4 Symptoms Of A Bad Control Arm You Should NOT Ignore
A failing control arm can cause your tire to disconnect, leading to a dangerous accident. That’s why it’s crucial to pay attention to the symptoms we’ll discuss today.
Purpose
The control arm plays an important role in a vehicle's suspension system. It connects the frame to the steering knuckle and provides support and stability to the suspension. Typically, it contains a ball joint and bushings, which are the most common components to wear out and fail over time.
The purpose of the ball joint is to allow the wheels to move up and down when driving over bumps and to pivot side to side when turning.
The purpose of the bushings is to help reduce noise and excessive vibrations while driving.
Location of control arms in a vehicle.
Generally speaking, control arms can last anywhere between 90,000 to 100, 000 miles. However, it’s important to note that road conditions where you drive can make control arms last less or way longer than 100,000 miles. Also, if you decide to replace one of your control arms, it's a smart move to replace the other side as well. When one control arm fails, the other is likely to follow.
symptoms
NOISE OVER BUMPS
The first symptom you could experience is hearing clunking or banging sounds when driving over bumps. If the bushings or ball joints become loose, that will create excessive play, causing these clunking sounds to appear.
STEERING ISSUES
Another symptom you might experience is steering problems. While driving, you may notice the vehicle pulling to one side—either to the right, the left, or sometimes even both. This can make it difficult to maintain control, especially at higher speeds.
VIBRATIONS
The third symptom of a bad control arm is noticeable vibrations while driving. Loose ball joints or worn bushings in the control arm can lead to excessive play, causing back-and-forth movement that results in vibrations. Since the control arm is connected to the steering knuckle, which links to the tie rods and the steering rack, the vibrations eventually travel to the steering wheel, which is why you might feel them while driving.
UNEVEN TIRE WEAR
The last symptom you could experience is uneven tire wear. Normally, tires should wear evenly across their surface. However, if you observe certain areas of the tire being more worn than others, it could be a sign of a failing control arm. Since the control arm is connected to the wheels, any vibrations caused by a failing control arm will transfer to the wheels. This causes the wheels to not properly contact the road while driving, leading to uneven tire wear.
Lastly, if you decide that your control arm needs to be replaced, it’s always a good idea to get an alignment afterward.
If you conclude that your car has a bad control arm and you want to repair it yourself, I recommend getting a repair manual here. You can use code “AD10VA” for 15% off one-year subscriptions for any US Order.
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