Toyota Yaris ball joint problems

Filed Apr 27, 2022 · Electrical, Steering · TX

I got new tires and took the car for an alignment. I am constantly having to slightly correct my steering wheel. One to three degrees to the left and right at any speed the entire time I am driving. It was setup for the diagnostic test and the technician came back in less than five minutes. To tell me that there is nothing wrong with my alignment and everything was at factory spec. So I told him to drive it and tell me that there is nothing wrong with my car. He came back looking shocked and said that was weird. Like driving on wet glass. So he started to ask me questions. My answers to the question were. I am the original owner, never been in an accident with the car or hit debris of any kind. Tires are brand new, no check engine or warning lights. Diagnostic scanner to the OBD port came back with no problems. Car had 25,000 miles on it at the time. I've been told it could be any of eight or nine problems or a combination of a few. Electric power steering, traction control, ABS, Tire pressure monitor, steering angle sensor, tie rod, ball joints, suspension. My question is, how does this happen with regular service and no warning detection system on board or service equipment finding anything ???

Filed May 15, 2019 · Steering, Suspension · 101,000 miles · OH

Bought car with 99k miles. Noted a clunk in suspension. Decided to fix by process of elimination. Turned out it was a broken bolt that holds the control arm inside the subframe which is not accessible from the exterior. Steering was very off and this was a very dangerous issue that is clearly a defect from the manufacturer: the front subframe was poorly designed and the inner bolt that holds the long horizontal control arm bolt was improperly welded or the inner sub frame was made so water could get in and rust said bold/weld.

Filed Sep 26, 2016 · Suspension · 120,000 miles · IL

Broken bolt for control arm of suspension. Passenger side bolt head broken off, causing knocking during bumps/acceleration/breaking. Recommendation to replace bolt & control arm for suspension on both sides to mitigate issue. Research on this issue has shown that this is not uncommon for the toyota yaris control arm bolts. This is a serious hazard should the bolt break during use.

Filed Feb 23, 2016 · Suspension · 90,000 miles · NY

Broken bolt on lower control arm / only 90000 miles driven to work only / not abused

Filed Dec 3, 2015 · Suspension · 110,010 miles · NY

I am a retired autoshop teacher {2 years} and am ase certified in, among others, suspension and steering. While driving my yaris, started to hear a clunking noise in the front suspension. Suddenly, a loud bang while something broke off the car and hit the underbody. On inspection, discovered that the right side lower control arm rearward bolt, which extends through a center support and is bolted to the vehicle body, had snapped off about halfway. I drove the car home, about 3 miles, but the driveability of the vehicle was affected, the steering became vague and the noise became louder and louder. There is a tsb, number 005-11 on this problem but toyota fails to admit in this or earlier tsbs that this is a serious safety problem, which in my opinion, it clearly is. This is not an unusual problem, as an internet search found many people had experienced this. This should be addressed in a recall!

Filed Oct 23, 2015 · Suspension · 70,600 miles · NH

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota yaris. While driving at 30 MPH and attempting to engage the brakes, an abnormal sound emitted from the vehicle. The contact noticed that the front suspension lower control arm bolt number two fractured and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure.the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 70,600.

Filed May 30, 2015 · Suspension · 65,100 miles · PA

I have recently noticed some strange clunking, popping and squealing noises coming from my car. After having my mechanic look at it I have been informed that the passenger side lower control arm rear bolt was broken and part of it remains but is no longer connected to the control arm. My passenger side front wheel was moving in and out approximately 2inches. In my research I have found no recall notice for this issue and feel it is a large safety issue.

Filed Dec 18, 2014 · Suspension · 131,000 miles · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota yaris. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 10 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle hesitated and there was a loud noise coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the lower control arm fractured. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 131,000.

Filed May 6, 2014 · Suspension · 75,000 miles · MA

Tl * the contact owns a 2008 toyota yaris. The contact stated that the vehicle was making a loud clunking noise. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the bolt on the front control arm was fractured as a result of corrosion. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 75,000.

Filed Jul 2, 2013 · Steering, Suspension · 34,039 miles · NJ · crash

Purchased 2008 toyota yaris sedan used in 7/09 for my daughter with 16,000 miles on it. She's at college so I drive it every other day to work which is only 10 miles. I began to notice a sound when I made a sharp right hand turn into a parking spot like the noise of an actual bar and also a rattle if I went over a small dip in the road. I was told it needed new tires on 10/12/12 @ 29,645 miles, I bought good,safe tires:goodyear eagle ls tires 185/60r15. On 5/10/13 I had her car serviced at toyota: oil change, tires rotated, inspection of air filter, ball joints, etc. Afterwards, as I was driving my daughter and I up to my son's college graduation it was 80 degrees/sunny/clear roads. 52 miles into our trip I was in the slow lane following traffic at 65 MPH.watching the road, both hands on the steering wheel. All of a sudden the steering wheel jerked to the left and we began to go into a skid.I was avoiding other cars as I was trying to regain control of the yaris. It was buckling under me each time I tried to carefully get us out of the skids.my foot was not on the brake but I had carefully pulled it off of the accelerator and I remember thinking why wasn't the car slowing down, it just kept skidding. After the 4th skid it went into a complete 180 degree spin with us slamming into the cement median.I slammed on the brakes as we went toward the wall. I have been driving for 35 yrs with no accidents and I have been in skids before, on icy roads & regained control. I do not know what caused the steering to malfunction. I have read about faulty bolts on the control arm. The auto repair shop did tell me they replaced the stabilizer bar.I have noticed since the repair the noise under the car is gone and the throttle no longer "screams" when I take my foot off the gas going downhills. We were not speeding, nor driving carelessly. This car does not have ABS nor anti-spin brakes.