Toyota-Lexus-Subaru-Honda Control Arm Bushing

The control arm bushings can fail by tearing loose. This is part of the front suspension system, and is intended to help keep your tires pointed in the right direction. As they wear, your steering becomes slightly more approximate. As these bushings tear loose, your tires also wear out more rapidly due to misalignment.

It also gives your vehicle a squishier feel on bumps, along with groans or clunks. For most of your normal driving circumstances the problems presented are no more urgent than indicated above-the bad bushings aren’t going to make your wheels suddenly fall off, and they’re not going to make you suddenly dart into a ditch.

However, in an emergency situation that involves braking and turning and dodging others all at the same instant and when your needing all the control you can get-you want all the control you can get to avoid a possible accident. In those situations, it’s nice to have the suspension doing exactly what it’s supposed to be doing, and the wheels pointing exactly where they’re supposed to be pointing. Right?