PriceProtect™
DriveShield™
GarageGuard™
Services
Insurance
Car Insurance
Compare Car Insurance with Jerry
Jerry’s Expert Advice
Car Insurance Estimates
Home & Renters Insurance
Renters Insurance
Repairs
Car Repair Estimates
Repair Estimates for Popular Services
Advice
Read Car Content
Browse Jerry Car Advice
Check Out Expert Car QnA
Learn About How We Create Content
Jerry Data & Research
How to tell if a control arm is bad in your suspension?
About two weeks ago I noticed my steering wheel was starting to shake while I was driving, and the past few days my car is sort of wandering when it should be straight. My dad said I should get the control arms looked at. But what is a control arm, and how do you tell if a control arm is bad?
Matt Terzi · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
We’re sorry that’s happening! Your dad is correct; these are definitely warning signs of a damaged control arm. So let’s explain what it is, what other symptoms to watch for, and why you should get this taken care of as soon as possible.
Here’s how to tell if a control arm is bad:
- The steering wheel is vibrating or shaking
- The steering lists or pulls from side to side, or you otherwise have trouble keeping it straight
- Loud squeaking or banging sounds when you’re cornering or going over bumps
- A tire on one side of an axle is wearing out faster than the opposite tire on that same axle. For instance, a driver’s side tire is more worn than the passenger’s side tire
Control arms (also known as wishbones and track control arms) are a part of your suspension that **connect your wheels to the frame of the car and regulate (or control) the up and down motion of the wheel. They’re crucial suspension components, and if they’re damaged, your car is unsafe to drive.
This is considered a moderate-level repair, and the parts are pretty expensive. You should expect to pay somewhere between $600 and $800 to replace a control arm. You should also strongly consider replacing the ball joints in the suspension, which can cost $200 to $400 as well.
It’s possible your issue might be the cheaper ball joint issue. Those tend to wear down over time and may require replacing after 100,000 miles or thereabouts. But this is definitely something you should have a professional, certified mechanic inspect for you, and you should avoid driving the car until that happens.
Unfortunately, replacing a ball joint or a control arm is going to end up costing a substantial amount of money, and we can’t really help you avoid that. But we can help you save hundreds of dollars (if not more) on
car insurance
using the Jerry
app. And that should help quite a bit!Jerry is an app you download on your phone that helps you find cheap car, home, and renter’s insurance without sacrificing the quality of your coverage. It’s America’s #1 broker app for a reason: Jerry users save an average of $887 per year on car insurance!
View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance
You Might Also Be Interested
Read Advice From Car Experts At Jerry
What Others Are Asking
Browse More Content
Insurance in Your State
Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance
No long forms
No spam or unwanted phone calls
Quotes from top insurance companies