> That is about what I paid. The part was somewhere around $100-$110 I think.
> The problem with doing the bearing repair is corroded bolts. They had a hard time getting some of the bolts loose to get the suspension arms off the vehicle. They had to use heat (torch) and it took a while. Good luck with it.




I have acces to all the tools i need,but the only problem is that the x-trail is the only car that i have,if i mess up,i m on foot.We got some snow on the ground so i can t use my motorcycle to get spare parts or buy something that broke on the way. I ll do some loosen to the bolts by applying a super lubricant that i have (not the wd40) and see the results after. thx.


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

Well, at 185,000km, I'm replacing the rear wheel bearing for the X-Trail, for the 4th time (two on each side).


This is getting annoying. :thumbdwn:


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## FenderJoe (Mar 18, 2009)

Xtrailguy said:


> Well, at 185,000km, I'm replacing the rear wheel bearing for the X-Trail, for the 4th time (two on each side).
> 
> 
> This is getting annoying. :thumbdwn:


Ouchh !!! :woowoo: 

4th time !!! Did you use a trailer, tow or a camper ??? 

Cheer,

Jonathan


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

The first two died shortly after trailering (snowbear trailer) with a snowmobile on it. I guess the extra weight of the trailer caused the bearing to die quicker each time. I'm guessing they were already worn out, just the trailer put them 'over the edge'.

It has seen no trailering for the last two bearing failures.
A poor design in my opinion.

Nissan's price on the bearings have gone up as well. The first one cost me $103 at the dealership, now they are looking for $145. 
The fact that the dealership did not offer to give me a break on the cost of the bearing (seeing this is the 4th time) has probably made up my mind about buying another Nissan. :balls:


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## clydesider (Jan 1, 2008)

Just had a rear bearing fail on my 2003 diesel.
Local garage have stripped it down and bad news is that I need one of the suspension arms replaced, £90, the ABS too at £198 and £60 for the bearing, plus a few bolts/rubber bushes and labour costs.
Have covered 120k miles, so looks like some serious expenditure on the way if I decide to keep it. Time to decide!
Mike


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## Xtrailguy (Mar 9, 2006)

That is very unfortuneate clydesider.
Here is a pic of the rear bearing. It is actually an NTN bearing packaged in a Nissan bag. I wrote the number next to it in case anyone needs it.


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## clydesider (Jan 1, 2008)

Xtrailguy said:


> That is very unfortuneate clydesider.
> Here is a pic of the rear bearing. It is actually an NTN bearing packaged in a Nissan bag. I wrote the number next to it in case anyone needs it.


Thanks for the number. NTN UK do not have any on the shelf. Looks like they only supply Nissan with this particular bearing.
Mike


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## Joppy (Dec 19, 2008)

*Bearing Failure*

I too, am experiencing bearing failure on my 2005 AWD X Trail. The passenger side front and rear bearings are worn badly. I had installed studded winter tires last fall, and thought they were causing the road noise. When I put my summer tires back on the sound was still there and seemed even louder.

I checked the back tire and it is VERY loose, probably a good cm of play when grasping the tire (top bottom). I tried to look at it today, but it looks like the whole control arm / knuckle has to be removed. The ABS sensor is attached to the piece, so I'm going to bring it in just in case I mess something up. 

It seems to me this should be a recall, bearing failures aren't all that common (in my experience) and given the nature and extent of the failure it's dangerous to have these things on the road! Based on what I've read about Nissans customer service (and previous experience with a Sentra) I'm thinking they'll just brush this off. Its too bad that they have such poor customer service.

They have quoted me 2.5 hours at $99/hour and the parts are around $165 each. Despite Nissan stating that I'd never find them, I found the bearings at a local supplier (first place I checked) for much less. 

I'm starting to think this wasn't exactly a good purchase since we wanted a fairly reliable second vehicle for long trips. I thought it would be good for a few years at least without major repairs.

I wonder how one could convince the authorities that this is defective, a safety hazard and should be recalled?


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## Joppy (Dec 19, 2008)

*Fixed the Bearing*

I found the bearing online for about $70, half of what Nissan wanted. I had it pressed in last night by a friend at a machine shop. Unfortunately I broke the brake shoe putting things back together and they cost $100 and I can't find them aftermarket!


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## clydesider (Jan 1, 2008)

Got my X Trail back today from the local garage (non-franchise).
What I initially thought would be a fairly straightforward rear bearing replacement, turned into an expensive episode. It cost me UK £527 to get back on the road!
ABS sensor unit contributed £198+ vat to the overall cost. Garage said it was seized in the hub and they could not get it out undamaged.
They have repaired a few X Trail bearings and are not very impressed with the engineering.
How I long for the good old days when you could fix most problems with a hammer and chisel and a bit of string! We pay quite a price for sophistication and comfort.
Mike


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## Joppy (Dec 19, 2008)

I am not very impressed with the engineering either. The bearings are only protected by the thin seals that are built into them. When I reassembled my hub, I considered adding a flat rubber washer to add some protection, but figured it would probably not help very much. 

Upon inspection of my failed bearing, it was obvious that the seals were worn for some time, the grease was still there but in bad shape. Reading the various posts here, and having seen the pressing in of the bearings first hand, I can see how repetitive failures can occur. If the block used to press the bearing in is even slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the bearing, the seals take all the pressure and probably cause them to fail prematurely. 

For some extra 'life' I added a layer of thick high speed bearing grease on the outside of the bearing. This should help seal out dust and water (I hope).


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## distefv (Jul 26, 2005)

joppy, can you post the link for where you purchased your bearings please? 
Thanks,
Vince


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## pgames38 (May 12, 2005)

My 2006 SE has 105,000 km and I've had 3 bearings replaced - 2 on the same wheel. The latest problem happened last week. After hearing some grinding I brought to a local Canadian Tire. The hoisted the truck the mechanic could physically move the back right wheel - 2nd bearing problem with that one. My Nissan dealership is 2 hours away, so they sent a truck to tow it to the shop for free (extended warranty came in handy).

