MajorCommonSuspension

Toyota Supra: Front lower ball joint wear — heavy nose loading

Front lower ball joint wear — heavy nose loading is a common suspension fault on the Toyota Supra on the 1993–2002 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $450 to $1,100 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 23 documented faults on the Toyota Supra.

Vehicle: Toyota Supra
Years: 1993–2002
Fuel: petrol
System: Suspension

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

All Toyota Supra faults23 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

What goes wrong

The A80 Supra carries significant front-end weight from the heavy inline-six engine, which accelerates wear on the front lower control arm ball joints. Worn ball joints create a handling shimmy and can ultimately result in loss of steering control if ignored. This is a common finding on WOF inspections of higher-mileage A80s in NZ. Many imported examples have worn or previously bodged ball joints.

What you would notice

Clunking from front suspension over bumps or during steering input
Vague or wandering steering feel
Uneven tyre wear on front axle
WOF failure for excessive ball joint play

How to check it

Where to look. Front lower control arms, one ball joint per side

Visually inspect the ball joint boot for cracking or grease loss. Check for any scoring or pitting on the ball joint itself. If a workshop inspection is possible: With the car on a hoist, grab each front wheel at the 6 and 12 o'clock positions and check for vertical play.

Parts involved: Ball joint.

What it costs to put right

$450 to $1,100 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 ball joints last replaced?”
“Has the car had a recent WOF, and did it pass first time?”
“Is there any clunking from the front suspension?”

Now check the Toyota Supra 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.

Toyota Supra buyer questions

Is front lower ball joint wear — heavy nose loading serious on a Toyota Supra?

We rate it major and common on the Toyota Supra. The A80 Supra carries significant front-end weight from the heavy inline-six engine, which accelerates wear on the front lower control arm ball joints. Worn ball joints create a handling shimmy and can ultimately result in loss of steering control if ignored. This is a common finding on WOF inspections of higher-mileage A80s in NZ. Many imported examples have worn or previously bodged ball joints.

How much does it cost to fix on a Toyota Supra?

$450 to $1,100 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 Toyota Supra years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1993–2002 Toyota Supra. 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.