Lower control arm bushings?

[kdin]

Hello everyone!

First time posting here. I'm hoping to get some insight from people that might know better than me.

I took my 2012 Yaris in yesterday to have it checked because I've been noticing a low-pitched, creaking/settling noise when I go over any bumps, make sharp turns, etc. I went to a Toyota dealer and they told me that the bushings in my 2 front lower control arms are wearing out (early stages) and will need to be replaced.

Even though the only problem is the bushings themselves, they told me that the bushings and the arms are one unit, so the whole arms have to be replaced. The total quote for parts, labor, tax, and re-alignment is nearly $1,300.

Does this seem right? I'm hesitant to take my car to a non-dealer mechanic, but the idea of paying that much is making my stomach turn.

I'm also curious as to how this could be happening so soon when my car is not that old (2012 / about 59k miles) and I've been very careful about maintaining it since I bought it in 2013 (at 30k miles). It seems odd that these would be wearing out so soon.

[tmontague]

the original bushings in my '02 Echo lasted 340,000km and about 13 years driving in the salt belt. Unless Toyota is now going with extremely cheap bushings I'd be very surprised that they're wearing out.

The bushing are in fact not one piece (unless that had been changed from 2012 on wards)
They can be pressed out and purchased separately. Most mechanics don't want to bother with the pressing of the bushings so they just buy new control arms with the bushings already pressed in them.

I did the same thing last year when I replaced my bushings on my Echo. I would have pressed the bushing separately but I purchased new bushing with the control arms for $60 CAD shipped for both L and R arms found on ebay after some searching.

It made no sense to spend the same or even more to have to then rent a bushing press and take the extra couple hours to do that. At the dealer full control arms are much more pricey then simple bushings.

Keep driving it, if it starts clunking over low speed bumps (backing out of driveway, going slow over speed bumps) then it's likely the control arm bushings.

That being said it could still be something simple and inexpensive like sway bar end links if you hear the clunk so make sure you check or get a mechanic to check and show you what is actually wrong.

My bushings were completely ripped and worn out so it was metal on metal. I still could not replicate the noise. I had to take a big mallet and hit the tire while my hand was on various steering and suspension components. Eventually I felt more vibration in the control arm than any other part so I removed them and sure enough the bushing had self pressed itself out of its metal shell and was completely torn.

Once the new ones went in everything went back to being smooth again.

[kdin]

Thanks for the reply!

The sound kind of comes and goes. A slight sharp/fast turn will cause it, but not usually a slower/wider turn. A small speed bump won't do it. We have very uneven/poorly maintaned roads here (central CA), but when I'm on smooth roads, there's no noise at all.

I think I'm definitely going to take it somewhere else for a second opinion. I'm unfortunately not at all savvy with mechanical things myself (I can change my own oil and tires and that's about it), but several people have now told me that the dealer's diagnosis/recommended fix is a little suspicious.

[Tedtalker]

They don't call them "stealers" for nothing.Don't get ripped off. Once you find out what it is call around for the best price and service.

[tmontague]

It's possible it is something like strut bearings, but for now i'd either leave it until it gets louder and more obvious, or have a reputable independant mechanic look at it.

Don't just go to any independant mechanic or you can be taken advantage of, get a recommendation from someone.