I own a 99 Toyota Camry w/ 122k miles on it. About a year and a half ago I started hearing a low frequency vibration coming from left rear. A few mechanics said it was a worn bearing and I may want to get that fixed in near future. Well here it is 2011, I can’t stand the sound anymore and am concerned what other damage (if any) I may have put on my car. I plan to get this fixed next week. Just wondering what I may (or may not) be in store for…
When ever a bearing is making a noise it’s not suppose to make (if it makes a noise at all) then it’s doing damage. Yes you should get it fixed. Sounds like a wheel bearing to me. Get it fixed before it does more damage then just the bearing…although you may be too late.
There’s no way to know if there’s any other damage until the mechanic takes things apart. If there is more damage, and more repair expense, you will know who to blame.
A worn wheel bearing does little damage except to itself. Just have the bearing replaced. If your mechanic finds other stuff to fix, its cause is probably unrelated to the bearing problem.
A worn wheel bearing can easily damage the axle and race.