MajorCommonSuspension

Jaguar X-Type: Front wheel hub bearing failure on the early cars

Front wheel hub bearing failure on the early cars is a common suspension fault on the Jaguar X-Type on the 2001–2005 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $400 to $1,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 9 documented faults on the Jaguar X-Type.

Vehicle: Jaguar X-Type
Years: 2001–2005
System: Suspension

This page covers the Jaguar X-Type as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Jaguar X-Type faults9 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Wheel bearing yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The earliest X-Types had a genuine quality problem with their front wheel hubs, and hub bearing failure is one of the faults that gave the early cars their reputation before the build improved. It starts as a hum or drone that rises with speed and is easy to write off as tyre noise, and it ends with enough play to affect the steering and wear a tyre unevenly. Later cars are markedly better, so this is a fault worth checking hardest on an early one — and the car's build year matters more here than its condition.

What you would notice

Humming or droning that gets louder with speed
The noise changing as you steer gently left and right at speed
Uneven wear across one front tyre
A rumble you can feel through the floor or the steering wheel
Vague or wandering steering

How to check it

Where to look. Front wheel hubs, both sides

Find a quiet straight road, turn the stereo off and put a window down, then listen at fifty and again at eighty — a hub bearing hums and the hum builds with speed.
The test that separates it from tyre noise is to sway gently left and right within your lane on an empty road: bearing noise changes as the load shifts side to side, tyre roar does not.
Look across both front tyres for wear heavier on one edge than the other.
With the car parked, take each front wheel at top and bottom and try to rock it, feeling for movement rather than flex.
Ask whether either front hub has been replaced, and note the build year, because the early cars are the ones carrying this.

Parts involved: Wheel bearing.

What it costs to put right

$400 to $1,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Have either of the front hubs or wheel bearings been replaced?”
“Is there any humming from the front at open-road speed?”
“What year was it actually built?”

Now check the Jaguar X-Type you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

What Car? — 'Common Jaguar X-Type problems'
BreakerLink — 'How reliable is the Jaguar X-Type, and what common issues should you know?'

Jaguar X-Type buyer questions

Is front wheel hub bearing failure on the early cars serious on a Jaguar X-Type?

We rate it major and common on the Jaguar X-Type. The earliest X-Types had a genuine quality problem with their front wheel hubs, and hub bearing failure is one of the faults that gave the early cars their reputation before the build improved. It starts as a hum or drone that rises with speed and is easy to write off as tyre noise, and it ends with enough play to affect the steering and wear a tyre unevenly. Later cars are markedly better, so this is a fault worth checking hardest on an early one — and the car's build year matters more here than its condition.

How much does it cost to fix on a Jaguar X-Type?

$400 to $1,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Jaguar X-Type years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2001–2005 Jaguar X-Type. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Find a quiet straight road, turn the stereo off and put a window down, then listen at fifty and again at eighty — a hub bearing hums and the hum builds with speed. The test that separates it from tyre noise is to sway gently left and right within your lane on an empty road: bearing noise changes as the load shifts side to side, tyre roar does not. Look across both front tyres for wear heavier on one edge than the other. With the car parked, take each front wheel at top and bottom and try to rock it, feeling for movement rather than flex. Ask whether either front hub has been replaced, and note the build year, because the early cars are the ones carrying this. Look here: Front wheel hubs, both sides