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Symptoms of Control-Arm Bushing Failure in Volkswagen

Grey Volkswagen Passat

Your car is a complex inter-working of thousands of parts that all must be kept in functional, working condition in order for your car to run smoothly. In a Volkswagen, these parts are maintained on a specific schedule of service intervals that the manufacturer recommends for optimal driving conditions. The nuts and bolts that hold the various parts together can also become worn out, leaving the larger, more critical parts susceptible to failure—so your automotive services should be performed by a Volkswagen specialist for thorough results.

Suspension parts are the most susceptible to the intense vibration of road contact, because they tend to buffer the brunt of road impacts from potholes, divots, and bumps. One of the most critical “nuts and bolts” pieces of your Volkswagen’s suspension is the control arm bushings. The control arms serve an important purpose in your car’s performance, and when they begin to fail it can be catastrophic to the other suspension parts. However, sometimes control arm failure in your Volkswagen is due to simply worn-out bushings. In this article, we’ll elaborate more on what control arm bushings are and how you can prevent failure.

What is a control-arm bushing and what does it do?

The control arm is part of a system, or an assembly, which is responsible for connecting the suspension to the car framework. The control arms are adhered to the frame by way of the control-arm bushings, which tend to absorb much of the road impacts your car experiences. Volkswagens are generally durable cars, known for their resiliency and projected life expectancy. Unfortunately, control arms can be easily damaged, despite the fact that they aren’t supposed to need replacement until around the 100,000 mile mark. It’s important for drivers to pay attention to the common signs and symptoms of control arm or control-arm bushing failure so that they can protect the other parts of their suspension from damage.

Common signs and symptoms of failure to look out for

The symptoms of control arm or bushing failure can mimic the symptoms of other suspension issues. The most important thing is that you bring your Volkswagen in for servicing as soon as you notice the slightest shift or change in performance. Some of the most common signs of failure are: intense road vibrations in the steering wheel; shaking or clanking noises when going over bumps or road divots; and uneven tire wear.

What causes control-arm bushing failure?

As we mentioned before, control-arm bushing failure is usually due to the driving conditions one experiences. For instance, if you typically drive your car over bumpy roads, your control arms and bushings are absorbing many more impacts over a shorter period of time than perhaps other drivers. Furthermore, over time these parts must be replaced, so the age and mileage on your vehicle can contribute to whether or not your control arms are more likely to fail sooner rather than later.

How you can prevent control-arm bushing failure

These parts of your suspension withstand a lot of shaking and intense vibrating from road imperfections, so it’s important to have them checked out regularly by a Volkswagen specialist to stay on top of maintenance procedures. If you have your suspension inspected frequently, your Volkswagen technician can catch these issues before they turn into serious, and expensive, automotive repairs. Furthermore, if you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms of control arm or bushing failure in your car, it’s important to remain proactive and schedule an inspection sooner than later—it might directly affect your repair bill and the reliability of your car.

How we can help

Volkswagen Control-Arm Bushing Repair For over 30 years, the Volkswagen experts here at Euro Plus Automotive have serviced countless numbers of clients’ vehicles from the LA County areas of Canoga Park, Woodland Hills, and the greater San Fernando Valley in sunny California. Southern California is filled with plenty of rough backroads that drivers often take to escape the bumper-to-bumper traffic on highways and freeways. Unfortunately, these rough road conditions can take a toll on our cars’ suspension system, which includes control arms and bushings. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of failing bushings, it’s critical to have it checked out by one of our professionals as soon as possible—please contact one of our helpful professionals to schedule an inspection today.

* Grey Volkswagen Passat image credit goes to: kurmyshov.

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