Here's the issue - my lease expires this November. I'm thinking of buying the truck, but if these problems are a sign of things to come, am I setting myself up for hassles? To those of you with 150k+ on your trucks, how reliable have your XTs been?


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## Joppy (Dec 19, 2008)

Hi PGames,

Other than the wheel bearings, mine if running fine. I had a problem with the back wiper motor, took it apart, cleaned the brushes and it fixed the problem. I am about to replace the struts to restore original ride, not absolutely necessary at this point but I like 'tight' suspension. UAP Napa stocks many OEM replacement parts through Altrom Group, I mention this because aftermarket part are hard to come by and expensive. You may need to ask them to search for the parts through Altrom as it isn't in their normal listings.

The Aussies love the X Trail, and other forums have good things to say, I think they are a safe bet. They are fun to drive, good on gas and I love the styling. I was dissappointed about the wheel bearing thing too, I bought a shop press and did the work myself. Princess Auto sells 20 ton presses for relatively cheap, you can really make your money back fast if you go through a few bearings!

Joppy

Joppy


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## GFB (Oct 16, 2006)

Repeated failure on the same wheel just makes me kind of suspicious about whether the replacement bearing was fitted correctly. It is so easy to damage a bearing during installation if one e.g. does not use a properly sized drift (pushing tool) to press it on. Or, whilst trying to do it without having a press available (i.e. driving it by hammer?). Or could it be cheap / bad quality replacement bearings being used?


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## Joppy (Dec 19, 2008)

Hi GFB,

Those were my thoughts exactly after having installed the bearing. The outer edge of the bearing is so thin, and if a slightly small drift is used it will destroy the seals. Also, the hub is a tight fit, especially if it isn't perfectly centered and I think the force from pressing the hub in could destroy the seals. Also, the design of the knuckle makes it hard make sure it is flush during pressing of the bearing.

This is my first time installing a sealed bearing, but I would have thought that an additional seal external to the bearing may help keep dirt and moisture out.

Joppy


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## Xygish (Jul 28, 2009)

*Should be recalled*

Hi, I've got a `05 X-Trail 137 000 km.. Love the truck.. but really tired of that rear wheel bearing issue.. It is now the 4th Bearing I've changed.. (2 times on each rear wheel).. This is not normal and I am pretty sure the issue will repeat itself. Nissan should Identify the root cause and offer a solution. To me this is a problem related to the design and should be corrected by Nissan. This is a Latent Defect and none of us should be paying a wheel bearing every 30 000km. 

I love my truck, but I'm really not impressed by that "feature".. 

Thanks

Ben


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## Joppy (Dec 19, 2008)

Hi Ben,

I've replaced the right rear, right front and now the left rear is shot (130 000 km). I bought myself a shop press after reading about the bearing issue and I do the work myself. I agree, it must be a design issue, I drive a 99 Protege through the exact same conditions and it has 220 000 km, with the original bearings and they are in great shape. When these bearings fail, they fail dangerously too, my rear wheel had about 1/4'' play and sounded like a helicopter hovering over the truck. This is just about a week after i noticed the noise.

Agree, good truck, like the design, handling, gas mileage but the wheel bearings are terrible.

Joppy


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## shabalia (Dec 27, 2005)

*wheel bearing*

Just brought my '06 LE in for routine service and was told RF wheel bearing needed to be replaced (45000km). 
Good news...covered under warranty (5yr/100000km). 
Bad news, brakes down to 10 and 15%, they want $700 to replace pads and turn rotors. I have had the brake service done annually after reading here about seized calipers. Weird though...at 36000km, I still had 30% left. Seems like a lot of wear for 9000km, do you think?


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## raklei (Oct 17, 2009)

I have bought a rear wheel bearing online, anyone know the quality of CBK international parts? it good or not? 
Does this bearing will fit my X-trail 2005 SE 4x4, this is firts time do it your self so I am not sure about that before remove the old bearing.


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## tbk (Dec 29, 2008)

you bought a bearing without checking to see if it will fit, or comparing it to the original? That doesn't seem like a good idea.


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

It will not fit at all. The x-trail wheel bearing is completely different.


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## raklei (Oct 17, 2009)

tbk said:


> you bought a bearing without checking to see if it will fit, or comparing it to the original? That doesn't seem like a good idea.


Non, I did ordered but, it not similar with the bearing I known so I post my question here. May be the store sent wrong item. 
Today they write to me that exactly what I think, I have to return for refund


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## marcel_g (Sep 10, 2007)

Had both rear bearings replaced this summer at about ~135K. Also had the rotors and pads replaced. The parking brake was seized, so they replaced those parts in the hubs too. Unfortunately, the mechanic was incompetent and fired shortly after doing mine, so I had to go back a number of times: brake cables routed incorrectly, alignment off and suspension 'bouncing' causing rear tires to wear badly and unevenly, and they lost the key socket for my locking nuts. Won't go back there again. (Gary's Automotive in Ottawa).

Did do some long distance towing just before the bearings went, but if the parking brake parts were really rusted, it's possible that there was a corrosion issue there too.


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Had to replace the driver's side front bearing on my wife's X-Trail at about 55 000 kilometres. Was about a $225.00 job.

This whole wheel bearing issue with X-Trails was totally unknown to me! Yikes!


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## distefv (Jul 26, 2005)

I think the bearings should be under warranty till 100,000 km. Was this a Nissan dealer that fixed it?


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Well, the vehicle is an '05, and the bearing went out this past summer so I think bumper to bumper coverage ended at 3 years. I don't think a wheel bearing would be covered under the 5 year, 100 000 km.


