What does this cost in your state?
California is the costliest state and Arkansas the cheapest; each square shows that state's midpoint of the estimate.
Lower-cost states ($739)MiddleHigher-cost states ($941)
What it shows: CA is the highest at $941 and AR the lowest at $739, across 51 states.
Counts below are complaints filed with NHTSA, not failure rates: a longer bar means more owners reported it.
Is your car affected?
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is 3-5 years (42%). The biggest difference from all complaints is under 3 years old: 27% against 40%.
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
1,102 owner complaints name this part.
Owners say the dealer could not fix or repeat the problem. If it comes back after a repair, ask what was tested before you pay again.
Which other parts do owners name in the same complaint?
Among the 1,102 owner complaints naming this part, ball joint is named in 15% of them, more than any other part.
Owners name the ball joint most often in the same complaint, which is not proof that one caused the other. Ask the shop whether it checked the ball joint too, so you are not quoted twice for one visit.
How fast were owners driving when it happened?
5-24 mph leads at 33%.
Owners reported it most often in parking lots and slow traffic. Tell the shop what speed it happens at, because that narrows the diagnosis.
How serious did it get for owners?
Among the 1,102 owner complaints naming this part, being towed is the outcome owners report most often.
What it shows: Towed is the largest at 88, followed by Crash reported at 70; the smallest shown is Fire reported at 1.
Which model years show up most in the complaints?
Among the 1,102 owner complaints naming this part that state a model year, complaints cluster in a few model years instead of spreading evenly.
What it shows: 2018 is the largest at 183 (17%), followed by 2015 at 163 (15%); the smallest shown is 2025 at 14 (1%).
Have recalls for this part told owners to stop driving?
Recalls for this part that told owners to stop driving or park outside. Do not drive the vehicle: 8 recall (18,261).
Are the parts for this repair getting more expensive, or only the labor?
The federal producer price index for new steering and suspension parts rose 10.9% from December 2019 to August 2026, while the consumer price index for motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together, rose 55.2% (BLS, national).
Prices of new steering and suspension parts, as shops buy them from makers, since December 2019, against consumer prices for motor vehicle repair. New steering and suspension parts: +10.9%; All motor vehicle parts: +17.4%; Motor vehicle repair, labor and parts together: +55.2%.
Has the replacement part I am buying been recalled?
NHTSA lists 23 equipment recalls that name control arm since 2015 (suspension and steering), covering 122,370 items sold as parts rather than whole vehicles; the largest, by Dorman Products, Inc. in 2023, covered 27,528.
| Year | Maker and product | NHTSA component | Defect | Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dorman Products, Inc.: Ball Joint | front control arm | certain Suspension Ball Joints, with part number BJ50075, and 2601797. | 27,528 |
| 2024 | Tenneco Automotive: Ball Joint | front control arm | certain aftermarket ball joints for 2013-2019 Ford Escape vehicles, MOOG part numbers K500346, K500347, NAPA. | 23,489 |
| 2022 | Tenneco Automotive: Sequoia, Tundra | front control arm | certain aftermarket ball joints for 2004-2007 Toyota Sequoia and 2004-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles, MOOG part. | 15,200 |
| 2025 | Cognito Motorsports: Rev C Ball Joint | front control arm | certain Rev C Ball Joints with part number 91253, for installation on 2011-2025 GMC and Chevrolet 2500HD and. | 12,160 |
| 2024 | Mevotech Us Inc.: Control Arms | front control arm | certain aftermarket lower control arms, part numbers 5CB801134 and 5CB801135. | 6,705 |
| 2026 | Tenneco Automotive: Lower Control Arm Assembly | front control arm | certain Beck/Arnley replacement lower control arm and ball joint assemblies for 2018-2025 Subaru Forester and. | 6,668 |
| 2023 | Ironman 4x4 Usa Ii Llc: Pro Forge | front control arm | certain Pro Forge upper control arms. Please see the recall report for a list of the affected part numbers. | 6,345 |
| 2017 | Trw Automotive Inc: Ball Joint | front control arm | certain aftermarket replacement Left Hand and Right Hand Lower Ball Joints, sold for use on Toyota 4Runner. | 6,086 |
| 2018 | Dorman Products, Inc.: Control Arm | front control arm | certain Dorman control arms, part numbers 521-898, 521-897, CA14583 and CA14584. | 4,025 |
| 2017 | Reyco Granning: Front Suspension | front control arm | certain Independent Front Suspensions (IFS) modules, sizes 1000, 1700, 1800, 20 and 24. | 3,328 |
Has this part been recalled abroad on cars that may share it?
