Jazz Rear Wheel Bearing Replacement Options

G'day, we just bought a 2003 Jazz Vti as a replacement for our Toyota Echo. It has got 58,000kms on it and is in pretty good condition and overall I'm very impressed with it...heaps more solid than the Echo. We picked it up for $11,000 so I think we got a good buy.

On the test drive I noticed a whirring noise coming from the rear at anything above 50-60km/hr, I convinced myself it was just road noise form the crap Nexan tyres, but after driving it for a bit I think it maybe something more. It's going to really bug me especially since we wil lbe driving across Australia in it, so I'm going to have to try and solve it. I have read on the internet about lots of rear wheel bearing failures in Jazz's with similar symptoms so I'm guessing this is the problem.

I'll probably replace them myself but my quesiton is, are there any options to prevent future premature failures...ie can I get a non Honda bearing of better quality or have Honda fixed this quality problem with better bearings...am I best to stick with genuine Honda items?

Best asking your mechanic, I had the same problem were at the time i replaced the rear wheel bearing they were about to fall off =z.

the oem ones havent changed, so yes there is a fair chance it may happen again down the track.

i don't remember there being any aftermarket options being available either so u may just need to suck it and see

Thats pretty poor by Honda really, for it to be this bad after only 50,000kms and for so many others to have the same problem...you would think in this day and age manufacturers would be able to avoid things like this. It's a shame because other thna that I'm reallly impressed with the Jazz and for a "cheap" compact car it seems to be very well built and is pleasant to drive.

Oh well I guess I'll just have to suck it and see.

With the rear wheel bearings do I have to buy the whole hub (expensive) from Honda or can I just press out the bearing and get it replaced?

pretty sure its the whole hub mate.

don't worry, your new bearings should last until your cvt packs it in ;)

Manual for me :)...I deliberately steered clear of CVT...just sounds expensive when it breaks.

How much will it cost to replace the bearings by Honda?

Not sure yet but I have heard figure of about $200 per hub assembly. Fitment is pretty basic to do yourself so I can't imagine Honda charging too much...

its a common & known problem for the jazzes, previous owner shud have claimed it while it was still covered under warranty.

if its needed to be changed, u will have to change it sometime sooner or later, or else it'll only get noisier.

You could try contacting organisations like:

Hooper Bearings Pty. Ltd.
690 Botany Rd, Mascot, NSW 2020
p: (02) 9313 4300
Website - None Supplied
Email - None Supplied

I've bought replacement bearings for a Suzuki Carry Van some years ago that kept failing because the neighbours German Sheppard kept relieving himself on my wheel - Hoopers supplied a commercial, sealed, high speed pump bearing that not only stopped the urine getting in, but was about a quarter of the price - their advice was priceless. A similar thing occurred with a set of Austin 1800 front wheel bearings $72 each x 4 in the late 70's. Yeah, I know, I've driven some odd stuff over the years - but money and imports were short.

just to let you know, the rear wheel bearing and hubs come as a complete one piece set. you cannot buy them separately. honda oem new your looking around 200ish mark

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Originally Posted by hoey888

just to let you know, the rear wheel bearing and hubs come as a complete one piece set. you cannot buy them separately. honda oem new your looking around 200ish mark

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Well I guess that makes sense, but as a maintenance engineer I reckon if it can be assembled, I can disassemble it. That Honda supply it as complete unit doesn't mean it can't be repaired. I have never actually assessed a Jazz hub for this type of work, but if Honda can get a bearing in then I can get it out, and replace it.:honda: I WILL have a look and see what I can sort out.

I got mine replaced back in October 2007. Bad thing about my situation was that my bearings on the rear, right side only became noisy after I came back from holidays and the car was sitting still for about 10 days.

I guess the grease settled in the hub or something?? (no evidence of leakage)

Just checked my invoice:

Total Labour: $46.37
Total parts: $279.48 (1 side bearing/Hub assembly)
GST: $32.58

TOTAL: $358.45

So not that cheap really, but I had no choice. The noise was terrible on the freeway.

Yes, it's a bit exxy - there must be a solution. Just a thought - resist the temptation to aim water, from the hose, onto the hub when washing the car - especially if the wheels are hot - I'm sure such a practice led to wheel bearings on one of my other cars failing. A large German Shephard pi**ing on the wheels didn't help.

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Originally Posted by tedh1951

resist the temptation to aim water, from the hose, onto the hub when washing the car - especially if the wheels are hot - I'm sure such a practice led to wheel bearings on one of my other cars failing.