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## shabalia (Dec 27, 2005)

*wheel bearing*

My RF bearing was replaced under warranty ('06 LE) in November at about 45000km and vehicle almost 4 yr old. I thought the same thing...3yr. 
Warranty should be same for 2005 models...5yr,100000km.


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

5 years, eh? Huh. Well, will definitely be looking into that! Thing is, the nearest Nissan dealership is over an hour away so when I found out the wheel bearing was bad I had it fixed locally (was a little concerned about a longer drive with a defective wheel bearing).

Hope I can find my receipt from the local Good Year dealership that did the work.


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## shabalia (Dec 27, 2005)

Warranty work should be honoured anywhere, not just at the dealer, right? Maybe Goodyear didn't know it was covered under warranty. Good luck!


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

Well...you folks were right! Called the nearest dealer (1.5 hours away) regarding the bearing that was changed last summer. Sure enough, it is a warranty item (believe it's considered powertrain)!

Now, I have to call Nissan Canada and see what I can get as restitution.

(I'd be happy if they put a new timing chain in my '97 Hardbody truck)

Thanks for the advice guys! I'm buyin' the next round...assuming I get my money back! : )


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## denis_the_theif (Jul 31, 2010)

I had that humming sound a few months ago. I thought it was a Motorcycle behind us. Sound started at around 60km and up. Noticed you didn't hear it when you turned left. So it was from rear Driver wheel. Read the forums so thought it was Wheel Bearing. Mechanic was surprised since usually the front goes before the rear. He said it was tire rather than wheel bearing. Changed the tires (needed to be replaced) and the sound is still there! The store changing the tire said it was the dreaded Nissan X-Trail Wheel Bearing!

So now I'm worried when my other 3 are going to go? My mechanic said something that on the X-Trail, there is poor water-proofing around these bearings. Cost was $400 CDN (including $130 for Wheel Bearing itself) to replace. Does anyone know if the front is less labour than the rear?


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## Grug (Aug 20, 2009)

My front wheel bearing job was about $225.00 (Cdn.)

I sold my X-Trail. In the span of a year (and with less than 60 000 k) I had to replace a front bearing, brake sensor, the 4WD was doing strange things and no one could pull a code Parts are hard to get from anyone except the dealer and some shops don't even have specs for the vehicle as it wasn't sold in the US. And finally, dealing with Nissan Canada for warranty issues was a frustrating and dissapointing experience.

I've been driving Nissans for 10 years and, for me, this vehicle is NOT the classic example of Nissan reliability and quality. Still have my '97 4WD Nissan truck (a much better example of Nissan products...in my opinion). Maybe my X-Trail was made on a Monday morning.

So, I sold the X-Trail and went out and bought a diesel Jetta.

In the words of William Shatner, "Is that weird or what?"

Cheers!


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## denis_the_theif (Jul 31, 2010)

Grug said:


> My front wheel bearing job was about $225.00 (Cdn.)


Thanks for the price. Maybe the front is less then. The mechanic said in the rear it was kind of buried.

I have had a lot of problems too, same as you, in only one year. But no major ones yet.


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## shabalia (Dec 27, 2005)

denis_the_theif said:


> Thanks for the price. Maybe the front is less then. The mechanic said in the rear it was kind of buried.
> 
> I have had a lot of problems too, same as you, in only one year. But no major ones yet.



If your X is less than 100000Km/5yr, wheel bearings are under warranty.


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## Dudbudder (Oct 1, 2010)

*wheel bearing a costly repair*

I have been hearing a droning noise the past week on my 2005 Xtrail. It only has 96K, mostly highway driving. My quote from Halfway Motors Nissan, for a left front bearing, $175 for the part and 1.9 hours labour plus HST, left rear bearing $150 for the bearing $232 for 2 arms, and 2.7 hours labour, plus an alignment and HST. That in my opinion is robbery. Not to mention that this vehicle is not old in enough IMO to be needing wheel bearings. From what I have read on this forum it is an ongoing problem with the vehicle and I agree with some of the posters, THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL.

This is my first time owning a Nissan and this will be my last, it has been nothing but a piece of crap, with little things always seeming to fall apart. My last vehicle was a 16 year old Ford Van I bought new in 1989, and guy I sold it to in 2004 is still driving it around. I am super careful about my vehicles and have done my best to maintain them well and keep them tidy and clean. But I will be shopping for something else, as of today. However this wheel bearing problem has me wondering, can I drive it until I find something else or am I simply SOL? Any thoughts or suggestions are much appreciated.


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## denis_the_theif (Jul 31, 2010)

I too wish it was a recall. I asked a Nissan guy, in general does the Xtrail have a lot of problems, he said at least no engine problems have ever been reported to him.

My Wheel Bearing problem was originally mis-diagnosed as bad tires so I ended up driving on the bad bearing maybe 2,000km. I asked someone what would happen if you don't replaced it - he said eventually your wheel will sieze - well that's at least better than flying off.


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

denis_the_theif said:


> I asked someone what would happen if you don't replaced it - he said eventually your wheel will sieze - well that's at least better than flying off.


You are very lucky that the hub didn't separate from the axle, as this is the type of damage you can expect from driving with a shot wheel bearings. Eventually the centre hub nut will un-turn itself and the whole hub will separate from the axle causing MAJOR damage and very costly repair bill.


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## Dudbudder (Oct 1, 2010)

*please HELP: in reference to my wheel bearing price quote*

In the opinion of more mechanically gifted forum posters, don't you think the price Halfway Motors quoted me is highway robbery? What should I be paying for this job on my 2005 X Trail SE? $1400, for 1 front and 1 rear bearing replacement seems outrageous.


