Faulty wheel bearing (3 weeks after being replaced)

[The Riddler]

Hi all,

Just wondering what to do in this instance.

I bought a car around a month ago, I knew it needed a wheel bearing, so the first chance i had i bought one from a factors, and used a garage he reccomended to have it fitted. Less than 2 weeks later i noticed noise coming back, 3 weeks on (now) the car is almost undrivable due to the noise.

The car is only ever used on weekends, and driving is all i really do at weekends, so as you can expect I'm rather pissed off at not being able to use my car properly at the moment.

Is it reasonable to expect the rectification work to be done for free? Or should i be expected to pay the labour charge again?

If that is the case i will be taking it else where, as the garage i had the work done at weren't exactly great.

[Eggman]

Depends whether the fault lies with the part itself or the labour done by the garage. I think you'll have a job proving which it is.

[The Riddler]

The part supplier has already offered to supply a new one free of charge, but was wondering if its reasonable to expect the labour to be for free too.

If not i shall take it elsewhere and just have to stomach the cost.

(My gut instinct tells me it was the fitting that caused the issue, not the part!)

[bigdods]

If you buy the part and fitting from the same place then you should expect to have a new one supplied and fitted for free. If you supply the part yourself and only buy fitting from the garage then you are unlikely to get the fitting cost back.

This is the chance you take when supplying your own parts for someone to fit, their liability doesnt stretch to rectifying faults with the parts you supplied.

[spaximus]

Before rushing to blame, I would want to know why it failed. It could be a faulty bearing, it could be a hub that is oval, why did the first one fail? It may well be a fitting error but you cannot discount those other possible causes.

[paoloh]

IF the garage had supplied the part, then yes, I'd expect the job done FOC but they didn't.

[dabofoppo]

This happened to me with a clio i was told it was a worn drive flange garage replaced the hub for me and it never happened again in the 20k i done after it.

[bazking69]

This is the problem when the customer insists on supplying the part to save a few quid and it fails. The garage who fitted will likely blame the part and be unlikely to have much interest in helping you out and likewise the supplier could drag their heels and blame fitting error. Catch 22. It is very easy to make a hash of fitting a wheel bearing if you don't do it properly. And their is little incentive for the garage to do it again for free bearing in mind they haven't used their prefered supplier that they would have some blackmail leverage on.

[The Riddler]

The garage the part supplier recommended is owned by his brother.

Managed to get it booked in for tuesday after a quick check today, will be done FOC.

[thinfourth2]

Despite what many garages think the above is not a bearing press

[tr7v8]

thinfourth2 said:

Despite what many garages think the above is not a bearing press

It is providing it is just used on the outer race. I've fitted loads with a BFH & never had one fail after.

[paintman]

thinfourth2 said:

Despite what many garages think the above is not a bearing press

You're absolutely right!

Nowhere NEAR big enough