Manufacturers filed 19 foreign recall campaigns that name control arm with NHTSA since 2015 (matched by the filing text); the latest, from Ford Motor Company in 2025-02.
| Filed | Manufacturer | Foreign recall no. | What the filing says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07 | Bentley Motors. | 170 | Washington, DC 20590 Subject: Notification of Recall Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 579.11 (a) Front Axle Control Arm (Front Top, Left) Dear Ms. |
| 2024-07 | Volkswagen Group. | 169 | 248-754-5093 Fax July 17, 2024 Date Washington, DC 20590 Subject: Notification of Recall Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 579.11 (a) Front Axle Control Arm (Front Top, Left) Dear Ms. |
| 2024-07 | Volkswagen Group. | 168 | 248-754-5093 Fax July 17, 2024 Date Washington, DC 20590 Subject: Notification of Recall Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 579.11 (a) Front Axle Control Arm (Front Top, Left) Dear Ms. |
| 2024-07 | Lamborghini (Automobili. | 165 | data Oggetto Trailing arm on the front axle Data Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, July 16, 2024 Dear Mr. |
| 2023-07 | Volvo Car | 122 | Volvo Cars investigations have identified that the front left ball joint connecting the front lower control arm (FLCA) with the steering knuckle may have been incorrectly installed. |
| 2023-05 | Isuzu Motors Limited | 087 | May 23, 2023 DET-23-068 Associate Administrator for Enforcement National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Attention: Early Warning Division (NVS-217) 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Subject: Foreign Recall Information Report � Pitman Arm. |
| 2024-03 | Hyundai Motor America | 067 | Description of the defect/noncompliance: The bolt(s) securing the front suspension upper control arm(s) to the vehicle's frame could have sustained damage during installation due to insufficient heat treatment by the supplier. |
| 2025-02 | Ford Motor Company | 008 | Sincerely, for: emily frascaroli attachment docusign envelope id: 86a738e0-4cd6-447d-911a-6a15eb76d82a global recall process report of field action manufacturer ford � img type of action safety field action number 25s06 subject p703 my25 ranger incorrect lower. |
How many recalled cars are actually fixed, so should I check mine?
Across 19 NHTSA recalls that name control arm filed 2015 to 2024, 63.3% of the 950,014 recalled vehicles had been repaired after 8 quarters, against 66.2% for all recalls, which leaves about 348,699 vehicles still carrying the defect.
| Year | Vehicles | Recalled vehicles | Repaired | Component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jeep Grand Cherokee | 338,238 | 87.0% | front control arm |
| 2016 | Mitsubishi Outlander, Lancer Wagon | 194,674 | 20.8% | front control arm |
| 2015 | Mazda Cx-9 | 193,484 | 63.9% | front control arm |
| 2016 | Mazda Cx-7 | 190,102 | 59.5% | front control arm |
| 2020 | Toyota Rav4 Hybrid, Rav4 | 9,502 | 96.1% | front control arm |
| 2024 | Nissan Frontier | 5,929 | 80.9% | front control arm |
| 2023 | Kia Forte | 3,866 | 87.3% | front control arm |
| 2016 | Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe; | 3,738 | 99.4% | front control arm |
How bad are the streets in the biggest city, and does it show in suspension repairs?