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Are you sure this price didn't include the front hub replacement as well? If it doesn't then the price quoted is astronomical, as it shouldn't cost more than $200.00AUD per wheel to replace the bearings (and that includes parts and labour, as the bearing itself only cost a $100.00AUD). Replacing a hub can increase the bill to almost double, so it would be around $800.00AUD per wheel if the hub is shot due to prolonged driving on shot bearings. If I were you, I'd buy the bearings from Nissan and take it to any independent mechanic to have them fitted.

I have the part number for the front bearings, but I can't find the part number for the rear one:

Part Number: 40210-2Y000 (BEARING ASSY-FR)

The bearings are manufactured in Japan by NTN and you can contact them directly in Canada.


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## Dudbudder (Oct 1, 2010)

*bearing price Halfway Motors*

No the hubs are not part of the equation. See page 5 of this thread under my name for what the quote included, part and labour costs. I just came home from my best friend's house and her husband(who maintains their own vehicles) checked my vehicle to see if he found that there were issues with my bearings. Halfway Motors stated(on their quote) that both the front and rear wheel bearings on the LEFT side were bad. Robert(the husband) found no problem with either on the left side and only a tiny bit of play on the RIGHT rear wheel bearing. They also stated since I have a trailer hitch on the back they would have to use a torch to remove it in order to facilitate the repairs on the rear bearing. That makes sense to neither me nor Robert. :wtf:Clearly the mechanic and the service writer at Halfway Motors were taking advantage of this woman.

what a crime!


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## denis_the_theif (Jul 31, 2010)

If it's not the bearings making the noise then what is. I know with my bad left bearing, when I turned left, the sound went away - so listen when you turn?

It could be an illusive problem - mine was originally misdiagnosed as wheels - or could it be your wheels? In terms of the price, the Dealer always has the highest price. The rear is more labour intensive than average. And you were being charged for the arms. I'm not sure about that, I didn't need new arms when mine were done.


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

The easiest test you can do to determine of the bearings are shot (apart from the obvious grinding noise and especially when turning) is to jack the car up and hold the wheel/tyre from the top and bottom (like 6 o'clock) and give it a good shake, if it wobbles in either direction, chances are the bearing is shot.

Faulty tyres or tyre tread can also produce the type of noise similar to shot bearings, so if you recently changed tyres, get them inspected as well.


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## Dudbudder (Oct 1, 2010)

*wheel bearing test*

That is what my friend Robert did on Sunday. There was no play at all on the 2 wheels that Halfway Motors stated had bad bearings. There was a very small amount of play in the right rear wheel and the tire on that wheel has a bit more wear on the outer portion of the tread. The tires were rotated in August and have since had about 2400km put on them. I don't do any offroading and most of the driving is highway. Halfway did my front brakes in August and stated they cleaned the rear brakes. I noticed that when there was a heavy dew or it was raining my brakes were making a loud high-pitched noise. I brought it back in to Halfway and they said the noise was from a tiny amount of rust on the rear drums. Since I don't do much city driving and don't apply the brakes much they stated that is probably why I have the rust on the rear drums. 

That seems odd since I was only doing highway driving before they "fixed" my brakes in August and they never made noise. It was within a couple of days of bringing my vehicle in about the noisy brakes that I started hearing the intermittent droning from my right rear portion of the vehicle.

I am wondering if I can safely wait to do the repair if there is only a slight(mm's) looseness in the 1 wheel? I am in the process of relocating with a job transfer and was going to be trading in my XTrail for a vehicle that better suits my needs. I have a brother who will be living nearby who can change the bearing and help me find a replacement vehicle.

thanks


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## Not Impressed (Oct 13, 2010)

*wheel bearings*

To dudbudder I too am from thunder bay and have to deal with halfway. just came back from a trip to minneapolis and while i was there my front wheel bearing started to make noise again!. I had both front wheel bearings replaced two years ago in 2008 under warranty. It sounds exactly the same as last time to me but after i brought it back to halfway for a quote they told me it was the rear wheel bearings and quoted me $1400 as well giving me the line that they have to cut parts of to get at them. I do not believe they did anything more then take it for a test drive as the work order was made up less then 10 minutes after it was dropped off. by the way mine is only front wheel drive which means theirs alot less going on back there. I'm going the confirm tommorrow if they even noticed it was a front wheel drive. but i still believe its the front. also when i had the fronts replaced in 2008 they said they would have replaced the rear bearings if they had them but were out of stock and backordered. guess i'm on the hook now and not sure what I'm going to do. P/S do you have a problem of all your windows suddenly fogging up at times in cooler weather?. I want to sell!


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## shabalia (Dec 27, 2005)

*to not impressed*

Hi,
Are you over the 5yr/100k warranty? I was thinking if there was a note added to your bill in 2008 or recorded in their computer about the rear bearings, it might still be covered even if out of warranty. I think my dealer has recorded everything I ever said! 
However, last fall (at about 45k), when I had my winter wheels put on, they phoned me and said I needed $700 brake job. I had the routine brake service done every year after reading here about the problems with seized calipers etc. I said maybe later, and got a mechanic friend to check...didn't need anything, but we changed the pads anyway ($48). There was never a word on that bill in the fall about needing the brake job, where in the past always said what % was remaining. I had the summer wheels put on in the spring...no mention of brakes.
Maybe you need another opinion?


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## Dudbudder (Oct 1, 2010)

Not Impressed said:


> To dudbudder I too am from thunder bay and have to deal with halfway. just came back from a trip to minneapolis and while i was there my front wheel bearing started to make noise again!. I had both front wheel bearings replaced two years ago in 2008 under warranty. It sounds exactly the same as last time to me but after i brought it back to halfway for a quote they told me it was the rear wheel bearings and quoted me $1400 as well giving me the line that they have to cut parts of to get at them. I do not believe they did anything more then take it for a test drive as the work order was made up less then 10 minutes after it was dropped off. by the way mine is only front wheel drive which means theirs alot less going on back there. I'm going the confirm tommorrow if they even noticed it was a front wheel drive. but i still believe its the front. also when i had the fronts replaced in 2008 they said they would have replaced the rear bearings if they had them but were out of stock and backordered. guess i'm on the hook now and not sure what I'm going to do. P/S do you have a problem of all your windows suddenly fogging up at times in cooler weather?. I want to sell!


