Failing Suspension or Steering on an Old Car: Repair or Junk?

A failed ball joint or tie rod can leave you with no control over a wheel. If any of these fits, do not drive the car. Have it towed to a shop.

• Steering feels suddenly loose, or the wheel moves with no response from the car.
• A wheel sits at an odd angle.
• Loud bangs from a corner of the car, or a sudden lean.
• A heavy clunk when you turn or brake, along with a change in how the car handles.
• Steering suddenly gets very heavy, or there is fluid pouring out.
• A shop has told you a ball joint or tie rod could fail.

Old cars can come back from an inspection with a long list. That list can look worse than it is. Ask for the items to be sorted this way, in writing:

• Unsafe now

  Parts that could fail and cause loss of control. These come first, or the car stops being driven.

• Needs fixing soon

  Worn but not yet dangerous. Ask what it could damage if you wait, and what symptoms mean it has gotten worse.

• Can wait

  Comfort items and minor wear. These may not need fixing on an old car at all.

Questions to ask

• Which of these parts would you not drive with? Can you show me the play or the damage?
• Which jobs share labor, so doing them together makes sense?
• Does this need an alignment afterward, and is that in the quote?
• Is any rust keeping you from removing these parts? Could that raise the price?
• Is the metal the parts bolt to still solid?
• What parts brand are you using, and what is the warranty?

Compare the quote line by line with our guide to reading a repair estimate.

On a car with a good engine and transmission, a suspension or steering repair is often money well spent. It does not depend on a gamble the way an internal engine job may, and the inspection can show you exactly what is worn. Lean toward repair when:

• The list has one or two major items, not everything at once.
• The mounting points and subframe are solid.
• The engine and transmission are healthy, and you plan to keep the car.
• A safe car at this price is hard to find, and you know this one’s history.

Remember that you would be paying to get a car back to safe, not necessarily to raise its value much. If you intend to keep it, that may be fine.

• Rust has reached the mounts or subframe. See our guide to a rusted frame or body.
• Everything is worn at once: struts, ball joints, tie rods and steering gear together, on a car of little value.
• The engine or transmission is also failing. Fixing the suspension does not help a car with a slipping transmission.
• You cannot afford the unsafe items right now and have to keep driving. That is the combination to avoid. Look at other transport and other cars before you take that risk.

You may also wonder about keeping it for local errands. Our guide to unsafe cars and short trips explains why shorter trips do not solve this.

If the car should not be driven, it needs a tow in any case. Tell whoever is coming if a wheel is collapsed, missing or will not roll, since that changes how it is loaded. See flat tires and missing wheels. We use flatbed tow trucks, pickup is free, and the car does not need to run or drive. Our how it works page walks you through the steps.