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The short version
- A Malibu wheel bearing job spans 1998 to 2020, and the ABS split only matters on one generation of this car.
- On the 2004 to 2007 car, ABS splits both ends. That is four numbers for one run of years.
- The 1997 to 2003 car does not split by ABS at either end. Its rear changes on a running production change instead.
- Nothing on this car ever needs a press. A 2020 Malibu sits past the catalogs checked and goes by the old part or the VIN.
A Malibu wheel bearing sold between 1998 and 2020 asks a different question depending on the generation. Only one of these cars splits its parts by ABS.
Getting the generation right matters more than getting the ABS answer right. Mixing the two up is the easiest way to order the wrong part.
Several separate generations share this badge across the run covered here, and each one has its own small rules. A shop that skips the generation question first is guessing at half the answer.
The ABS split at both ends, 2004 to 2007
On the 2004 to 2007 Malibu, four wheel ABS changes the number at the front and at the rear. That is the split this car is known for. It is the reason this generation needs more care at the counter.
The front is 513214 with four wheel ABS and 513215 without it. Both cover the same 2004 to 2007 span.
The rear splits the same way. 512285 goes with ABS and 512287 without it, and the year alone will not settle either end.
Matching by the number on the old part is the safest way through this generation. That method is on the cross reference page.
A reader confirming ABS at the front still has to confirm it again at the rear. One answer does not carry over to the other end on these years.
Four wheel ABS was common but not universal on these trims. That is why the split exists at all. A base model without it is not rare.
The older car does not split by ABS
The 1997 to 2003 Malibu is a different story from the car that followed it.
The 1997 to 2003 Malibu has one front number regardless of ABS. Two catalogs checked agree on this, with no split shown at either end.
The rear changes instead on a running production change. It was 512003 through 2000 and 512152 from 2001 onward, and that split has nothing to do with ABS.
A parallel rear listing, WE60699, spans 1997 to 2001 in one catalog checked, overlapping both of those production windows. It is reported alongside the other two rather than in place of either. Match the old part when a rear order sits near that overlap.
A reader who goes looking for an ABS split on this earlier car will not find one documented. The 2004 to 2007 pattern does not reach backward onto these years.
That distinction matters at the parts counter. Asking about ABS on a 1997 to 2003 car gets a shrug, not a second part number.
The year, not the option package, is what a counter needs to hear on this earlier car.
The two catalogs checked for the older car agree on the front number but list it under two different codes, WE60735 and 513137. Both describe the same position. Neither shows an ABS distinction.
A third front listing, WE60712, shows up specifically for 2002 and 2003. It sits alongside the wider WE60735 span rather than replacing it.
None of these three front listings mention ABS at all. That is the clearest sign this earlier car simply does not carry that split.
Bolt on at every end
Front and rear are both bolt on hub units across the whole span covered here. That holds from the earliest car through the newest.
The only real obstacle is a hub that has corroded into its bore. A puller and some penetrating oil handle nearly all of those cases.
A puller pulling against the hub face works better than a hammer against the flange. It also protects the wheel speed sensor wiring during removal.
The magnetic encoder ring built into the hub reads in only one direction. That is worth knowing on any bolt on car. The fixed bolt pattern here leaves little room to get it backward.
That keeps labor close to flat across the whole lineup. The part itself, not the labor, is what changes from year to year.
A shop pricing a Malibu wheel bearing rarely needs to add press time to any estimate on this car, at any point in the run.
A dealer parts counter and an independent supplier both carry these numbers without much trouble. Availability is rarely the obstacle here, even on the older 1997 to 2003 car.
The part price spread across generations is wider than most owners expect. The labor stays close to the same figure everywhere.
Details on the difference a press-in front makes on other cars are on the press in page and the front versus rear page.
A Malibu buyer never has to budget for that extra step, on any generation covered here. That alone puts a ceiling on how high either quote can climb.
2020 sits past the catalogs
One year in this run has no number attached to it in any catalog checked for this page.
None of the catalogs checked for this page reach a 2020 Malibu at either end. The 2016 to 2019 numbers stop one year short. Nothing steps in to cover the last year of the run.
Match the number on the old part or match by VIN rather than guessing at a substitute for that year.
That gap sits right at the edge of a catalog’s printed range. It says nothing about the car being hard to find parts for. Plenty of newer cars share the same thin coverage in their final model year.
A shop with the car in front of it can usually read the old number straight off the hub. That works even when a printed catalog has nothing to say about the specific year.
Later catalog updates may close this gap in time. Until then, matching the old part stays the reliable route for a 2020 car. The VIN gives a shop everything else it needs to confirm the fitment.