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I never did such a thing and I still had the problem. Just a manufacturing defect that's costing us all :-/

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Originally Posted by 95331140

I got mine replaced back in October 2007. Bad thing about my situation was that my bearings on the rear, right side only became noisy after I came back from holidays and the car was sitting still for about 10 days.

I guess the grease settled in the hub or something?? (no evidence of leakage)

Just checked my invoice:

Total Labour: $46.37
Total parts: $279.48 (1 side bearing/Hub assembly)
GST: $32.58

TOTAL: $358.45

So not that cheap really, but I had no choice. The noise was terrible on the freeway.

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the labour is cheap

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Originally Posted by 95331140

I never did such a thing and I still had the problem. Just a manufacturing defect that's costing us all :-/

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Which? The garden hose or the German Shephard thing?:)

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Originally Posted by claymore

It's a sealed bearing inside a sealed hub how do you think water is getting in??

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What happens when you heat any fluid - be it water, oil, grease (oil mixed with soap), petrol, or even air - it expands. The bearing housing, to follow the laws of physics, has to allow for fluid expansion due to heat as well as contraction with cooling. If this is a sealed unit as you suggest, then I have an engineering problem. Even "sealed" bearings often have plastic side plates to allow for expansion. A totally sealed bearing does exist where fluids surround it to carry the heat away (like high speed pump bearings) but in a car - call me cynical, but I'm yet to be convinced.

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Originally Posted by claymore

Yet to be convinced of WHAT. There are seals TO KEEP THINGS OUT and in so how does the water get in to somehow wreck the bearings, not how does the grease expand and get out.

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Well if expansion is accommodated and the bearing compartment is allowed to relieve pressure then, very obviously, the same mechanism has to contract when it cools - if water, for example, is present when the cooling occurs then it is very likely that water must be drawn back into the bearing. I'M NOT GUESSING HERE - this is what I do for a profession - and I have done it for a long time - I see expensive bearings in expensive machines fail due to water injestion, and I see it almost on a weekly basis. Sometimes it is due to the force of a cleaning hose, sometimes it is due to contraction sucking water (and dirt) in. If you tell me that motor vehicle bearings are completely sealed then all I can say is B.... S... . Modern design is all well and good, but that sort of design is very, very, unusual - and very, very, expensive - Mr Honda is good, but nowhere near that good. None of us could afford it.

Then why do bearings on other cars virtually last the life of the car and are usually the last thing to fail?

Cheap/poor engineering is obviously the cause with the Jazz's bearings.

Sorry All,
I'm out of line, and I DID have a bit of a rant - well out of order - won't happen again. :thumbdwn:

it's nothing to do with water dude, it's just poor design by honda. honda is well aware of the issue too as it is quite common

those jazz wheel bearings tend to fail a fair bit they are pretty easy to replace tho probly be cheaper to buy the hub and do it your self

it only comes as the hub

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/...-jazz-fit.html

MY FIRST POST!

I noticed the whirring sound for ages but I thought it was bald tyres... unfortunately it wasn't and by the time I read the forums my warranty had run out :(

I rang Larke Hoskin's Honda today and it's $646 for both of the rear wheel bearings incl. hubs and that's without installation and labour costs...

Anyone got anything cheaper for me?

slightly cheaper
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117895

i noticed a whirring noise on the freeway aswell, sounded like a tyre was a bit flat or something, but checked the tyres and they were all up to spec. didn't have a clue what it was.

luckily on a random service at astoria Honda, they caught the problem and fixed it under warranty. also they replaced the cvt fluid under warranty. fixed both out of good will without me actually reporting the problem to them first.

car had about 85k, and 03 model. repairs were done about 6 months ago, so it was well out of the warranty period. then again, 1 year prior to that, I took the car to have the cvt flushed by honda in prahran, and they charged me 300+.

Goes to show, some dealers will be flexible with warranty and others won't.

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Originally Posted by preludacris

i noticed a whirring noise on the freeway aswell, sounded like a tyre was a bit flat or something, but checked the tyres and they were all up to spec. didn't have a clue what it was.

luckily on a random service at astoria Honda, they caught the problem and fixed it under warranty. also they replaced the cvt fluid under warranty. fixed both out of good will without me actually reporting the problem to them first.

car had about 85k, and 03 model. repairs were done about 6 months ago, so it was well out of the warranty period. then again, 1 year prior to that, I took the car to have the cvt flushed by honda in prahran, and they charged me 300+.

