Passat (B5) :: 1999 - Lower Control Arms Breaking At Ball Joint?

My daughter has a 1999 Passat 4cyl.... In the last year I've had 2 lower control arms at the front ball joints just break away. Lucky it has been when she was either stopping or at very slow speed.

On inspection this looks like a very unsafe design flaw. The aluminum control arm is strong except for the light metal around the ball joint it's self. If one of these let go at speed it could be fatal!!

What causes the break other than normal wear and is there any signs before one lets go?

View 3 Replies

Golf IV R32 :: Lower Control Arm Front Bolt Off From Passenger Side?

How do you get the front lower control arm bolt off of the passenger side? There isn't even enough room to get a short socket between the bolt and the oil pan...

I imagine I can get it off with a box wrench and some sweat. But then how do you torque it putting it back on? Crows foot?

View 4 Replies

Toyota - Camry :: Replacing Lower Control Arms?

I have been told by a couple of mechanics that the bushings on the lower control arms on my 95 Camry are worn. They recommend replacement of the lower control arms and ball joints.Is this a repair I can do myself? I have reasonable mechanical competency. I figure that I will have to rent a tool at the auto parts store for the ball joint, remove a few nuts and bolts, and bring the car in for an alignment once I get the parts installed.Now my wife is adamantly against me doing this myself. She thinks that I am going to mess this up, the parts will fail at high speeds, and I will die in a fiery crash. She apparently has more confidence in the repair shop grease monkey than her engineer husband. So is she right? Is this a repair which is best left to the shop?

View 7 Replies

Ford F-150 - 1997-2003 :: Lower Control Arms Replacement?

Replacing lower control arms? I've read a couple places that you don't need a spring compressor. Anything else to look out for? 2000 F150 4.6L 2WD 288,000 miles....

View 3 Replies

Toyota - Sienna :: 2006 - Struts Of Wrong Size Causing Damage To Lower Control Arms?

Had after market front struts installed by a non-dealer shop on 2006 Toyota Sienna. Dealer service dept diagnosed two months later that the struts were one inch too long and caused damage to the lower control arms. A director for training for the other shop (one of 80 + shops) completely discredits the dealer shop's theory about the relationship between the size of the struts and the damage to the control arms, while admitting the error with the struts. Both sounded credible as I have very limited mechanical background.

View 19 Replies

Santa FE SM (2001-06) :: Driver Side Lower Control Arm Replacement

I am trying to replace my control arm but I am having a few problems,

1. the front bolt on the frame side just spins but doesn't come out.
2. I cant get the bolt in the spindle to come out, I have been hammering away at it and even broke 2 sockets trying to spin it, still cant get it to move.

View 9 Replies

Lexus RX 2004-09 :: Oily Bolt On End Of Transmission Case In Driver Side Wheel Well

Noticed this during an inspection of the wife's '07. Oily bolt on end of transmission case in the driver side wheel well. Definitely a slow seep.... Will have the dealer take a look...

View 1 Replies

Elantra XD (2001-06) :: Lower Control Arm Bolt Spinning

I just might be out of luck but wanted to check here first. My driver side lower control arm is dangerously rusted. I bought a replacement and was able to get everything undone except 1 of the 2 bolts that go into the sub-frame. The one towards the rear of the vehicle came out ok. The one towards the front of the vehicle just spins. I have read that it is probably a welded nut to the frame that has broken free and is just spinning inside the frame.

I have seen pictures and another thread on here (but for a santa-fe) where the owner had just drilled a 1 3/4" hole through the bottom of the subframe to grab that nut. Well mine is in a location that a 1 3/4" hole would almost be more than the width of the frame itself. So I thought maybe just a "slit" in the frame so I can get a open end wrench up there to grab the nut. I drilled just a test drill to see where I would land, sure that I would be past the end of the bolt. But I wasn't. I can see the threads of the bolt.

