wantathonda2009

Edited 7/4/09. The control arms are not broken as someone said below. If so I would not be able to drive. Still trying to figure out wha tit is. person told me through a translator in rush right before the shop was going to close for the holiday weekend. They did me a favor by putting the car up and checking
Short story my accord was vibrating or tremoring for the past month and brought it in. Guy told and show me that it was the control arms. Don't know what a control arm looked like but glad the guy told showed me. I never had problem with a car besides auto body so don't even have a person to take it to just yet.
The questions"
How much does it cost to fix control arms?
What is the typical symptom of broken control arms. Both front arms are broken?
I just did a search and someone just posted earlier today in the civic del sol about a suspension issue and control arms. A poster mentioned an upper and lower part?
How do control arms break/separate?

The "symptom" of my car is a vibration and tremor but also more almost as though something was stuck in the wheel.

Thanks in advance.

Long story and why I am a little angry. I just took the car in three days ago to the dealer to get the 90,000 mile service with all those inspections they do. Told them about the problem but at the end they said that all the car needed was an alignment. So I am calling everywhere today mostly the firestones (cheapest, good service) an a few others to get an alignment, but everyone is extremely busy because they are closed tomorrow. So I call found a shop who told me they wouldn't be able to do it for me but also wanted to drive the car before to make sure it really needed an alightment. He drove it and said it does not. Maybe all it needs is a rotating and balancing of the tires. My father actually brought the car in. So even though it was already done at the service they do it again thoroughly. So it is done. Then the guy tells me and shows me right how the I assume "arm should be connected and not moving to another part.

Targa250R

If you had a broken control arm, the car wouldn't be driveable.

Show us a picture of what you're talking about.

wantathonda2009

Will I even be able to see this again? Something is separated. Secondly, I have no idea how to post pictures in forums. I guess I will have to learn? Link to instructions?

In the meantime any idea what my problem could be based on the "symptopms"?

BLKFLSH

What year is your car? Are these control arms the tech showed you in the front or the rear? I think it would take quite a hit on the suspension to break control arms. Maybe they are just loose. Is the car lowered? I can post a picture, if I know what car, and where.

MSchu

Could something as simple as a bad bushings at the fork attacthment

wantathonda2009

03 Accord EX sedan. Show me in the front. He showed me the gap or separation and told me that those two parts should be connected.

And regarding the post right above, this car has taken no extreme bumps recently or really over time. Just the normal stuff.

BLKFLSH

Is the part shown in this illustration? My guess would be the compliance bushing, which would be #8 in the picture.
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...RONT+LOWER+ARM

wantathonda2009

No he did not point to a screw. It looked like the whole part at 22 and 24. Like the two parts were supposed to be together and not separate.

wantathonda2009

This looks familiar.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/%...n/DSCN2570.jpg

I googled control arm and found this picture. Which actually originated in a post on this forum.

Maybe this person is right. I assume the screw holds that long part that extends to the left down and attached to the bottom part. So maybe the screw is loose or not there? But on it is on both sides. I hope this helps you guys help me. It is weird.

MSchu

that's a bushing... they do go bad eventually... ON EVERY CAR

wantathonda2009

Is that what connects everything? see video below.

wantathonda2009

Here is another picture that looks better/ familiar.

http://www.b17gsr.ca/blog/wp-content...bushing_01.jpg

I wasn't shown that angle. But from what I have just read it seems like a bushing keeps that left part (control arm?) together. And it is not it is loose.


Also this video is even better. the view from 1:42- 1:47
That is what i saw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZJ94...eature=related

BLKFLSH

OK, now I got it. It's the lower arm, where it connects to the frame. In that picture it looks like the bushing/joint is failing. Not a broken control arm. Your actual car may be different.

Targa250R

That's the leading front lower control arm bushing, referred to as the "compliance" bushing. Pretty common to see those broken on '01-02 Civics; I've seen a few broken ones on other models that share a similar bushing ('02-04 CR-V, '02 RSX, '03 Element) but have yet to see a broken one on an '03+ Accord.

The bushing itself can be replaced; cost for the part itself is less than $12. The old one must be cut/pressed out of the control arm, and the new bushing pressed in, so labor cost will be the overwhelming majority of the job. As mentioned in that video, the shank of the bolt will often seize into the bushing's inner sleeve, requiring the old bolt to be cut or burned out and a new replacement bolt to be used.

I'm surprised that they would have missed a completely broken bushing during the 90,000 mile suspension check, if it is indeed as bad as you claim. The car definitely cannot be aligned properly with that bushing broken, and it would cause some irregular tire wear up front.

BLKFLSH

If there was an inspection, this kind of thing would be very easy to see (if yours looks similar to the picture). I've seen posts of people with Accords saying they had to have the compliance bushings replaced, so it apparently does happen to Accords.

wantathonda2009

My point exactly. Which is why I am angry at the dealer. I don't think they even test drove the car. They just recommended an alightment.



the shop I took it too didn't show me/walk me through the intricacies of the bushings just show me the "loose" control arm. He show me how it(the control arm?) was moving and said this was not supposed to move. But it is safe to assume it is because of the bushing?

wantathonda2009

I just did a search. This one was interesting/similar

https://honda-tech.com/forums/showth...liance+bushing

someone mentioned the compliance bushing and then someone else said i highly doubt.

BLKFLSH

We would have to see a picture of your actual car to be sure, but from what you've said, and the pictures you provided, you need to have the bushing replaced.

wantathonda2009

Thanks. I will keep you guys updated. I just really needed to hone down the problem. Parents are really pissed about the dealer not showing this. That is one reason we brought it in. So at least we knowor have an idea what to ask for when we go to the shop.

wantathonda2009

Guys. I brought the car in to two mechanics since being told by the spanish speaking mechanic that the car had control arm problems. They both said it is not the controls arms and both recommended new tires.
I made a new post with my problem.

https://honda-tech.com/forums/showth...5#post39469565