New York City DOT's pavement inspections since 2021 rate 11.3% of inspected street length poor (1 to 3.99 on a 10-point scale), highest in Bronx (16.6%) and lowest in Brooklyn (8.6%); this is one city, not a national figure.
What it shows: Bronx is the largest at 16.6%, followed by Staten Island at 13.8%; the smallest shown is Brooklyn at 8.6%.
Which counties have the roughest roads?
FHWA's road-condition records show poor ride quality (above 170 inches per mile of roughness) on 89.1% of measured road miles in District of Columbia, DC, 74.1% in Baltimore city, MD and 65.4% in Marion County, WV, against 13.8% in the median county.
What it shows: District of Columbia, DC is the largest at 89.1%, followed by Baltimore city, MD at 74.1%; the smallest shown is New Castle County, DE at 51.9%.
Are the bridges and roads where I drive in poor condition?
FHWA's 2024 National Bridge Inventory rates 6.9% of an average state's highway bridges poor; the share is highest in IA (19.2%), WV and SD, against a median state of 6.0%.
What it shows: IA is the largest at 19.2%, followed by WV at 18.6%; the smallest shown is NY at 9.4%.
Which New York counties have the most bridges flagged poor?
New York State DOT flags 10.0% of the bridges in its inventory poor, and the share is highest in Ulster County (21.1%), Columbia (19.8%) and Rensselaer (19.6%); this is one state, not a national figure.
What it shows: Ulster is the largest at 21.1%, followed by Columbia at 19.8%; the smallest shown is Dutchess at 16.1%.
If this part was recalled, is the repair free?
Federal law (49 U.S.C. 30120) requires a maker to fix a recalled defect without charge for cars first bought within 15 calendar years (tires within 5), and NHTSA lists 40 recall campaigns for parts matched to a control arm replacement since model year 2015, covering about 860,552 vehicles.
| Rule or count | What it says |
|---|---|
| Age limits | The free-remedy duty does not apply to a car first bought more than 15 calendar years, or a tire first bought more than 5 calendar years, before the recall notice. |
| Failure to fix | A repair not done adequately within 60 days of presentation is prima facie evidence of failure to repair within a reasonable time; the maker must then replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price less depreciation. |
| Free remedy | A maker must fix a recall defect without charge. |
| NHTSA recalls matched to a control arm replacement since model year 2015 | 40 recall campaigns covering about 860,552 vehicles |
How often does this part fail a real inspection, by car age?
In 181,687 New Jersey initial inspections in 2025 of vehicles sent through the safety lane, 1.0% of cars aged 16+ years failed the steering and suspension test against 0.0% of cars under 3 years (record counts, not a sample).
What it shows: 16+ is the largest at 1.0%, followed by <3 at 0.0%; the smallest shown is <3 at 0.0%.
Is it recalled or covered?
| Recall number | Vehicles | Cars recalled | What the recall says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24V-132 | Jeep Grand Cherokee 2021–2023 | 338,238 | A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash. |
| 20V-279 | Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2015–2016 | 141,200 | A detached front control arm can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 19V-312 | Chevrolet Trax 2017–2019 | 112,958 | A partial separation of the lower-control arm from the vehicle could cause the attached front wheel to toe outward, impacting the vehicle's handling and steering and increasing the risk of crash. |
| 19V-652 | Chevrolet Trax 2015–2018 | 93,722 | A partial separation of the lower-control arm from the vehicle could cause the attached front wheel to toe outward, impacting the vehicle's handling and steering and increasing the risk of crash. |
| 19V-143 | Chrysler Pacifica Plug-IN Hybrid 2018; Chrysler Pacifica 2018 | 47,771 | A control arm separation could increase the risk of a crash. |
| 25V-341 | Ford F-150 Lightning BEV 2024–2025 | 29,501 | A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle steering and control, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 21V-144 | Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2015 | 15,347 | A detached front control arm can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. |
| 22V-744 | Rivian R1T 2022; Rivian EDV 2022; Rivian R1S 2022 | 12,212 | A loose steering knuckle fastener could separate, causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash. |
32 more recalls name this part, on smaller fleets. The car finder at the top checks yours.