Sorry to hear not impressed but I am not surprised. I took mine into to D&M auto on Squier place. There final price was exactly what they quoted me the day before when I brought it in for a 2nd opinion. The final bill was considerably lower than what Halfway quoted me and there was only 1 bearing(rear) not 2 as Halfway stated, that was faulty. The owner of D&M stated it is rare in most vehicles that the rear bearings have such a short life span. Until he saw for himself, he thought I might be mistaken. My Xtrail is no longer under warranty but has only 96K km on the odometer, mostly highway and no OFF-Roading.


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## Not Impressed (Oct 13, 2010)

*wheel bearings*

dudbudder did d&m say anything about the trailing arms needing to be cut off?. and to shabalia i talked to nissan today and they said the had no record of my rear bearings being worn but said we may be able to workout a better deal. Our x-trail has 70km no offroading or trailering.again no one has had any problems of windows instantly fogging up?. nissan claimed it is not only their new vehicles with bearing problems saying its the liquid calcium the mto is now putting on our roads in the winter.


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## Dudbudder (Oct 1, 2010)

Not Impressed said:


> dudbudder did d&m say anything about the trailing arms needing to be cut off?. and to shabalia i talked to nissan today and they said the had no record of my rear bearings being worn but said we may be able to workout a better deal. Our x-trail has 70km no offroading or trailering.again no one has had any problems of windows instantly fogging up?. nissan claimed it is not only their new vehicles with bearing problems saying its the liquid calcium the mto is now putting on our roads in the winter.


that's a load of bunk, Xtrails are not the only vehicles on the road and those other vehicles are not having any issues with bearings. Halfway also stated that my brakes were making noise(started after they worked on them) because there was a fine coating of rust on them because I did mostly highway driving and did not brake as frequently as a city driver. Well I was doing highway driving before they "fixed" my brakes and they never squealed at all. I will never go back and I will never recommend Halfway to anyone.


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## Dudbudder (Oct 1, 2010)

Dudbudder said:


> that's a load of bunk, Xtrails are not the only vehicles on the road and those other vehicles are not having any issues with bearings. Halfway also stated that my brakes were making noise(started after they worked on them) because there was a fine coating of rust on them because I did mostly highway driving and did not brake as frequently as a city driver. Well I was doing highway driving before they "fixed" my brakes and they never squealed at all. I will never go back and I will never recommend Halfway to anyone.


they also mentioned needing to replace arms which I believe were 116.00 each just for the part. D&M did not have to replace any arms, they only extra part besides the bearing was a clip for $7.32. My XTRail has had loads of trouble, CD changer is a piece of crap, the wiper blades only last about 4 or 5 months, the lock release buttons for folding down the rear seats always get jammed and I can not fold down the seats, the doors freeze open, I have already had body work done on it for rusting despite annual Rust Check applications and keeping my vehicle clean. The paint is very soft and even a hose glazing over it at a coin operated car wash mars the paint and it has to be buffed out. Poor quality all around. The heating and AC(already had to have it recharged) is not very good and it takes forever to defrost the windows, yep mine has fogged up while driving too.


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## dnjsmith (May 21, 2010)

*rear brake work and rear bearing on 2006 Bonavista AWD*

I am at 109,000 kms and have replaced the rear right bearing around 100, 000 kms, started hearing noise in rear. The previous owner had mentioned a sticking caliper. I recently had rear rotors done and new brake pads while waiting for caliper from Nissan dealership an hour away (Rural Alberta) $360, $40 markup from Edmonton dealership for caliper. $489 installed, plus the $300.00 for the previous new pads and rotor work...then today mechanic who is very good and honest says I also need a new rear bearing on left side, quoted with labour about $400.00. This is wonderful winter vehicle, and we had a severe winter so I am hoping this will not be an issue. If so I upgrade to either a pathfinder, x terra, or ford ranger 4x4.


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## lmac (Mar 21, 2011)

I think I'm in the same boat, i have 125 xxx km on mine i noticed it back in sept but i just decided to do something about it. I have been lucky its my first


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## dnjsmith (May 21, 2010)

*left wheel bearing*

The left wheel bearing was done yesterday. It cost $338. with labour.


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## babber (Sep 3, 2006)

In the past month, I have had the rear passenger one replaced along with the hub. Yesterday both fronts were done, thank god it was all covered under the 5/100.


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## lobogobo (May 12, 2009)

I hear what you are saying about HalfWay Motors Dudbudder. I live in Stanley. They wanted to do a rear brake job on the wife's 06 XTrail AWD. It has only 80,000 ks. With out new rotors they quoted $400.00. With new rotors it was $600.00. I did the brakes and new rotors myself for $150.00. Took my 45 min. I told them they are idiots to think I had stupid written on my forehead.

On another note I have been hearing a howling from the left rear. Took the winter tires off and still there. Will have to take it in for bearing I guess. I have extended warranty so will see what they say.


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## lobogobo (May 12, 2009)

OK guys. Took the XTrail in today. The wheel bearing on the left rear was gone. They also changed the left front. Never cost me a cent. It was covered under warranty. 

On another note, HalfWay Motors told the wife that the front caliper is siezed and also it needed front pads and to do the job, it's $400.00. You know what I said! I bought pads from Napa for $45.00. What I found was the inside pad was rusted in. 
Changed the pads and all is good. There wasn't anything wrong with the caliper. Took me 1/2 an hour for the whole job.

I don't mind spending money for honest repair work, I really hate getting ripped off.


