Parts for your 2017 Ford Fiesta-Centre bearing

2017 Ford Fiesta centre-bearing: what owners need to know

For the 2017 Ford Fiesta, a traditional driveline centre bearing (also called a centre support bearing for a two-piece prop shaft) is not fitted. Technical sources including the Ford Workshop Manual for the Fiesta, Ford’s Electronic Parts Catalogue (Microcat/EPC), and common service references such as Haynes and Autodata list a transverse front-wheel-drive layout with a transaxle and two front driveshafts. There is no propeller shaft or centre support bearing assembly on this model.

Centre bearings are used on vehicles with a long, multi-piece prop shaft—typically rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, longitudinally mounted engines. The Fiesta’s compact, transverse FWD design routes power directly from the gearbox (transaxle) to the front wheels via CV halfshafts, so a centre-bearing isn’t required.

• Layout: The Fiesta’s transverse engine and transaxle drive the front wheels, no prop shaft runs the length of the car.
• Parts documentation: Ford’s EPC shows front halfshafts and, on many variants, a right-hand intermediate shaft with a support bearing—no prop shaft or centre-bearing component is listed.
• Design goals: FWD packaging reduces weight and complexity, improving efficiency and NVH without needing a centre support.

Worth noting: some 2017 Fiesta variants use a right-hand (passenger-side) intermediate driveshaft with a carrier/support bearing. This is not a prop-shaft centre-bearing. It sits midway along the RH driveshaft to help equalise shaft lengths and reduce torque steer. If owners hear a growl or feel vibration that seems to come from that side, the intermediate shaft bearing can be inspected and replaced separately from the hub wheel bearings and CV joints, following Ford service procedures.

If chasing droning or vibration at motorway speeds, technicians typically check front wheel bearings, tyre condition and balance, CV joints, engine/trans mounts, and the RH intermediate shaft bearing before considering other causes. Because a centre-bearing isn’t present on the Fiesta, it won’t be on the shortlist.

Does the 2017 Ford Fiesta have a centre-bearing?

No. The Fiesta is front-wheel drive with no two-piece prop shaft, so there’s no traditional centre support bearing. Ford workshop and parts information list only the transaxle, LH/RH driveshafts, and (on many models) an RH intermediate shaft with a carrier bearing.

What’s the bearing partway along the passenger-side driveshaft?

That’s the intermediate shaft carrier/support bearing. It supports the longer RH driveshaft to reduce torque steer and vibration. It’s a different component to a prop-shaft centre-bearing and can be replaced if worn, typically alongside a driveshaft service.

I’m getting a vibration on the highway—could it be a centre-bearing?

Not on a Fiesta, because it doesn’t have one. Common checks include wheel balance and tyres, front wheel bearings, CV joints, engine/trans mounts, alignment, and the RH intermediate shaft carrier bearing.