MajorCommonSuspension

Subaru Impreza: Front Wheel Bearing Failure Under AWD Cornering Loads

Front Wheel Bearing Failure Under AWD Cornering Loads is a common suspension fault on the Subaru Impreza on the 2000–2007 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $380 to $750 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 44 documented faults on the Subaru Impreza.

Vehicle: Subaru Impreza
Years: 2000–2007
Fuel: petrol
System: Suspension

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

All Subaru Impreza faults44 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

GD-generation Imprezas fitted with the AWD drivetrain subject the front wheel bearings to significantly higher radial and thrust loads than a front-wheel-drive equivalent. The pressed-in hub bearing assemblies are sealed units that degrade from water ingress, particularly on vehicles used on unsealed roads or those that have been through repeated deep water crossings. Bearings begin to show noise from around 100,000 km and failure can progress quickly once the grease is contaminated. Because the GD front strut geometry places the hub bearing close to the brake rotor heat soak zone, thermal cycling accelerates race-to-hub fretting and corrosion.

What you would notice

Low-frequency humming or growling from the front that increases with vehicle speed
The humming changes in pitch or intensity when the steering is loaded to one side on a sweeping corner
Vibration felt through the floorpan or steering wheel at highway speed
Detectable free play or roughness when the wheel is rocked at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions on a hoist

How to check it

Where to look. Front hub bearing assemblies, left and right, inside the front strut knuckle

Spin the wheel by hand and listen for a rough grinding or rumbling sensation. On a test drive, note if a directional hum changes pitch when gently weaving left and right at 80 km/h: a bearing that hums louder when cornering left is failing on the right side and vice versa. If a workshop inspection is possible: With the car on a hoist, grasp the tyre at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions and check for any play or knock — any detectable play is a fail.

Parts involved: Wheel bearing.

What it costs to put right

$380 to $750 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 you noticed any humming or growling noise from the front of the car at highway speed?”
“Have the front wheel bearings ever been replaced?”

Now check the Subaru Impreza 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 published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Subaru Impreza buyer questions

Is front wheel bearing failure under awd cornering loads serious on a Subaru Impreza?

We rate it major and common on the Subaru Impreza. GD-generation Imprezas fitted with the AWD drivetrain subject the front wheel bearings to significantly higher radial and thrust loads than a front-wheel-drive equivalent. The pressed-in hub bearing assemblies are sealed units that degrade from water ingress, particularly on vehicles used on unsealed roads or those that have been through repeated deep water crossings. Bearings begin to show noise from around 100,000 km and failure can progress quickly once the grease is contaminated. Because the GD front strut geometry places the hub bearing close to the brake rotor heat soak zone, thermal cycling accelerates race-to-hub fretting and corrosion.

How much does it cost to fix on a Subaru Impreza?

$380 to $750 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 Subaru Impreza years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2000–2007 Subaru Impreza. 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.