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Kia Optima Control Arm Assembly Replacement at your home or office.

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Control Arm Assembly Replacement Service

How much does a Control Arm Assembly Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Kia Optima Control Arm Assembly Replacement is $243 with $103 for parts and $140 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2015 Kia OptimaL4-2.0L TurboService typeControl Arm Assembly - Rear Lower Left ReplacementEstimate$531.86Shop/Dealer Price$629.68 - $915.02
2007 Kia OptimaV6-2.7LService typeControl Arm Assembly - Rear Lower Left ReplacementEstimate$391.33Shop/Dealer Price$454.50 - $639.88
2013 Kia OptimaL4-2.4LService typeControl Arm Assembly - Rear Lower Left ReplacementEstimate$433.95Shop/Dealer Price$507.80 - $725.16
2006 Kia OptimaV6-2.7LService typeControl Arm Assembly - Rear Lower Left ReplacementEstimate$368.55Shop/Dealer Price$426.05 - $594.36
2011 Kia OptimaL4-2.4LService typeControl Arm Assembly - Front Upper Right ReplacementEstimate$1478.71Shop/Dealer Price$1815.22 - $2817.26
2018 Kia OptimaL4-2.0L TurboService typeControl Arm Assembly - Rear Lower Left ReplacementEstimate$797.35Shop/Dealer Price$955.29 - $1423.70
2008 Kia OptimaV6-2.7LService typeControl Arm Assembly - Rear Lower Left ReplacementEstimate$391.33Shop/Dealer Price$454.54 - $639.95
2002 Kia OptimaV6-2.7LService typeControl Arm Assembly - Rear Lower Right ReplacementEstimate$368.55Shop/Dealer Price$426.05 - $594.36
Show example Kia Optima Control Arm Assembly Replacement prices

What is a control arm and how does it work?

A control arm is a suspension component, usually made of heavy gauge steel or aluminum, that links the steering knuckle in the front — or axle carrier in the rear — to the frame of the vehicle. Many vehicles have upper and lower control arms. The inboard link(s) of the arm securely bolt to the frame of the vehicle through rubber bushings, while the outboard link of the control arm connects to the steering knuckle through a ball joint; all of which allow the control of the up and down movement of the steering knuckle or axle carrier. This minimizes the transmission of shock and vibration to the vehicle’s body.

When to consider replacing a control arm:

The structural portion of the control arm can last the life of the vehicle — except for cases of corrosion or crash damage. However, the rubber bushings and the ball joint in a control arm have a limited life. A mechanic should investigate if you notice:

  • Wheel alignment difficulties. Should the bushings, or the ball joint, in a control arm be worn, it will be impossible to properly align the vehicle. The worn components, or the entire arm, must be replaced.
  • Vehicle won’t track straight or pulls to one side. A car will not track straight and may require constant steering correction if there is a worn, bent, or loose control arm.
  • Clunking or squeaking noise. A loose control arm, or a control arm with dried out, rotted, or loose bushings, may move enough to cause detectable noise from the suspension as you go over bumps in the road.
  • Vehicle pulls to one side only when braking. Worn bushings or ball joints can allow control arm to shift when braking, causing the vehicle to pull to one side. Although, this could also be caused by brake calipers.

How do mechanics replace a control arm?

  • The vehicle is raised and supported on steel jack stands, and the wheel and tire assembly is removed.
  • Stabilizer bar links are detached from the control arm, if applicable. ABS wiring to the wheel speed sensor, if routed along the arm, is disconnected.
  • Control arm mounting bolts are detached from the frame and from the axle carrier if the control arm is in the rear.
  • For front control arms connected to the steering knuckle via a ball joint, the nut is removed from the ball joint stud and the stud is pushed through the steering knuckle to free the arm.
  • The arm is lowered from the vehicle and examined by the mechanic to confirm that the noise, or other problem, actually originated from a defect in the arm.
  • The new arm is installed using new mounting bolts if required by the service manual. In many cases, the fasteners must be tightened with the vehicle weight on the suspension in order to ensure the bushings are in a neutral, or resting, position.
  • The vehicle is lowered and road tested to confirm the problem is resolved. Replacing a control arm will change the vehicle alignment settings and the mechanic will refer you to a professional alignment shop to have the vehicle alignment set to factory specifications.

Is it safe to drive with a control arm problem?

No. If the car wanders on the road, pulls to one side, or noise from the suspension is loud, you need to schedule repair right away. Should the problem be limited to low levels of noise, such as clunking or squeaking, continued use of the car is reasonable until you can schedule a repair. Should the control arms be damaged as a result of a collision, it would be unsafe to drive the car until it is repaired.

When replacing a control arm keep in mind:

  • The number of control arm types vary from vehicle to vehicle depending on the design of the vehicle suspension.
  • Control arms should be replaced in pairs — arms on both sides of a front or rear axle — if the reason for replacement is worn control arm bushings or a worn ball joint.
  • All other suspension components should be inspected when control arms are replaced because looseness, damage, or excessive wear in other parts of the suspension system will make it impossible to perform a wheel alignment after the control arms are replaced.

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Number of Kia Optima services completed
9020+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Kia MECHANICS
1100+
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Meet some of our expert Kia mechanics

Real customer reviews from Kia owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(820)
Rating Summary
778
15
8
2
17
778
15
8
2
17

Michael

5 years of experience
355 reviews
Request Michael
Michael
5 years of experience
Request Michael
by Thomas
Kia Optima L4-2.4L - Control Arm Assembly Replacement (Rear Lower Right) - Indianapolis, Indiana
Great Mechanic, courteous, friendly and honest. Will use again and recommend to anyone who asks.

Diego

22 years of experience
564 reviews
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Diego
22 years of experience
Request Diego
by Henry
Kia Optima L4-2.4L - Oil Change - Phoenix, Arizona
He was knowledgable and friendly.

Jeffrey

28 years of experience
870 reviews
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Jeffrey
28 years of experience
Request Jeffrey
by Jason
Kia Optima V6-2.7L - Ball Joint Front Replacement (Upper Left, Lower Left) - Rock Hill, South Carolina
Was great and quick, very friendly and knew what he was doing.

Wayne

32 years of experience
102 reviews
Request Wayne
Wayne
32 years of experience
Request Wayne
by Bernadette
Kia Optima L4-2.4L - Brake Pedal vibrates or shakes - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
First I would like to say that as I personally did not meet Wayne as I was at work but he corresponded with my fiancee who advised that he was very professional and courtesy. I only have one complaint and I would have given him 5 stars but for the one complaint. He called and asked if he could come earlier which was nice. When he got there he called me since I was at work and explained the problem with my car which was the brake pedal was vibrating when you put your foot on the brake. He jacked the car up and saw that my rotors were warped. He called me and advised me of this and that they needed to be changed. My only complaint is that I would have appreciated it if he had asked if I wanted him to do the work today and if he had asked I would have said yes but I did not get that opportunity. I received his inspection report which I did like and his recommendations and which lists everything that he did and checked. So now I have to schedule another appointment to get the rotors/brake pads replaced.

Excellent Rating

(820)
Rating Summary
778
15
8
2
17
778
15
8
2
17
Number of Kia Optima services completed
9020+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Kia MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform
Yourmechanic was featured in

New York Times NBC CBS Forbes INC Tech Crunch

Learn more about us

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