View 8 Replies

Santa FE SM (2001-06) :: Lower Control Arm Bolt Spinning Inside Frame

A friend was attempting to replace his control arms but unfortunately he ran into a bummer: the bolt is free spinning inside the frame. What's the solution? It's a 2002 Santa Fe .....

View 16 Replies

Passat (B5) :: Passenger And Driver Side Tail Lights Do Not Get Brighter On Hitting Brakes

Recently I noticed that my passenger and drivers side tail lights do not get brighter when I hit the brake. However, the center LED lights still are functioning properly. What might be wrong and how to fix it? I thought it might be the break light switch based on what I have read, but I would imagine that the center LED lights would be messed up too if that was the problem.

View 2 Replies

Ford F-150 (2009-2014) :: Shock Absorber Leaking - Lower Control Arm On Front Driver Side Covered In Fresh Oil

I noticed a pool of very clear oil on my garage floor. Looking under the truck I can see the lower control arm on the front drivers side covered in fresh oil. It looks like it's the shock absorber leaking. I just rolled over the 4,000 mile mark. I'm dreading taking it in to my nearby dealer. This is most likely a week long fix with how they operate. 2014 FX2...

View 2 Replies

LS / MKZ :: Changing Upper Control Arm And The Lower Ball Joint?

On a level-of-difficulty-scale from 1 to 10. 10 being the most difficult. How difficult is it to change the upper control arm and the lower ball joint?

View 3 Replies

Passat (B5) :: Changing Sway Bar - Can't Get The Bolt Out

I did change my motor mounts this weekend but when I tried to remove the sway bar,one of the nuts jammed on the bolt. Let me explain:The nut unscrewed well until the lasts mm, and then, the bolt head came loose, so it was spining freely with no way to remove it but cutting it, the bolt seems to be BUILT IN the alum. bracket that supports the engine mount. Question: can I change this bolt or is it really built in the bracket? I searched on ETKA but it just shows the nut and I can't find the bolt that I need.

View 1 Replies

Passat - Volkswagen :: Back End Still Fishtails When Hitting Bumps After Changing Struts

Changed the struts on my 2004 passat and the back end still fishtails when hitting bumps! And when the roads are wet the back end slides! So if the struts were changed what could be causing this?

View 5 Replies

Golf IV R32 :: Front Passenger Side Sits Lower Than The Driver Side

I have koni seyup and my car is lowered all the way down all around. my front passenger side sits lower then the driver side.. I also have camber plates in the front. What u think could be the problem.

View 2 Replies

Ford Super Duty (1999-2016) :: Driver Side Is Lower Than Passenger Side Front

I have a 2013 f250 6.2, I bought the truck brand new only have about 3000 miles on it and the other day I noticed that the drivers side front is lower then the passengers side front, the drivers side is about one inch lower, this doesn't seem right, also my drivers side front wheel seems to be pushed forward about one inch to the bumper that also doesn't seem right.

View 3 Replies

Golf IV R32 :: Front Driver Side Is Lower Than Passenger Side

I got under the car today to change the oil and noticed the front drivers side is about an inch lower than the passenger side its causing the inside of my tire to wear very badly.

View 8 Replies

Golf/GTI VI :: Rear Driver Side Sits About Half Inch Lower Than Passenger Side On Flat Ground

I have a mkvi gti with all stock suspension except rear sway bar. And I'm right about to order driver gear springs. But have a question about suspension. My rear driver side of the car sits about half inch lower then then rear passenger side on a flat ground. Would this be caused by springs? Or struts? Or what. Planning on ordering the driver gear springs but what the real problem is. I want the driver gear so I'm a bit lowered but not crazy low since the roads in my home town are awful and my street I have to do figure 8's all the way down it to not hit a pot hole.

View 3 Replies

Lexus ES 2007-12 :: Driver Side Door Rattle On Hitting Even Small Bumps

I have a 2007 ES 350, the driver's door doesn't seem to be a snug as it ought to be. Hitting even small bumps seems to cause a jarring of the door. How to snug it up?

View 10 Replies