MajorVery commonSuspension

Honda Accord Euro: Front lower control arm compliance bushes wear early

Front lower control arm compliance bushes wear early is a very common suspension fault on the Honda Accord Euro on the 2003–2015 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $300 to $1,300 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 6 documented faults on the Honda Accord Euro.

Vehicle: Honda Accord Euro
Years: 2003–2015
System: Suspension

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

All Honda Accord Euro faults6 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Rear leaf spring yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The Euro's front lower control-arm compliance bushings (shared design with the Acura TSX/TL) crack and wear prematurely, often well under 100,000km. Worn bushes cause vague or sloppy steering, clunks over bumps and shudder under braking or acceleration, and will fail a WoF. The bush centre bolt is notorious for seizing and spinning with the bush, so many workshops replace the whole control arm rather than press a bush, increasing the bill.

What you would notice

Knock/clunk over bumps or driveway lips
Steering wander or loose front end
Shudder or judder under braking or hard acceleration
Uneven/inner tyre wear

How to check it

Where to look. Front suspension, lower control arm rear (compliance) bush, both sides

Look for cracked/perished rubber and voids in the large rear compliance bush on each front lower arm; rock the wheel and watch for movement; test-drive over rough seal and listen for front clunks; check for a fresh alignment or uneven tyre wear.

Parts involved: Rear leaf spring.

What it costs to put right

$300 to $1,300 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

“Any clunks over bumps or vibration when braking?”
“Have the front lower arm bushes or arms been replaced?”
“When was the last wheel alignment / does it pass WoF?”

Now check the Honda Accord Euro 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.

Honda Accord Euro buyer questions

Is front lower control arm compliance bushes wear early serious on a Honda Accord Euro?

We rate it major and very common on the Honda Accord Euro. The Euro's front lower control-arm compliance bushings (shared design with the Acura TSX/TL) crack and wear prematurely, often well under 100,000km. Worn bushes cause vague or sloppy steering, clunks over bumps and shudder under braking or acceleration, and will fail a WoF. The bush centre bolt is notorious for seizing and spinning with the bush, so many workshops replace the whole control arm rather than press a bush, increasing the bill.

How much does it cost to fix on a Honda Accord Euro?

$300 to $1,300 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 Honda Accord Euro years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2003–2015 Honda Accord Euro. 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.