What are the symptoms of a bad ball joint in a car?

[MasonMarie]

A damaged stabilizer bar ball joint will cause noise when driving on rough roads, but no abnormal sounds will occur when driving on paved roads. The relevant introduction to the stabilizer bar is as follows: Stabilizer bar suppresses body roll: When the left and right wheels of a car pass over different bumps or potholes on the road, it generates anti-roll resistance (Roll-Resistance), which suppresses body roll. Types of stabilizer bars: Front lower control arm stabilizer bar (essential original equipment), toe adjustment stabilizer bar (essential original equipment), front shock tower strut bar (commonly known as "top bar" in Hong Kong and Macau, optional), front lower crossmember stabilizer bar (commonly known as "front lower bar", optional), etc.

[RileyLynn]

If you notice the steering wheel suddenly feels loose while driving and makes clunking noises when turning, it could indicate a problem with the ball joint. I once experienced a very obvious case: when driving on rough roads, there were metallic knocking sounds from the chassis, like screws rattling in a tin can. The steering would also pull to one side, and the inner edges of the tires wore out unusually fast—wearing down the edges of new tires in just half a month. Last week, when I took it to the repair shop and had it lifted, the mechanic used a pry bar to push against the tire, and sure enough, the ball joint was so loose it could move the width of a palm. If this part fails, it must be replaced immediately. If it comes loose on the highway, losing steering control instantly is no joke.

[PatrickFitz]

Abnormal noises from the tire position should raise concerns about the ball joint. When I used to drive an old van for cargo hauling, prolonged heavy loads caused increased steering wheel play and clicking sounds during left turns. A mechanic friend taught me a detection method: when the wheel is off the ground, grab the tread and shake it up and down—if there's a sense of play, it indicates ball joint wear. Even more dangerous is when the vehicle suddenly veers during hard braking—this symptom must never be ignored. Once, I encountered a case where the ball joint boot ruptured and leaked grease, allowing sand and dirt to enter the joint, wearing grooves into the entire steering knuckle. In the end, even the steering knuckle had to be replaced.

[DiLilliana]

The most typical symptom of ball joint wear is a floating steering sensation. I remember driving during heavy rain last year, the steering wheel would shake left and right every time I hit a puddle. Later inspection revealed not only abnormal noises but also completely messed up front wheel alignment data, with severe tire wear. A faulty ball joint also makes the chassis feel loose, causing clunking noises over speed bumps and boat-like steering feedback. This kind of failure can damage other components too - in my case, the excessive play in the ball joint actually deformed the tie rod.