Are wheel bearings checked at the garage or does the mechanic have to drive your car around to check these?

Question

I took my car to the garage this morning for a service and mot test and 10 minutes later I saw my car being diven around town by one of the mechanics he saw me and quickly took a short cut though some back streets and down an alley way, I phoned the garage but was told it was on a test drive to check wheel bearings I thought that would of been done on the ramp in the garage? And if this is normal why would the mechanic look so paniced and cut down backstreets and an alley way?

mobile auto repair, I didn't complain about any noise etc, I put the car in for its annual service, oil change, filter changes, new spark plugs etc, and mot test, I had no complaints about how the car was running

Morgan J. Landry, the car year is 1991 and it is front wheel drive

and the mechanics do know me as I have been going to this garage for a number of years

Answer 1

well, I am a 15 years mechanic and I have to tell you that people gave you the wrong answer. wheel bearing need to be checked by road test because sometimes you can not see the problem on the ramp. it must be driven and must be taken to inside roads for sharp turns But why did the mechanic panic when he saw you , that you have to go there and ask him that.....

Answer 2

You fail to say what year car. A rear wheel drive vehicle can be checked without bringing it on a test drive. Front wheel drive vehicles must be test driven. The test involves cornering to see if CV joints are okay or making noise.
Of course there is a maintenance chart that can tell by mileage if the bearings need changing but if the garage doesn't have a complete record of maintenance on your vehicle then the shop has no idea as to what has been done in the past. Thereby a test drive is needed. Unless you know every mechanic personally and these mechanics know you I doubt it seriously if the mechanic swerved to avoid you. Quick cornering tells the tale on CV joints, CV shafts, and wheel bearings. Wheel bearings gone bad makes your car sound like you're driving on a gravel road. CV joints gone bad knock when a sharp turn is made. Hope that helps.

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

if you complain of a noise while driving you can bet ill drive it around as i need to hear it i will drive it around in tight circles to test cv joints i will drive erratic a little i will sway the car to put different loads on the wheel bearings as this may be the only way to hear the noise we know what to listen for and how to get the car to make the noises we need o here to fix you're car rite with the newer "unit"bearings the only way to tell if they are bad is to drive and listen unless they are really bad i probably wouldn't want to have you see how i drive you're car on a test drive as you would think i drive crazy
swaying back and forth using the brake while accelerating through a turn etc. be great full he is testing it instead of just swapping parts

Answer 5

While it is common to due a test drive after repairs, or when a customer has a noise complaint. It is not a test for the wheel bearings.

Answer 6

sounds to me like they needed your car to go somewere. In Pa. during a car insp. the mechanic is required to test drive your car.

Answer 7

they were joy riding, you must remove the tires and hubs to check the bearings, Not drive the car!