Buick roadmaster sedan traveling at 30 MPH on a clear dry day on a paved smooth road around a curve, the lower ball joint severed causing the vehicle to veer off the road into a large yard. The ball joint was from a foreign manufacturer. As a result, all four ball joints were replaced with high quality parts at an independent repair facility. General motors dealership would not honor problem or possible recall on ball joint unit.
Buick Roadmaster ball joint problems
16 of the 330 owner complaints about the Buick Roadmaster describe ball joint or control arm failure, most of them for the 1993 model year.
- owner complaints
- 16
- worst model year
- 1993
- typical mileage
- 133,000
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below
By model year
- 19962
- 19953
- 19942
- 19935
- 19924
Often reported together
What owners say
Cars front suspension began popping and moaning. Car can not make tight turns without sounding like the front end is going to break into pieces. I took the car to local gm dealership(j.p. Harvey) after getting the recall information on ntsb website. The parts department said they tightened the hub bolts. However, since the car was so old refused to check ball joint or any other of the recalled parts. I was given this car by my mother who sustained an accident back in 2004 when the right side failed and sent her into a deep ditch. I paid a private dealer $589.00 to replace all the left side steering linkage, ball joint etc. At that time I did not know about this recall. Now it is the right side that is degenerating. This form is late as I was diagnosed with a brain tumor in april 2010 and had to have surgery in october 2010. Only now able to complete tasks on computer and finish this complaint form.
Tl*the contact owns a 1993 buick roadmaster estate wagon equipped with a foreign parts distribution lower control arm ball joint (n/a). He was towing a trailer while driving approximately 58 MPH when he drove over a bumpy surface and the vehicle stopped. Upon examination he noticed that the front passenger side ball joint separated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was repaired. The failure mileage was 135,000 and the current mileage was 142,000.
The lower control arm ball joint broke off when I started to drive the car in a parking lot on october 31, 2006. I had to have a new lower arm and ball joint installed on the car since a bolt had sheared holding the ball joint to the arm. Buick had a previous recall on this, but my car was supposedly built with a later serial number. I have the broken assembly stored in my garage.
Driving on san pablo dam rd just past appian way at about 30-35 MPH the right ft tire folded up under the car the lower ball joint failed and snapped in half.
The consumer was driving 7 MPH when the vehicle lost control due to the ball joint dislodging. *ak the lower ball joint failed due to the nut backing off. The ball joint fell out of the knuckle causing the vehicle to collapse and drag on the ground. (recall id number : 96v019000) *tc
Consumer stated without prior warning, the vehicle hesitates when shifting gears.*ak. Consumer stated the driver wheel fell broke off due to the nuts and bolts had broken off, the brakes went out, the vehicle would not go into reverse, the thermostat went out, passenger window would not roll down, turn siganl was inoperative, windshield was replaced, and the upper ball joints were replaced.
Front inner and outer tie rods and the ball joints failed/ stabilizer links and center links were worn out, and idler arm was loose, making it difficult to steer. Dealer inspected vehicle. Please provide additional information.
While driving the vehicle, driver heard a loud bang and lost control of the steering of the vehicle. Driver was able to avoid hitting any other vehicle or running off the road. Had vehicle been traveling at highway rate of speed instead of 35 MPH, driver and wife could have been killed or seriously maimed not to mention others driving in the proximity of my vehicle. The bolts holding the left side upper control arm assembly broke for no apparent resason,.
96 v 018 002/lower control arm: vehicle was taken to a goodyear independent repair shop and consumer was told of recall on vehicle. Dealer/ manufacturer were notified and informed consumer that this vehicle was not covered under recall due to VIN. *ak
Related recalls
Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
- What is wrong
- Defective lower control arm ball joint attachment nuts were not properly torqued and can loosen.
- Risk
- If the lower control arm ball joint loosens, fatigues and separates from the front suspension knuckle, it could cause loss of vehicle control.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect both front lower control arm ball joint attachment nuts for proper torque. If the ball joint has loosened from the knuckle, both the ball joint and the knuckle will be replaced.
Recall number 96V019000 · Recall details
Questions about the Buick Roadmaster ball joint
Which Buick Roadmaster years have ball joint or control arm failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1993 (5 complaints), 1992 (4 complaints) and 1995 (3 complaints).
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