MajorCommonSuspension

Subaru Levorg: Front Lower Arm Rear Bush Wear Causing Speed Shimmy

Front Lower Arm Rear Bush Wear Causing Speed Shimmy is a common suspension fault on the Subaru Levorg on the 2014–2020 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $380 to $850 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 13 documented faults on the Subaru Levorg.

Vehicle: Subaru Levorg
Years: 2014–2020
Fuel: petrol
Gearbox: cvt
System: Suspension

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

All Subaru Levorg faults13 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

What goes wrong

The rear bush of the front lower control arm on the VM4 Levorg is a hydraulic compliance bush that degrades with age, mileage, and New Zealand road conditions. As the rubber element softens, cracks, or debonds from its metal sleeve, fore-aft compliance in the lower arm increases. This allows the front wheel to oscillate under braking or at sustained highway speeds, producing a steering wheel shimmy most pronounced at 90 to 110 km/h. Grey import VM4 Levorgs commonly arrive at 60,000 to 100,000 km, placing many in the prime bush failure window. Correct replacement bushes and a post-replacement wheel alignment are both required for full resolution.

What you would notice

Steering wheel shimmy or vibration at 90 to 110 km/h on smooth motorway
Shimmy initiates or worsens under light braking at highway speed
Vague or wandering steering feel at sustained high speed
Occasional clunking from front suspension over sharp road imperfections

How to check it

Where to look. Rear bush of front lower control arm on both sides, accessible from beneath the front subframe

Visually inspect the bush for cracking, rubber separation from the metal sleeve, or visible deformation. Both sides should be checked as wear is often bilateral. If a workshop inspection is possible: With the vehicle raised on a hoist, grip the front tyre at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions and apply alternating fore-aft force to check for play in the lower arm rear bush.

Parts involved: Ball joint.

What it costs to put right

$380 to $850 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 front suspension been inspected or any bushes replaced?”
“Does the steering wheel vibrate at motorway speeds?”
“Has a wheel alignment been performed and did any readings sit outside specification?”

Now check the Subaru Levorg 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.

Subaru Levorg buyer questions

Is front lower arm rear bush wear causing speed shimmy serious on a Subaru Levorg?

We rate it major and common on the Subaru Levorg. The rear bush of the front lower control arm on the VM4 Levorg is a hydraulic compliance bush that degrades with age, mileage, and New Zealand road conditions. As the rubber element softens, cracks, or debonds from its metal sleeve, fore-aft compliance in the lower arm increases. This allows the front wheel to oscillate under braking or at sustained highway speeds, producing a steering wheel shimmy most pronounced at 90 to 110 km/h. Grey import VM4 Levorgs commonly arrive at 60,000 to 100,000 km, placing many in the prime bush failure window. Correct replacement bushes and a post-replacement wheel alignment are both required for full resolution.

How much does it cost to fix on a Subaru Levorg?

$380 to $850 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 Subaru Levorg years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2014–2020 Subaru Levorg. 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.