The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while reversing at 3 MPH out of the driveway, the vehicle suddenly stopped and lowered to the ground. The contact exited the vehicle and became aware that the front driver’s side control arm had fractured and the subframe and the whole front end of the vehicle were on the ground. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. The contact stated that an independent mechanic arrived at the residence and confirmed that the control arm support had separated from the subframe and the wheel was tipping over and rubbing against the inside of the fender well. The failure mileage was 62,000.
Ford F-150 ball joint problems
354 of the 38,399 owner complaints about the Ford F-150 describe ball joint or control arm failure, most of them for the 1997 model year.
- owner complaints
- 354
- worst model year
- 1997
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,000
- typical mileage
- 65,000
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Power steering loss 24Premature wear 6Grinding brakes 6Pulling 5Steering noise 4Harsh shifting 4Knocking 4ABS 4
What owners say
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, there was an abnormal whistling and dinging sound coming from the vehicle, and the powertrain malfunction warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle independently downshifted, and the rear driver’s side of the vehicle slid to the left, and the front passenger’s side of the vehicle crashed into another parked vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle and discovered that due to the impact, there was windshield fluid leaking out of the windshield washer fluid reservoir onto the ground, and the vehicle caught on fire. The contact entered a local AutoZone, retrieved a fire extinguisher, and extinguished the fire. The local fire department was contacted. The contact stated that no air bag was deployed. A police report was filed. A Fire Department report was not filed. The contact had a cut on the right arm, and the medical team in the ambulance patched up the arm; no further medical attention was needed. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where it was self-diagnosed that the steering and ball joint assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. A dealer was contacted and stated that the remedy was not yet available and would not be available until July 26th. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Steering knuckle broke while driving which caused the driver to lose control and crash into parked car. After the crash, we reviewed what happebed and noticed the front passenger side wheel, rotors, control arms and brake line was completely removed from the truck. Also the steering knuckle was broken. This is what caused driver to lose control and crash.
While driving on a straight road, flat surface the ball joint failed/broke causing the lower control arm to drop which in turn caused a collapse of the driver side front suspension. The front quarter panel sustained significant damage due to the collapse. It was all I could do to try and keep the truck under reasonable control. The control bar broke off, traveled under the truck causing some damage, to the under carriage, punctured the rear right passenger tire before denting the back right panel behind the wheel where it exited. Fortunately this was in a rural area, early morning so no other vehicles were involved. Should we keep the pieces so they can be tested/inspected
I am the lessee of a 2024 Ford F‑150 Lightning XLT, VIN [Insert VIN], and I am submitting this description due to repeated failures, recalls, and safety-related defects that have significantly impacted the safe operation, reliability, and value of my vehicle. Since taking delivery, the vehicle has experienced multiple malfunctions in critical systems that have been confirmed by the dealership and addressed through official recalls, yet problems persist. The primary components affected include the park pawl/park position system, which has intermittently failed to reliably lock the vehicle in park, creating a risk of unintentional rolling that endangers my safety, the safety of passengers, and the safety of others in the vicinity. This component is available for inspection upon request at the dealership. The front suspension upper control arm ball joints have also demonstrated premature wear or defects, reducing steering stability, affecting handling, and increasing the risk of loss of control, particularly in turns or under braking. Additionally, the high-voltage battery system has a documented recall due to a manufacturing defect affecting charging safety, posing risks of overheating, electrical hazards, or fire. All these defects have been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer during service visits, and the vehicle has been inspected by certified Ford technicians, with repair attempts documented in service records. Warning indicators and messages appeared prior to failures, including park and transmission warnings first noticed on [Insert Date] and battery system warnings appearing on [Insert Date]. Other symptoms included abnormal noises and handling issues linked to the front suspension, first observed on [Insert Date]. Despite following all recommended repair procedures, these defects have persisted, indicating a systemic problem likely rooted in manufacturer design or component failure. The vehicle has experienced repeated service downtime, inconvenience, loss
After making a sharp right turn tie rod came loose from steering rod. After inspection the threads on the steering rod seem to be too small for the tie rod. The truck has been taken care of and only has 75000 miles on it. The new tie rod I installed was also loose on the steering rod. The threads were not stripped, rusty or damaged in anyway. This truck has never had any work or been damaged. I have never had front end lined up because tires have not had any wear indicating misalignment.
I was driving on the PA turnpike and upon hitting a pothole or bump the mount on the frame that the lower control arm bolts onto broke off. I was going under the speed limit with two small children in the car and a piece of my frame broke off after a slight bump. Every mechanic and person I speak to at ford is saying it shouldn't have happened and they can't believe it. There was no warning and I drove onto the turnpike got almost all the way home before it randomly broke. I spoke with Ford and they are unwilling to help after running my VIN. They say unless I put a complaint in and you open a recall that they will not help me. This is a 2017 truck with minimal rust it should not be breaking off a simple bump on the highway. I had a 9 year old and a 10 month old in the car and the front left of my suspension broke away from the vehicle after routine driving. Something needs to be done about the situation ford should be more concerned they have a frame break on such a new vehicle. Thank you for your time.
The mounting bolt for the lower control arm at the driver's front wheel sheared off causing the mounting on the frame to tear away completely. Wheel came off axis and loss of steering.
Engine coolant over temperature condition. Cylinder head overtemperature condition. Engine air filter restriction pending. Ceased running boards/ rusted. Broken suspensions and bad tie rods. Bluetooth doesn’t connect sometimes. Engine or turbo making loud noises when accelerated.
The truck has a body frame that was cracked in several spots and welded back together in more then 5 different spots and the welding job is very poor. The truck has a power steering line leak, cvs axle leaks and a exhaust manifold leak. The dealership fixed upper ball joints when we agreed on lower and upper in the front. They added a exhaust but did not do the job correctly with completing the job and the welding of it. Ive made a complaint with the loan company and i as well have talked to the owner of the dealership and he fights that none of those things are wrong with the truck and im lying but i have had a inspection done on the truck. When i got the truck i looked it over and so did my brother i pointed the issues of what needed fixed that i could see and that was not done. I then started having issues with the truck and took it to a mechaninc and had an inspection done
Related recalls
Suspension: rear
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 F-150 vehicles.The stabilizer rod fasteners may not have been tightened properly during manufacturing, which can allow the rod to shift out of position.
- Risk
- A misaligned stabilizer rod can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, which can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the stabilizer rod fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 18, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S66. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on September 10, 2026.
Recall number 26V577000 · Recall details
Questions about the Ford F-150 ball joint
Which Ford F-150 years have ball joint or control arm failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1997 (69 complaints), 1998 (69 complaints) and 2000 (50 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix ball joint or control arm failure on the Ford F-150?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,000 (median of 12 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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