NHTSA defect investigations naming this part (4)
| Case number | Vehicles | Opened | Status | What NHTSA looked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE26006 | Tesla Model 3 2018–2023; Tesla Model Y 2021–2023 | Jul 29, 2026 | Open | Lower lateral link. |
| PE20020 | Tesla Model S 2015–2017; Tesla Model X 2016–2017 | Nov 22, 2020 | Closed Aug 12, 2024 | Fore link. |
| EA19002 | Nissan Altima 2015–2018; Nissan Maxima 2016–2018 | Jul 29, 2019 | Closed Jun 16, 2025 | Rear suspension control arm. |
| PE18013 | Nissan Altima 2015–2018 | Dec 1, 2018 | Closed Aug 21, 2019 | Rear suspension control arm. |
A bulletin is a repair procedure a maker sends its dealers, not a safety defect: if your maker is listed, ask the dealer whether one covers your car and quote its number.
| Maker | Vehicles | Bulletin number | Date | What it says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda | Mazda3 2015–2017 | PF-26-02 | Jul 28, 2026 | Supersession between B60S-34-300G/350G and B60S-34- 300H/350H. |
| Jeep | Grand Cherokee 4xe 2021–2026; Grand Cherokee L 2021–2026 and 1 more | S2102000004 REV.D | Jun 25, 2026 | WL front control arm bushing - handling link has loose rubber. |
| Mazda | CX-90 Plug-IN Hybrid 2024 | 02-002-26 | May 27, 2026 | Some vehicles may exhibit a creaking or squeaking noise from the lower control arm at the front suspension when traveling over a bump while turning at low-speed. |
| Jeep | Grand Cherokee 2021–2026; Grand Cherokee L 2021–2026 and 1 more | S2102000004 REV.C | Apr 24, 2026 | WL front control arm bushing - handling link has. |
| BMW | X3 2026 | B062426 | Apr 1, 2026 | The bulletin file gives no description beyond its title (control arm). |
| BMW | X3 2025 | B310226 | Jan 17, 2026 | When driving over a bump (compression and rebound), a click -type noise may occur in the area of thefront axle. |
55 more bulletins name this part; the car finder at the top checks yours, and the NHTSA bulletin file linked below lists them all.
What do owners say?
4 complaints quoted word for word, each with its NHTSA number.
This year I was charged $650 to replace both upper control arms, lower suspension links that I now find out was a known quality problem with Tesla.
Now Nissan is telling me to replace the bushing and the lower front control arms will be $2,100.
Under 65,000 miles control arm broke and did $8,400 damage.
They didn't notice the smell but said I needed to replace both front lower control arms for $1655.88.
Check your car
Control arm replacement costs $487–$1,213 for one front arm on a midsize car, parts and labor at $120 an hour. Part grade, shop type and whether the arm comes with a ball joint and bushings move that range most.
What does the estimate cover, and what does it leave out?
The estimate is for one front control arm on a midsize or standard vehicle, with parts and labor at $120 an hour.
It leaves out the wheel alignment that should follow the job, because the arm sets the wheel's angle and a new one shifts it. It also leaves out any other worn suspension part a shop finds once the wheel is off. On many cars the ball joint and the bushings are pressed into the arm, so the shop may sell the arm as one assembly.
On others they come separately. That difference is why two quotes for the same car can sit far apart.
How much does each choice change the price?