Goes to show, some dealers will be flexible with warranty and others won't.

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WOW 03 model? Should I bother trying with other dealers? I'm not very cluey about these things so I'd probably get ripped off :(

Great. My 06 is starting the "WHIR OF DEATH":thumbdwn:

Oh noooo!!!!

I'm still waiting to hear what my mechanic says about sourcing parts otherwise, these look ok:
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117895

Mine just died too on an 06 model.
If you buy an aftermarket NTN branded one its exactly the same as OEM honda but in different packaging at a fraction of the cost.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/...090e210d85.jpg
Got one here
Will take $500 for a pair.

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Originally Posted by Rarrchelle

Oh noooo!!!!

I'm still waiting to hear what my mechanic says about sourcing parts otherwise, these look ok:
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117895

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I can't see how they look any good. If they are OEM Honda crap, then they are just going to fail again. Honda has a major problem here, as far as I'm concerned, it's surely worthy of a safety recall.

P.S. I signed the petition at top of page.

I just bought rear bearing hubs from repco. Price $73 each not bad I think.

YMMV

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Originally Posted by fundies

Great. My 06 is starting the "WHIR OF DEATH":thumbdwn:

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Turns out its just the tyre noise ( maxxis ma-v1 ) with an extra 2 large persons in the rear. All good for now at 70K.

I just replaced my wheel bearings. It was a piece of cake, thanks to all the information in this post. Thanks!

Had rear wheel bearings replaced on our 2005 Jazz under warranty from Honda at 60,000 km, now at 82,000 km they are replacing them again as still noisy !!!!( bearing cost from Honda $178 ) Honda Australia admit there is a fault with them. Worse still is that the front LH wheel bearing is now noisy and isn't covered by "extended" warranty and will cost $ 312 to replace.
80 K service has now cost $ 1492, not that happy !!!!!!!! I've had lots of cars and "never" had to do bearings at such low KM.
Think twice re buying another Honda !!!!!

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Originally Posted by robcar

Had rear wheel bearings replaced on our 2005 Jazz under warranty from Honda at 60,000 km, now at 82,000 km they are replacing them again as still noisy !!!!( bearing cost from Honda $178 ) Honda Australia admit there is a fault with them. Worse still is that the front LH wheel bearing is now noisy and isn't covered by "extended" warranty and will cost $ 312 to replace.
80 K service has now cost $ 1492, not that happy !!!!!!!! I've had lots of cars and "never" had to do bearings at such low KM.
Think twice re buying another Honda !!!!!

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See, this is what I dont get. My 06 VTI has 70,000k's and the wheel bearings are fine ( run 15 inch mags with 195 tyres from new as well, which should be harder on the bearings ). Why the inconsistencies ?:confused:

p.s. all I've done on my Jazz is regular oil changes, an air filter, one set of front brake pads, and that's it. Cheap motoring for sure.



PS BEARINGS ARE WHIRRING AT 87 K km's ( right rear )

anyone has a good mechanic to recommand in Sydney? and what price did they quote you to replace both of the rear wheel bearings.

Thumbs up for $70 Repco rear wheel bearings. Easy job, and no more Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrring.


JDM Yard wanted $311 FFS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

cheers for reviving a thread which was dead over a year ago

Honda covers it under extended warranty.

i hope your never incharge of exhuming ppls body, "fundies" otherwise we would have dead ppl being pulled out of caskets 24/7

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Originally Posted by fundies

Thumbs up for $70 Repco rear wheel bearings. Easy job, and no more Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrring.


JDM Yard wanted $311 FFS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Is that bearing and hub ? Or just bearing only ?
The price I quoted you was for Wheel bearing and hub and they are Genuine OEM Honda item.

honda usually cover it under warranty anyway.

Hub and bearing JDMyard. What good are genuine Honda OEM, which is what our cars come with, which obviously have a major fault. And as for reviving this thread, as long as people have Jazz's with these dodgy wheel bearings, it will keep being revived on and on and on.......................

To those who don't have this magic, "extended warranty", do yourself a favour, and buy the Repco substitute for $70.

not sure how this applies, but be sure you specify ABS if required. i had a front bearing replaced in my 05, and was under the impression that ABS Was standard fitment in all Jazz models in Aust. BUT bursons stock and sell ABS and non-ABS bearings, and didn't say eitherway. picked up and install non-ABS bearing, had to do it twice, and @ the end of the day, they ended up replacing the wrong bearing.

good times.