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7 Bad Control Arm Symptoms You Should Know (+How To Fix)

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When you experience excessive vibration and poor steering, a bad control arm is likely the cause. 

Since it’s fixed under your car with other suspension and steering components, the control arm often goes unnoticed — until it’s about to give out.  

Let’s discover the bad control arm symptoms and a step-by-step process to catch it quickly. We’ll also understand its role and why replacing a faulty piece is essential.   

This Article Contains:

What Is a Control Arm?

A control arm, also called a suspension arm, connects the wheel hub assembly or steering knuckle to the vehicle frame. It typically consists of a body, ball joint, and bushing. 

The control arm helps the wheels move up and down to keep your car in contact with the road. This gives you maximum control over your vehicle’s movement, especially when driving over bumps or curves.

You may have one pair of control arms or more based on your car’s suspension type. The two common suspension designs are: 

However, like other car parts, the control arm deteriorates eventually.  

Wondering how to identify a faulty piece? 
Let’s have a look.  

7 Bad Control Arm Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore

A couple of rubber bushings hold the control arm in place and soften road vibrations. Over time, these bushings wear out due to moisture or debris impact. As they deteriorate, the control arm becomes loose, exhibiting these signs:

1. Odd Noises

A suspension arm with excessively worn bushings can’t move up and down smoothly, creating popping or knocking sounds from the front end. These sounds are produced when the worn bushing hits against the vehicle frame and control arm. You’ll hear them while accelerating or decelerating. 

2. Bumpy Ride

While driving over bumps, the control arm bushing and ball joint together reduce impact by absorbing shocks and vibrations. But if these parts start failing, it results in a bouncy ride. 

3. Poor Handling or Unsteady Steering

Different steering system parts together help control your car’s movement. If the control arm fails, you’ll experience unresponsive or loose steering. 

Another symptom you’ll notice is a steering wander, where your vehicle can’t move straight and instead pulls to one side. Driving under both these circumstances is risky.     

4. Uneven Tire Wear 

A worn bushing will struggle to hold the control arm in place, resulting in its excessive movement. This increased movement can affect the wheel alignment and lead to uneven car weight distribution. 

Eventually, your wheels will struggle to manage the car’s weight, causing uneven tire wear.     

5. Increased Vibration While Braking

When you apply the brake, a functional control arm helps distribute the vehicle’s weight to keep it stable. However, a poor control arm can misalign the wheels and prevent proper weight distribution, leading to increased vibration while braking.

6. Steering Wheel Vibration

Normally, the control arm bushing absorbs road vibrations, ensuring a smooth ride. When you feel the steering wheel vibrating, the control arm bushings have given out.    

7. Excessive Movement of the Suspension System

A car’s healthy suspension system shouldn’t bounce more than twice when you push its corners down. But if it does, you should get the control arms and other components checked.

NOTE: Damaged or loose ball joints and tie rods often have symptoms similar to those of a faulty control arm. A thorough inspection can help identify the root cause.

Unsure how to start the diagnosis? 
Read further to find out.    

How to Diagnose a Bad Control Arm

To start, you’ll need to raise your vehicle and look for parts like a worn ball joint, tie rod, or control arm bushing. Checking these components requires technical knowledge and expertise, so you should call an auto repair mechanic

Here’s how they’ll perform the diagnosis: 

  1. Visually inspect the control arm for cracks or rust accumulation. 
  2. Look for tears or cracks on the bushings. 
  3. Check the ball joints for torn boots or grease leaks. 
  4. Inspect other steering and suspension components for any issues. 
  5. Place a pry bar on the control arm near one of the bushings. Use the bar to push and pull the control arm downward to check its movement. If the movement is more than 1/8 of an inch, it indicates excessively worn bushings.

After identifying the issue, your mechanic will proceed to fix it.  

How Does a Mechanic Replace a Broken Control Arm

To replace the control arm, your mechanic will:

  1. Disconnect the sway bar, ball joint, or other suspension parts. 
  2. Detach the ball joint from the steering knuckle.
  3. Unscrew the vehicle frame’s bolts.
  4. Remove the faulty control arm. 
  5. Clean the control arm’s mounting points. 
  6. Install the new control arm and fix the bolts. 
  7. Tighten the bolts and the control arm as per the manufacturer’s specifications. 
  8. Reattach and install the ball joint, sway bar, and other parts that were removed earlier. 
  9. Perform a proper wheel alignment and test the car for odd noises or poor handling. 

Changing the control arm is an intricate process best left to an expert. However, if you’re concerned about how much a professional will charge, here’s an estimate. 

How Much Does a Control Arm Replacement Cost? 

You’ll likely spend around $670 to $760 to change a bad control arm. This estimate includes: 

Your final repair costs will also depend on your vehicle’s make, model, and suspension type.

Missed out on essential information about control arms? 
Keep scrolling to catch up.   

3 FAQs on Control Arms

Here are the answers to some common queries on control arms:

1. Should You Drive with a Failing Control Arm?

No, you shouldn’t. 

The control arm, along with the suspension and steering system, keeps your car steady while driving. If you’ve noticed signs of a bad control arm, you should replace it ASAP. Ignoring it can lead to excessive wear of other parts like ball joints. 

At worst, the control arm could break, leading to a catastrophic failure that will be costly to fix. 

2. How Long Do Control Arms Last?  

Control arms usually last for 90,000 to 100,000 miles.

However, they can degrade earlier if you:

3. How to Maintain the Control Arm in Your Car?

The control arm can last longer if you: 

Enjoy Safe and Steady Drives with AutoNation Mobile Service

The control arm ensures your wheels are aligned with the road as you ride. But if it gets damaged, you’ll notice loose steering or excessive vibration. Driving with these issues can be risky, so staying on top of routine maintenance is essential.

If you find scheduling these services troublesome, call auto repair mechanics from AutoNation Mobile Service
We offer easy online bookings and a 12-month, 12,000-mile repair warranty. 

Contact us to get auto repairs done right from your driveway.