Front End Noise + ABS Light On - Bearings?

Hello All,

My 2003 Vue AWD, 3.0 with ABS - 50K miles - is making some serious noise mainly around the front left side of the car. My ABS light is also on. The noise seems to vary more with road speed and is not tied to engine revolutions. I'm suspecting that it is a wheel bearing issue.

If the problem is wheel bearings, it appears that they are replaced as an entire unit. Anyone experience this issue? Besides the basic hand tools, any special ones needed?

Thanks!
Gib Heuett

it would take a pretty bad wheel bearing to throw an ABS light IMHO. check the ABS sensor and toner ring. if you have a dial indicatior check endplay in all three directions and runout. you will need to go to a GM/Saturn dealership for the ABS code, as a Tech2 scantool is required

Iv changed lots of bearings on vues, and it is vary common for the abs light to come on, if you are trying to do it ur self i suggest u dont unless u have an impact because u will never get the axel nut off, plus when a bearing goes it creates a lot of heat and most of the time i need to use a slide hammer or pound it with a hammer to get it off. they do come as 1 unit now but getting the old 1 off is the hardest part of the job. To get ur abs light off u dont have to a dealership and pay min 1 hour shop rate to reset it. all u do is remove the neg cable on ur battery and leave it off for about 20 min, make sure there are no codes for ur cd player to remeber before u remove the battery terminal