4,344 complaints, 618 vehicles. Wheel complaints in NHTSA's database aren't about wheel cosmetics — they're typically about wheel bearings (failed and noisy), wheel studs (broken or missing), lug nut issues, and the occasional alloy wheel that cracks or porosity-leaks air. Wheel bearing failure is the dominant pattern in this category. They're a wear item, they fail eventually, and a failed wheel bearing makes a noise that gets worse over time and can eventually cause a wheel to seize at speed. Replace them when they start humming. The vehicles ranked below have wheel-related complaints leading their problem pattern. Average bearing replacement cost is $350-$700 per corner depending on whether the bearing is integrated with the hub or pressed into a separate carrier. Lug nut and stud problems cluster around vehicles where stamped or unitized assemblies failed in service — Ford F-150 has a recall on certain wheel studs, several GM trucks had lug nut swelling issues with the chrome-cap design.
Wheels problems
4,344 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 51 active recall campaigns.
Worst-affected vehicles Top 25 by complaint volume
Most-recalled vehicles For wheels components
Recent owner reports 12 most recent in this category
On 12-22-2021during routine vehicle servicing of my 2013 Ford Escape at Mac Haik Ford in Georgetown, TX, Invoice Number 776999, I was told by the Service Advisor that the mechanic was having troubles getting the wheels off to rotate and balance. Sophie Rosa, Service Advisor told me that the mechanic reported the lug nuts on the wheels were…
DRIVING INTERSTATE 75 ATLANTA SPEEDS70+MPH HEAVY TRAFFIC -- RF MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S 3+ 285/30/ZR19(94Y) DOT 4MLW00UX (2819) PURCHASED 4 NEW FROM DEALER AT DELIVERY -- 24K MILES NOW-- ALERT SYSTEM SHOWED RF TIRE DEFLATING 35 TO 0.WAS ABLE TO RUN ON THE ZR TIRE TO NEXT INTERSTATE EXIT. TIRE SIDEWALL WAS SPLIT IN MULTIPLE PLACES ABOUT AN 1/2…
CAR WAS VIBRATING WHILE DRIVING AND GETTING WORSE. TOOK TO LOCAL TIRE SHOP FOR BALANCE. TIRE SHOP INFORMED ME I HAD 2 FRONT AND 1 REAR BENT WHEELS. NEXT TRIP TO DEALER FOR WARRANTY WORK ASKED TO HAVE BENT WHEELS REPLACED. BENT WHEELS WERE DOCUMENTED ON WORK INVOICE BUT REPLACEMENT WAS DENIED. NOTE WHEELS HAVE NEVER BEEN INSPECTED FOR CRACKS BUT DO…
MY TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS KEEP SAYING MY TIRES ARE LOW BUT THERE NOT WHEN I CHECK EM THE SENSORS GO ON AND OFF AND I NEVER KNOW IF THERE RIGHT JUST BOUGHT IT FOR USED DEALER IN MAY 2018 AND HAVE BEEN GOING ON AND OFF I HAVE EVEN REPLACED THE TIRES THINKING SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THEM THEN I SEEN THAT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN RECALLED BUT DEALER DIDN'T…
THIS IS OUR THIRD ELANTRA. WHILE WE LIKE THE LOOKS OF THE VEHICLE AND THE WAY IT GENERALLY HANDLES WE ARE GREATLY DISSATISFIED WITH THE TIRES THAT ARE STANDARD ON THE VEHICLE. SINCE WE LIVE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND EXPERIENCE WINTERY WEATHER WE HAVE FOUND THAT THESE TIRES ARE VERY DANGEROUS ON WINTER ROADS. WE ARE SURE THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE…
THIS CAR IS ONE YEAR OLD AND MAINTAINED FOLLOWING THE SERVICE MANUAL AND REAR TIRES ARE BALD ON 1/2 OUTSIDE TREAD , 19,000 MILES OF MOSTLY HIGHWAY !
THE CAR NOW HAS HAD TO GET TWO DIFFERENT WHEEL BEARINGS CHANGED (UNDER WARRANTY). PER DEALERSHIP, ITS A "KNOWN PROBLEM" WITH THE RDX. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT 2 OUT OF THE 4 HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AND SOON I WILL BE OUT OF WARRANTY, WHAT IS MY RECOURSE AFTER THIS WHEN THIS A SUPPOSEDLY A "KNOWN PROBLEM" WITH THE 2013 RDX. *JS
CHROME PLATING IS FLAKING OFF, AND TIRES CONSISTENTLY LOSE AIR PRESSURE. I CONTACTED RAY PRICE FORD IN STROUDSBURG, PA AND THEY SAID THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS, BUT NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. I CONTACTED MY TIRE PERSON AND HE TRIED TO BRUSH OFF THE EXCESS CHROME AROUND SEAL TO GET A BEAD, BUT NO LUCK. A NEW WHEEL IS AROUND $400, SO I GOT A USED ONE.…
Wheel bearings hum before they fail. If you hear a hum that changes with speed and gets worse over time, get it inspected before you cook a bearing into a wheel-off situation.