MajorCommonSuspension

Alfa Romeo MiTo: Front Wishbone Rubber Ball Joint Deterioration

Front Wishbone Rubber Ball Joint Deterioration is a common suspension fault on the Alfa Romeo MiTo on the 2008–2018 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $300 to $800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 7 documented faults on the Alfa Romeo MiTo.

Vehicle: Alfa Romeo MiTo
Years: 2008–2018
System: Suspension

This page covers the Alfa Romeo MiTo as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Alfa Romeo MiTo faults7 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

What goes wrong

The MiTo shares its front suspension architecture with the Fiat Grande Punto platform and uses the same pressed-in rubber boot ball joints in the lower wishbone. The MiTo's relatively stiff suspension tuning and performance-oriented wheel geometry places high cyclic loads on these joints from typical urban driving conditions. The rubber boot sealing the ball joint fails from road grit and road salt attack in Australasian conditions, allowing rapid wear of the metal taper interface once contamination enters. The MiTo's demographic of younger urban drivers who frequently use full steering lock and kerb-mount parking accelerates loading on the joints beyond the design norm.

What you would notice

Knocking sound from front when going over speed bumps or potholes
Steering vagueness or loose on-centre feel
Front tyre wearing faster on the inside edge compared to outside
Car wandering or pulling during light braking

How to check it

Where to look. Front lower wishbone outer ball joint end on both sides of the vehicle

Look for torn or cracked rubber boots at the ball joint location on both sides.
Check tyre wear pattern across the full width of both front tyres for abnormal inner edge wear that indicates geometry change from a worn joint.
If a workshop inspection is possible: With car raised on a hoist, use a lever bar to check for play at the lower wishbone ball joint by levering the arm.

Parts involved: Ball joint.

What it costs to put right

$300 to $800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Have the front lower ball joints or wishbones been replaced?”
“Does the car make any knocking noises from the front end?”
“When was the last four-wheel alignment performed?”

Now check the Alfa Romeo MiTo you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Alfa Romeo MiTo buyer questions

Is front wishbone rubber ball joint deterioration serious on a Alfa Romeo MiTo?

We rate it major and common on the Alfa Romeo MiTo. The MiTo shares its front suspension architecture with the Fiat Grande Punto platform and uses the same pressed-in rubber boot ball joints in the lower wishbone. The MiTo's relatively stiff suspension tuning and performance-oriented wheel geometry places high cyclic loads on these joints from typical urban driving conditions. The rubber boot sealing the ball joint fails from road grit and road salt attack in Australasian conditions, allowing rapid wear of the metal taper interface once contamination enters. The MiTo's demographic of younger urban drivers who frequently use full steering lock and kerb-mount parking accelerates loading on the joints beyond the design norm.

How much does it cost to fix on a Alfa Romeo MiTo?

$300 to $800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Alfa Romeo MiTo years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2008–2018 Alfa Romeo MiTo. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Look for torn or cracked rubber boots at the ball joint location on both sides. Check tyre wear pattern across the full width of both front tyres for abnormal inner edge wear that indicates geometry change from a worn joint. If a workshop inspection is possible: With car raised on a hoist, use a lever bar to check for play at the lower wishbone ball joint by levering the arm. Look here: Front lower wishbone outer ball joint end on both sides of the vehicle