A shop that stocks the 2016 to 2019 numbers is a reasonable place to start that comparison. Bringing the VIN along saves a second trip either way.
Malibu wheel bearing costs
Bolt on hubs at every position keep labor close to flat across this entire run.
A shop pricing any Malibu wheel bearing job is really just pricing bolts and a hub, front or rear, new car or old.
The part price spread is wider than the labor spread, and the seal and the encoder ring are usually where a cheap unit cuts corners.
A written warranty on the part and the labor is worth reading before paying either quote. That is covered on the warranty page.
Front and rear fail independently on this car. A noisy corner on one side does not mean the opposite corner needs attention as well.
A shop that recommends replacing a pair on suspicion alone is padding the invoice rather than fixing a fault. Ask what the second hub actually showed before agreeing to pay for two.
A fair answer names a measurement, a temperature difference, or a noise heard under load. A vague answer is a reason to ask again before agreeing to the extra cost.
Wear is the most common cause of failure on any year of this car. Impact damage from a pothole or a curb strike is the other one worth ruling out. That cause is on the pothole page.
Diagnosing a Malibu wheel bearing
- Identify the generation first, since only the 2004 to 2007 car splits by ABS at all.
- Confirm ABS at both ends separately if the car falls in that window.
- Rock the wheel at twelve and six with it raised off the ground.
- Rule out the tires, since cupped tread hums close to the same way.
- Match by the old part whenever the year alone leaves any doubt.
These five checks cover both generations, the split one and the plain one, without needing to know which is which in advance. The generation reveals itself once the year is confirmed.
The checking routine is on the checking page. Telling tire hum from bearing noise is on the tire noise page. Both apply the same way regardless of which generation is being checked.
A fair number for the job, front or rear, is covered on the quote page. Neither end should carry press labor on any year of this car, whatever the generation.
None of these five steps needs a lift. A jack and a pair of stands are enough to narrow the corner down before calling a shop. Knowing the corner and the generation in advance keeps a phone quote closer to the final bill.
Malibu wheel bearing part numbers
| Years | Detail | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Front and rear, not listed by any catalog checked | match old part or VIN |
| 2016 to 2019 | Front, parallel listing | WE61548 check price |
| 2016 to 2019 | Rear, parallel listing | WE61831 check price |
| 2016 to 2018 | Rear | 512575 check price |
| 2013 to 2015 | Front and rear | 513288 check price |
| 2008 to 2012 | Front | 513214 check price |
| 2008 to 2012 | Rear | 512285 check price |
| 2004 to 2007 | Front, with ABS | 513214 check price |
| 2004 to 2007 | Front, without ABS | 513215 check price |
| 2004 to 2007 | Rear, with ABS | 512285 check price |
| 2004 to 2007 | Rear, without ABS | 512287 check price |
| 2002 to 2003 | Front, alternate listing | WE60712 check price |
| 2001 to 2003 | Rear | 512152 check price |
| 1997 to 2003 | Front, no ABS split | WE60735 check price |
| 1997 to 2003 | Front, parallel listing | 513137 check price |
| 1997 to 2001 | Rear, parallel listing | WE60699 check price |
| 1997 to 2000 | Rear | 512003 check price |
Every model year this chart resolves: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. A 2020 Malibu sits past the catalogs checked and goes by the old part or the VIN.
The 2004 to 2007 Malibu splits by ABS at both ends, four numbers in all. The 1997 to 2003 car does not split by ABS anywhere in the catalogs checked.
Its rear instead changes on a running production change, 512003 through 2000 and 512152 from 2001 on. Ordering by ABS status on that earlier car will not find a second number, since none exists.
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Common questions
Which Malibu wheel bearing do I need?
On a 2004 to 2007 car it depends on ABS at both ends. On a 1997 to 2003 car, it depends only on year, since no ABS split is documented on that earlier body.
Do I need a press?
No. Every position on this car bolts on, across the whole 1997 to 2020 run, front and rear alike, on both the older and newer body styles.
Does the 1997 to 2003 Malibu split by ABS?
No catalog checked shows that split on those years. The rear changes by production date instead, not by ABS fitment, moving to a new number starting in 2001.
What about a 2020 Malibu?
No catalog checked lists a number for that year. Match the number on the old part or match by VIN, since the 2019 numbers stop one year short and nothing newer replaces them.
Why is the ABS light on?
The sensor is part of the hub on these cars. A failing hub often takes the signal with it, so a bearing swap is the usual fix. A code reader can confirm which corner triggered the light before any parts are ordered.