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## janarth (Oct 14, 2004)

Hi all,
I'm having little trouble in diagnosis. x-trail went to nissan dealer found no problem!!! issue is: When I turn left, at times, it will make squealing / grinding noise from right rear. it doesn't happen all the time. it need to be acceraleting at certain speed & turning left, but it is random. I reproduce on diffrent occasions??? bearing test pass by dealer. anyone knows what is going on?? is it diffrential??


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## PLNCRZY (Mar 8, 2004)

1. I know a mechanic who claims that he owns an x trail with over 200,000 km without EVER having replaced bearings AND has worked on X trails with over 150,000km before having to replace any.

2. Has anybody ever purchased/used bearings from auto parts way .ca?... they are $50.00 ea

3. Has anybody ever purchased/used bearing off ebay? they are $23.00 ea

4. I just purchased an x trail and am returning to dealership where bought for replacement of bearing. Mechanic said that they will be replacing HUB along with bearing so that there is not issues whatsoever.


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## Joppy (Dec 19, 2008)

I purchased my bearings from ************, never had an issue. I think they were NTN or National. I'd stay away from the ebay bearings unless they are a name brand, the cost of replacing usually far exceeds the cost of the bearings. If they are insisting on replacing the hub, it is probably because they do not have a press available, in which case buying the bearing separately makes no sense. The hub is essentially just a piece of cast iron, should be no issue unless the vehicle was in an accident. Maybe the stealership is just trying to milk you for more cash.


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## Joppy (Dec 19, 2008)

There is a large bolt that becomes seized in the rear trailing arm. However, it just requires a bit of persuasion to slide the hub off rather than attempting to remove the bolt. The mechanic could also just detach the trailing arm from the other side and do an alignment afterwards. I trust very few mechanics I ever dealt with, find a service manual and a mechanic you can trust. Often the dealerships claim parts require replacement since the mechanics do not want to spend the extra 15 minutes tinkering with something, especially if they are paid by the job. So the customer pays for more parts to reduce the time it takes them, plus it is easier for them.


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## dnjsmith (May 21, 2010)

*wheel bearings/ calipers*

with the replacement of wheel bearings and two calipers one rear, one front ( front caliper stuck) so had to have rotors replaced too. All Nissan parts. I finally said enough and sold it. I had 126000kms at the time. Still liking Nissan I purchased a 2008 Frontier crew 4x4 se,this should be a tougher vehicle. The better gas mileage of the x-trail was not worth the cost in repairs. I should probably leave this forum now.


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## yegs (Aug 6, 2009)

I'm driving a 2006 Bonavista edition, the right rear bearing was replaced around 49,000 km, the car is just under 50,000km now and needs the front left bearing replaced. I thought they would last longer than that ?


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## martyxke (May 25, 2009)

Well my X trail certainly has a taste for front wheel bearings, two on the offside, and I have just replaced my 5th on the nearside, along with the lower suspension arm. I think the problem is wear in the front hub, as it isn't an interference fit in the bearing any more at the inner face. I have shimmed mine out, but the thought of £250 to replace it is hard to swallow. I have the bearing removal off to a fine art now (as you would imagine) and have found the rear bearing from a 3 series BMW is a great size for drifting the nissan one out, as its just slightly smaller. Another trick is to put a jubilee clip around the new bearing to locate the BMW bearing on top. As the new bearing is equally loaded it goes in with no problem at all. I am however thinking about changing the front hubs to the newer spec ones, so will be researching that idea.


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## id-dis (Mar 24, 2012)

*Bearing replaced*

Yeah i had the near side rear bearing on my x trail 2.2 TD go at 70,000mls and I had to pay £190 for the replacement bearing from nissan which is shocking for a part that costs around £12 to make. quite a markup there. 

lucky i had a cheap option for fitting it. The bearing would probably have lasted a bit longer had I not been towing a few items over the past two years.

If anyone can help i have a thread posted here about a central locking problem?


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## pftp61 (Sep 3, 2012)

*Remove Wheel Assembly???*



Joppy said:


> There is a large bolt that becomes seized in the rear trailing arm. However, it just requires a bit of persuasion to slide the hub off rather than attempting to remove the bolt. The mechanic could also just detach the trailing arm from the other side and do an alignment afterwards. I trust very few mechanics I ever dealt with, find a service manual and a mechanic you can trust. Often the dealerships claim parts require replacement since the mechanics do not want to spend the extra 15 minutes tinkering with something, especially if they are paid by the job. So the customer pays for more parts to reduce the time it takes them, plus it is easier for them.


I am trying to change the rear driver side wheel bearing. Cannot seem to find a good write up or any pics. Assuming the whole wheel assembly has to come off, how do you get that long bolt out. (The cv axle is in the way to get at bolts on inside end of trailing arm.) Any good links or advice would be appreciated. 2006 Xtrail 4wd.










Also, what is that cable going in the top right side of this picture. Ebrake? ABS? I thought I had aready removed ABS sensor...


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

The hang up cable is the abs sensor, the one attach to the hub is the hand brake cable. 
I assume you ve finished the job, was it hard to do it or you ve replaced everything and got a mechanic to do it?

I ve seen a mechanic doing this job and it din t looked easy to do.


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## pftp61 (Sep 3, 2012)

otomodo said:


> The hang up cable is the abs sensor, the one attach to the hub is the hand brake cable.
> I assume you ve finished the job, was it hard to do it or you ve replaced everything and got a mechanic to do it?
> 
> I ve seen a mechanic doing this job and it din t looked easy to do.


Yep, it was pretty tough. You have to take the drum brake (ebrake) apart to remove that cable. then it was free. Bearing was seperated, and everything was seized. I had to get Nissan to press it out and they installed new one I supplied in. Labor hit of $217. Also, the bushings on lower control arm bolt were seized. They needed replacement but they are part of control arms. $96x2. So with all the parts, me doing the grunt work, Nissan techs doing pressing I am into this wheel bearing for about 6hrs and $550. Poor design = too much money.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

The garage that i went twice charged me 460$ to do the whole job. 
The mechanic didn t change the Control arms or the bushing, he worked his way through. 
I ve tried the dealer once, since they told me they only charge 65$/h for cars with 100 000 km plus. 
Result 650$ for the job, control arms changed, bushings and bolts. Will definitely return to the other garage.


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## Roddy (Dec 19, 2014)

Had to replace both front bearings on 2005 xt. Removed and replaced both myself...the hardened surface of both were flaking off


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## troutie (Jul 30, 2015)

Hey folks, 

New to the forum as I'm trying hard to find a decent XT! 

I test drove an '05 with 152K on it yesterday and had a few things I'm concerned with, #1 being a sound from the front passenger wheel while driving (did speeds 50-80km/h). Best I can describe it was a blowy or circular kind of sound, not grinding or moaning sound. I could only really notice the sound when it reflected off side walks - with the windows shut no music or anything I could barely hear it or couldn't. I didn't notice if it made more noise when turning the wheel so I'm thinking it didn't but I could have missed it. 

Any ideas? It certainly sounds like wheel bearings go often on XTs and they're getting more expensive. I could expect to get it one done for $300-$500 at a shop? 

Many thanks!


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## Roddy (Dec 19, 2014)

*Noisy front wheel bearings*

I replaced both front bearings...isolated by jacking up front end and engaged drive (standard transmission). Used stethoscope on hub. The left was much worse so replaced one at a time. I bought a cheaper bearing for right side (just to see if quality is same)...I have nothing but time. Paid about $140 for both. Only had 100k on it when replaced. It started out as a steadily increasing hum/whine. Noticeable even at low speed.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Good stuff Roddy. Always nice to see people working on their own X Trail. Have never done the bearings myself, but I might give it a go next time I need one.

In response to your question Troutie, the X trail uses sealed bearings which are wear items and used in lots of vehicles. If they have never been replaced at 152,000 kms they are due. From what I can tell for most people the bearing replacement period is between 100 ,000 and 150,000. In my case both rear ones were replaced over the past two years and I had my front ones done 3 months ago at 150,000 kms. They were originals and lasted 8 years. One side was still ok but on borrowed time. Cheaper to negotiate a deal to install 2 in one shot. I found a good mechanic willing to do it for 200.00 and I supplied the parts. 
Of course whenever I pay someone else to work on mine they always find something else, usually because they damage something else, such as the control arm ball joint when dissassembling the front hub to replace the bearing. That was a 300 dollar oops, but he said it was damaged before he took it apart...
With bearing replacement the biggest expense is labour, so dont cheap out on the bearings. Pay double or tripple the price of ebay cheapies and get quality SKF, Timken, or Moog's top of the line. Main reason for premature failure after that is poor installation, not to mention really bad pot hole damage. Usual price at a shop for doing one will be around 300 and 500 for both sides including parts and taxes.


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## 4wheels (Oct 19, 2015)

quadraria10 said:


> Good stuff Roddy. Always nice to see people working on their own X Trail. Have never done the bearings myself, but I might give it a go next time I need one.
> 
> In response to your question Troutie, the X trail uses sealed bearings which are wear items and used in lots of vehicles. If they have never been replaced at 152,000 kms they are due. From what I can tell for most people the bearing replacement period is between 100 ,000 and 150,000. In my case both rear ones were replaced over the past two years and I had my front ones done 3 months ago at 150,000 kms. They were originals and lasted 8 years. One side was still ok but on borrowed time. Cheaper to negotiate a deal to install 2 in one shot. I found a good mechanic willing to do it for 200.00 and I supplied the parts.
> Of course whenever I pay someone else to work on mine they always find something else, usually because they damage something else, such as the control arm ball joint when dissassembling the front hub to replace the bearing. That was a 300 dollar oops, but he said it was damaged before he took it apart...
> With bearing replacement the biggest expense is labour, so dont cheap out on the bearings. Pay double or tripple the price of ebay cheapies and get quality SKF, Timken, or Moog's top of the line. Main reason for premature failure after that is poor installation, not to mention really bad pot hole damage. Usual price at a shop for doing one will be around 300 and 500 for both sides including parts and taxes.


A quick Google search brought me here. It's great to find a forum with so much useful information.

I live in Gatineau too. A humming noise in my x-trail (06, SE）started at 150,500 km. I thought it was from brakes. A local garage replaced 4 brake pads which cost me $260 CAD including $130 for the parts and $130 for the labour. The garage told me that I need to replace ONE rear bearing at the driver side as well, and the cost would be $300 ($150 parts + $150 labour). 
I called a Nissan dealer and the other 2 local garages since I'd no idea about replacing bearings. Here are the quotes I got for fixing ONE rear bearing.

Nissan dealer $513+tax ($177 Nissan genuine parts + 3.5 hr labour @ $96/hr + tax)
Garage A $280+tax ($140 aftermarket parts + 1.5 hr labour @ $90/hr + tax)
Garage B $374+tax ($200 Nissan genuine parts + 2 hr labor @ 101/hr + tax)

I was hesitating to choose one from these 4 places. But I'm glad that I didn't fix my car in a rush this time. After reading each post here, I felt it's better to replace bearings for 4 wheels which will cost a lot $$. As a woman, I don't have much negotiating power in the prices of auto-services. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions you guys may have.


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## 4wheels (Oct 19, 2015)

oops, reposted...