Four settings move the number. Each row changes one setting from the default.
| Setting | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Default: front arm, midsize, default shop and part | $487–$1,213 |
| Economy car (Civic, Corolla, Focus) | $451–$1,094 |
| SUV or truck (Tahoe, Ram 1500, 4Runner) | $542–$1,393 |
| Luxury or performance car | $614–$1,632 |
| Rear control arm | $426–$1,090 |
| Independent shop (about $100/hr) | $436–$1,111 |
| Dealership (about $175/hr) | $629–$1,495 |
| Quality aftermarket arm (Timken, SKF, Moog) | $564–$1,470 |
| OEM or dealer original arm | $692–$1,897 |
Vehicle type and part grade matter more than the shop. Moving from the default to an OEM arm adds more to the top of the range than moving to a dealership does, so the part is the first line to question.
Is it really the control arm?
A clunk over bumps is the common sign, but the same noise comes from a worn ball joint or bushing. In the NHTSA complaints that name a control arm, 15% also name the ball joint and 12% name the control arm bushings. Owners often have more than one part worn at once.
Ask the shop to show you the play in the joint or the cracked bushing. If only the bushing or ball joint is bad and they can be replaced on their own, the job can cost less than a whole arm. If the shop says both are pressed in, the arm is the repair.
How do you get a fair quote for a control arm?
Ask three things. First, is the price for one arm or both sides? Second, is the part the arm alone or a complete arm with ball joint and bushings, and is it OEM or aftermarket? Third, is an alignment included?
An independent shop at about $100 an hour and a dealership at about $175 can quote the same arm. Compare the part line and the hours, not only the total. If you are comparing to a quote you already hold, enter your car in the calculator above and set the same shop type and part grade.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to replace control arms in pairs?
Not always. A shop may suggest both sides if the second arm shows the same wear, and doing both at once saves a second alignment. Ask the shop to show the wear on the arm you are not replacing.
Can I drive with a bad control arm?
A noisy arm can still steer, but a failed one can let the wheel move out of position. If the steering feels loose or the car pulls, get it checked before you drive far.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- NHTSA owner complaint file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA recall file file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA defect investigation file file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA service bulletin file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- CalcScrape calculator model scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities data from 2024
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year 2019-2023, counties summed to states (B25044), joined to NHTSA owner complaints file downloaded 2026-10-06
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year 2019-2023, counties summed to states (B08303), joined to NHTSA owner complaints file downloaded 2026-10-06
- BLS Producer Price Index, commodity data for motor vehicle parts (series WPU14120502); BLS Consumer Price Index item SETD for the repair row file downloaded August 2026
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, Foreign Campaigns (filings under 49 CFR 579.11, public API) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall quarterly reports (basis of the Annual List of Recall Completion Rates) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NYC DOT, Street Pavement Ratings (NYC Open Data 6yyb-pb25), SystemRating bands from the NYC DOT pavement rating metadata data from 2025
- FHWA Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) national section data, roughness (IRI) by county; poor-ride cut from the FHWA Conditions and Performance Report data from 2026
- FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 delimited state files (highway bridges, BRIDGE_CONDITION code P) data from 2024
- New York State DOT, Bridge Conditions (NYS Open Data wpyb-cjy8), poor_status flag data from 2025
- 49 U.S.C. 30120 (Remedies for defects and noncompliance), text via Cornell Legal Information Institute; NHTSA recall campaigns data from 2026
- New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Vehicle Inspection Data file downloaded 2026-10
Terms: US government data, public domain.
Observed: records as filed; owner reports are unverified and are not failure rates. Modeled: our estimate, not a quote. Derived: computed from the records; an association, not a cause. Rule: a published legal rule, not a measurement; whether it covers a given repair depends on the car and the facts.
What is our own estimate
The price range comes from our calculator's formula. Its parts prices, labor hours per job and shop-rate tiers are CalcScrape estimates, not a published price dataset. Checked against RepairPal's range ($791–$909) on 2026-10-06: our default's midpoint is 0% above the middle of that range. Methodology