NHTSA Complaint #10633067 — 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS

AT APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MILES, I NOTICED A LOW HUMMING/RUBBING SOUND COMING FROM MY WHEELS. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEEL BEARINGS TYPICALLY DON'T NEED TO BE REPLACED UNTIL AROUND 150,000-200,000 MILES, ON AVERAGE. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT IT WASN'T YET LOOSE AND THAT I COULD REPLACE IT WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I HAVE NOW NOTICED LOOSE STEERING AND THE SOUND HAS GROWN LOUDER, SO I WILL BE REPLACING THE BEARING SO THAT I DO NOT RISK THE WHEEL BREAKING OFF FROM MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TO AND FROM WORK. HAVING TO REPLACE THE BEARING THIS EARLY IN THE VEHICLE'S LIFE SEEMS EXCESSIVE, AND FROM MY ONLINE RESEARCH, IT SEEMS THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE TO REALIZE THIS. I'VE ALSO HAD TROUBLE TRACKING DOWN THE PART THROUGH MY LOCAL PARTS STORES, WHICH CONCERNS ME AS WELL BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DON'T CARRY THE PART, OR WHY IT IS SO EXPENSIVE TO ORDER ONLINE. HAS THERE BEEN A SHORTAGE OF THIS PART BECAUSE OF A DEFECT OR NUMEROUS REPLACEMENTS? IF THE WHEEL WERE TO BREAK OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, IT COULD EASILY RESULT IN A FATAL ACCIDENT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR