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CriticalCommonSuspension

Ford Territory: SX/SY Front Lower Control Arm Ball Joint Failure

SX/SY Front Lower Control Arm Ball Joint Failure is a common suspension fault on the Ford Territory on the 2004–2011 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $400 to $1,000 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
2004–2011
Fuel
petrol
Gearbox
auto
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

The front wheel of a car splayed outward with the lower control arm hanging down after a ball joint separation.Example of the part — not this vehicle

A separated lower ball joint: the control arm has dropped and the wheel has splayed out under the guard.

Elfix · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

Front lower control arm ball joints on the Territory wear prematurely especially on high-mileage or infrequently-maintained examples. Worn ball joints produce vague steering, accelerated tyre wear and in advanced cases risk of ball joint separation with loss of steering control. Documented across AU Territory owner forums and reported frequently by NZ WOF and AU RWC inspectors as a common advisory item.

What you would notice

  • Clunking from front suspension over bumps or during steering input
  • Vague or wandering steering feel
  • Uneven or rapid front tyre wear
  • Front-end shimmy or vibration at highway speed

How to check it

Where to look. Front lower control arm, ball joint at wheel hub end

Have an assistant watch the ball joint for movement while you rock the wheel. Check for boot tearing. If a workshop inspection is possible: Jack each front corner and rock the wheel vertically and laterally to check for ball joint play.

Parts involved: Ball joint.

What it costs to put right

$400 to $1,000 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

  • “Has the vehicle recently passed a WOF or RWC?”
  • “Any clunking from the front suspension?”
  • “Have the control arm ball joints been replaced?”

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 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.

Ford Territory buyer questions

Is sx/sy front lower control arm ball joint failure serious on a Ford Territory?

We rate it critical and common on the Ford Territory. Front lower control arm ball joints on the Territory wear prematurely especially on high-mileage or infrequently-maintained examples. Worn ball joints produce vague steering, accelerated tyre wear and in advanced cases risk of ball joint separation with loss of steering control. Documented across AU Territory owner forums and reported frequently by NZ WOF and AU RWC inspectors as a common advisory item.

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

$400 to $1,000 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 2004–2011 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?

Have an assistant watch the ball joint for movement while you rock the wheel. Check for boot tearing. If a workshop inspection is possible: Jack each front corner and rock the wheel vertically and laterally to check for ball joint play. Look here: Front lower control arm, ball joint at wheel hub end