Parts for your 2013 Toyota Wish-Centre bearing

2013 Toyota Wish centre-bearing — is it fitted or relevant?

For most 2013 Toyota Wish models, a centre-bearing isn’t used. The Wish is primarily a front-wheel drive (FWD) people mover with a transverse engine and transaxle up front, so there’s no long propeller shaft running down the car that would need a centre support bearing. This is confirmed by the Toyota Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) for FWD Wish variants (ZGE20 series), which lists only front drive shafts and no propeller shaft or centre/support bearing. By contrast, the 4WD Wish (ZGE25W) shown in Toyota service information and EPC diagrams includes a propeller shaft assembly with a centre support bearing.

Why isn’t a centre-bearing used on the typical 2013 Toyota Wish? It comes down to layout. A centre-bearing supports a two-piece propeller shaft on rear- or all-wheel drive vehicles. The common FWD Wish doesn’t have that shaft at all, torque goes straight to the front wheels via short CV axles. That means less weight and fewer moving parts to service.

• Driveline layout: FWD transaxle means no prop shaft to the rear, so no centre-bearing needed.
• Packaging and NVH: Shorter front shafts reduce vibration paths and simplify underbody packaging.
• Cost and maintenance: Fewer components to replace, inspect, or lubricate.

If someone owns a 2013 Wish badged or coded as 4WD (often ZGE25W), that version does use a propeller shaft with a centre support bearing. Toyota’s driveline/axle service procedures for 4WD Wish models cover inspection of the propeller shaft, centre bearing rubber, and alignment. But for the mainstream FWD 2013 Wish seen in Australia and New Zealand used-import markets, a centre-bearing simply isn’t part of the car.

Technical references: Toyota Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) listings for ZGE20 (FWD) show no propeller shaft, Toyota EPC and repair procedures for ZGE25W (4WD) depict a propeller shaft with a centre support bearing in the driveline/axle section.

Popular questions

Does my 2013 Toyota Wish have a centre-bearing?
Most don’t. If it’s a FWD model (the majority in NZ and Australia), there’s no centre-bearing because there’s no rear prop shaft. If it’s a 4WD variant (often coded ZGE25W), it will have a propeller shaft and a centre support bearing. Check the build plate/VIN code, look for a 4WD badge, or see if there’s a prop shaft running to the rear diff.

What are the symptoms of a worn centre-bearing on a 4WD Wish?
Owners might notice a droning or vibration that gets worse under throttle, a thump when shifting between Drive and Reverse, or visible cracking/sagging of the bearing’s rubber support. If those signs show up on a 4WD model, have the prop shaft and centre bearing inspected for play, torn rubber, and misalignment.

Can a centre-bearing be fitted to a FWD 2013 Wish?
No. A centre-bearing supports a two-piece prop shaft, and the FWD Wish doesn’t have one. Converting a FWD Wish to 4WD would require major structural and driveline changes and isn’t practical or economical.