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Glad you are finding info that is useful. Must admit I found a lot of helpful info here as well, and its why I like to contribute. Shame your bearings are starting to go, but you can probably expect to replace them all within the next 50,000 kms.
My advice, stay away from either Gatineau Nissan Dealer for this. The bill will be higher as they will break and replace things rather than carefully disassemble, and for this they require more time than any other mechanic...
Strangely enough, I found the best place in our region is Speedy Muffler on St-Joseph in Hull. They have done both my rears at different times, including redoing the drivers side rear one that another place did a bad job installing and which failed prematurely. In both cases I went for top of line SKF bearings that come with a 3 year part warranty and I think 6 months on labour . The second time the drivers side went, I took it to Speedy who did a good job on the other side, and even though they did not install it, they got me a free replacement bearing from SKF. 
Anyway the point of this, is that they have a good mechanic there who can change them on the vehicle without having to dismantle your rear suspension and the added risk of damaging the abs sensor. It will cost around 300 with taxes, and of course you can always find a Speedy Coupon on line to save another $25. 
Whatever you do, do not cheap out on the bearing.
And, as you have learned, no need to panic when you find a problem early, and doing a bit of research can save you a fair bit of anxiety and money!


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi Again 4Wheels, or should I say Hi Neighbor,
Anyway I forgot to comment on your idea that you need to have all 4 wheel bearings done in one shot. I wouldn't and mainly because the only real time saving would be not having to return to garage each time one goes bad. Other reason would be, that each bearing replacement has the potential to require something else to be replaced and you could end up with a pricey total repair.
To give you an idea, to press in the front ones the hub has to be removed and this means freeing it from suspension and brakes. When undoing the control arm ball joint, its fairly easy to rip the boot and then suddenly the control arm needs replacing. These cannot be fixed and need to be replaced entirely and the part is over 400 at Napa and over 300 at Nissan ( Rare case where dealer is cheaper). And, because the control arm also has two suspension bushings changing one side only will affect the way it drives. Mind you with new control arms, your steering and handling will feel tighter, but replacing both sides can be pricey.

For what it is worth, I have 157,000 kms, and this year replaced both front bearings, one control arm ( changed both last year), and both front struts. I also changed all 4 brake pads, the two oxygen sensors, and the serpentine belt. I really like the X trail more than the new or old Rogue. And maintaining it, so that it drives like new is way cheaper than car payments.


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## 4wheels (Oct 19, 2015)

Hello Quadraria, 

Thank you for sharing your experience and your suggestions. I really like my box shaped x-trail and wish I could drive it for another 150,000 kms! That's the reason I'd like to invest a reasonable amount of money for good quality parts and reliable and honest services.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

I hope mine lasts as well. Good news is that they go back to 2001 in Europe and elsewhere and lot of those are still going. Do fluid changes and parts as they need replacing and there is a good chance you can keep it for another 150,000 kms. Just do not park it indoors in winter if you don't want it to rust prematurely.

One of the things I like about doing a lot of my own maintenance is that it makes it easier to invest in better quality parts. Many times for the X trail Rock Auto has a much better selection and availability of parts. Amazon as well if you know what you are ordering.
For example when doing your bearings its also good to replace the bearing retaining clip, and to use a new axle hub nut bolt to ensure proper torque is placed on new bearing.
Likewise with a brake job its good to get new abutment clips, caliper slide rubbers, and to properly relube and possibly replace slide pins. Or if replacing a caliper its a good idea to change brake line as well. A lot of places never even propose these in interest of keeping your bill lower, or they didn't think to order them when getting the other parts for a repair. Anyway its all good fun. Let us know how your bearing repair goes. Good luck.


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## lmac (Mar 21, 2011)

Just had to do another wheel bearing, so i have replaced three so far


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

That isn't so bad Imac. At what mileage where they done?
On mine-- drivers side rear-- replaced at 105,000 and again at 129,000, passenger side rear 124,000, and after diagnosis of bad drivers side front at 145,000 had both lh and rh fronts changed.
Considering the state of the roads these past years, I think I got pretty good life out of them. All lasted between 6 and 8 years.


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## 4wheels (Oct 19, 2015)

quadraria10 said:


> Hi Again 4Wheels, or should I say Hi Neighbor,
> Anyway I forgot to comment on your idea that you need to have all 4 wheel bearings done in one shot. I wouldn't and mainly because the only real time saving would be not having to return to garage each time one goes bad. Other reason would be, that each bearing replacement has the potential to require something else to be replaced and you could end up with a pricey total repair.
> To give you an idea, to press in the front ones the hub has to be removed and this means freeing it from suspension and brakes. When undoing the control arm ball joint, its fairly easy to rip the boot and then suddenly the control arm needs replacing. These cannot be fixed and need to be replaced entirely and the part is over 400 at Napa and over 300 at Nissan ( Rare case where dealer is cheaper). And, because the control arm also has two suspension bushings changing one side only will affect the way it drives. Mind you with new control arms, your steering and handling will feel tighter, but replacing both sides can be pricey.
> 
> For what it is worth, I have 157,000 kms, and this year replaced both front bearings, one control arm ( changed both last year), and both front struts. I also changed all 4 brake pads, the two oxygen sensors, and the serpentine belt. I really like the X trail more than the new or old Rogue. And maintaining it, so that it drives like new is way cheaper than car payments.


Hi Hi Neighbor quadraria10

I'm sorry for not being able to get back to you for such a long time!

I had only one bearing been replaced before the winter last year as my mechanic insisted it's not necessary to replace all at once. Here's the cost I paid for placing one bearing: $180 parts (SKF bearing made in Japan) and $160 labour.

My car has almost 170K mileage now. I felt that sometime this year I have to replace the other one at the back.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi 4wheels,
Glad you got through another winter with your X Trail. Sounds like your mechanic gives you good advice and did a good job on the one he replaced last fall. It's a drag to have to replace another, but considering your mileage I think you have gotten good life out of the originals. Have the other side done with another skf and they should be good for a good long time. How is the rest of your car holding up? Only thing to go bad on mine over the past year, was the rear wiper seizing , but I was able to fix it myself for nothing.


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