Component

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

3,925 NHTSA complaints about suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint issues across 34 makes and 174 models.

The suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 3,925 filings from 34 manufacturers and 174 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 99 crashes, 11 fires, 56 injuries, and 3 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the DODGE DURANGO with 1,830 filings, followed by DODGE DAKOTA and CHEVROLET BLAZER. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.

Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.

3,925
Complaints
174
Models Affected
99
Crashes
11
Fires
3
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 DODGE DURANGO 1,830
2 DODGE DAKOTA 1,047
3 CHEVROLET BLAZER 134
4 JEEP LIBERTY 120
5 GMC JIMMY 63
6 DODGE RAM 1500 49
7 DODGE RAM 2500 38
8 DODGE DODGE TRUCK 27
9 FORD EXPLORER 24
10 FORD F-150 23
11 DODGE DODGE 23
12 TOYOTA TUNDRA 19
13 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 19
14 CHRYSLER SEBRING 19
15 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 16
16 MITSUBISHI GALANT 15
17 FORD F-250 SD 14
18 DODGE RAM 3500 14
19 CHEVROLET S10 14
20 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 13
21 FORD RANGER 13
22 DODGE STRATUS 12
23 DODGE AVENGER 12
24 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 11
25 LINCOLN LS 11
26 FORD E-150 11
27 DODGE RAM 11
28 VOLVO S80 10
29 TOYOTA TACOMA 10
30 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 10

Recent Complaints

2019 GMC SIERRA 1500

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the upper control arm and ball joint on the passenger’s side fractured, and the wheel partially detached from the

2020 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was a dip in the road and the upper ball joint came out of the socket and the tire was pushed under the v

1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR

See attached document for complaint.

2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS FAILED IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS

2007 JEEP LIBERTY

The contact owns a 2007 Jeep Liberty. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger’s side tire inadvertently detached. There was no warning light illuminated. The ve

2018 JEEP CHEROKEE

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the front end of the vehicle and the steering wheel would violently shake and vibrate while depressing the br

2020 FORD F-150

While backing out of a residential driveway, While turning the steering wheel the Right front wheel caught the edge of the curb and had a catastrophic failure of the right front upper ball joint. Whee

2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED WITHOUT IMPACT FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHI

2004 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BALL JOINT FRACTURED. THE CONTACT LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER AND BRAKE, AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHI

2003 DODGE RAM 2500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS FALLING APART. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED, THERE WERE PARTICLES FLYING OUT OF THE VENTS. WHILE DRIVING

2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE SUSPENSION BALL JOINT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT TH

2007 JEEP LIBERTY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE BALL JOINT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC FOR FURT

2006 DODGE DAKOTA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS BRAKE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND. THE CONTACT WAS A

2006 HUMMER H3

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HUMMER H3. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE UPPER BALL JOINTS AND THE CONTROL ARM BE

2005 TOYOTA TUNDRA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH OVER A BRIDGE, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LOWERED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIV

2001 DODGE DAKOTA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINT WAS WORN. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEED TO

2004 JEEP LIBERTY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIGHTLY VIBRATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED

2002 JEEP LIBERTY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS PARKING, THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE SEPARATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND WAS INSPECTED BY A P

2004 JEEP LIBERTY

2004 JEEP LIBERTY. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR TOWING AND PARTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. *JB

2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER RECEIVING A RECALL IN REGARDS TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V444000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS: UNDERBODY SHIELDS). THE CONT

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint issues?
The NHTSA has received 3,925 complaints about suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint problems across 174 vehicle models from 34 manufacturers.
How dangerous are suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint defects?
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT issues have been linked to 99 crashes, 11 fires, 56 injuries, and 3 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint issues is the DODGE DURANGO with 1,830 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

Data Sources

Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.

Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.

Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.

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