CriticalVery commonSuspension

Ford Territory: Front lower ball joint failure — the notorious one (SX/SY I)

Front lower ball joint failure — the notorious one (SX/SY I) is a very common suspension fault on the Ford Territory on the 2004–2009 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $400 to $1,200 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 21 documented faults on the Ford Territory.

Vehicle: Ford Territory
Years: 2004–2009
Fuel: petrol
System: Suspension

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

All Ford Territory faults21 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

What goes wrong

On SX and SY I Territorys (built Feb 2004 to April 2009) the front lower ball joint is built into the control arm hanging under the knuckle, so the car's weight constantly tries to pull the joint out of its socket. Joints wear early and in extreme cases have failed completely, letting the wheel fold under the car. Ford ran service action R1101 replacing joints on cars up to 150,000 km, but it was never a formal recall and that program is long expired — assume any car you look at is on aftermarket parts or borrowed time. The SY II redesign (ball joint moved to the knuckle) fixed it from mid-2009.

What you would notice

Loud thump or clunk from the front over potholes and speed bumps
Feathered or scalloped wear on the outer/inner edges of the front tyres
Vague, wandering steering

How to check it

Where to look. Front suspension — lower control arm ball joints behind each front wheel

Run your hand over the front tyres feeling for feathered edges.
With the car on a hoist (insist on this for any SX/SY), have the lower ball joints levered to check for play.
Ask for receipts showing when the lower control arms/ball joints were last replaced — on these cars they are a recurring replacement item, roughly every 60,000-100,000 km.

Parts involved: Ball joint.

What it costs to put right

$400 to $1,200 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

“When were the front lower ball joints/control arms last replaced, and with what brand?”
“Was the car ever done under Ford service action R1101?”
“Can I see it on a hoist before purchase?”

Now check the Ford Territory 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 the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

AustralianCar.Reviews — 'Recalls & faults: Ford SX Territory (2004-05)' and SY Territory (2005-11)
CarsGuide — 'Ford Territory ball joint review' and 'Getting into bad Territorys'
Ford service action R1101

Ford Territory buyer questions

Is front lower ball joint failure — the notorious one (sx/sy i) serious on a Ford Territory?

We rate it critical and very common on the Ford Territory. On SX and SY I Territorys (built Feb 2004 to April 2009) the front lower ball joint is built into the control arm hanging under the knuckle, so the car's weight constantly tries to pull the joint out of its socket. Joints wear early and in extreme cases have failed completely, letting the wheel fold under the car. Ford ran service action R1101 replacing joints on cars up to 150,000 km, but it was never a formal recall and that program is long expired — assume any car you look at is on aftermarket parts or borrowed time. The SY II redesign (ball joint moved to the knuckle) fixed it from mid-2009.

How much does it cost to fix on a Ford Territory?

$400 to $1,200 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 Ford Territory years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2004–2009 Ford Territory. 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?

Run your hand over the front tyres feeling for feathered edges. With the car on a hoist (insist on this for any SX/SY), have the lower ball joints levered to check for play. Ask for receipts showing when the lower control arms/ball joints were last replaced — on these cars they are a recurring replacement item, roughly every 60,000-100,000 km. Look here: Front suspension — lower control arm ball joints behind each front wheel