Wheel bearing noise

DIVIDES

MEMBER
2012 AUDI A5
4 CYL
TURBO
4WD
AUTOMATIC
169,000 MILES

I have turned each wheel by hand but could not distinguish between brakes/rotors noise and any bad bearing. If I lift the car off of the ground on a lift and put it in gear to see which wheel is making the noise, will they all turn on this particular car? It's a quattro. And does the same apply to all 4wd vehicles? Do I need to hit the traction button first?

1 Reply

SQM

MECHANIC
6,383 POSTS

Hello,

Yes, you will be able to turn all the wheels if it is on a lift. And yes, it will be a good idea to turn the traction control off. Also, if this one has a tow mode (usually on the lower part of the door panel), press that before proceeding.
This might turn on an error light due to the wheel spinning without any load.

You can also use a stethoscope to listen to noises from the back of the hub.

Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you.