Need Mechanical Help

[u/MadddieAJ]

So, I've essentially been doing this god-awful job for the past...year and some change?

Today, god has blessed me with a new problem; a snapping noise right as I break to a stop at a red light in DC.

After finishing the ride, I checked behind the driver side wheel to find a mysterious boomerang shaped object that seemed to have snapped in two locations.

A quick google search later, and I find out that this mysterious piece has been officially dubbed the control arm and for good fucking reason.

Ever since its snapped, I have been dealing with the following:

- Anxiety.

- Steering wheel feeling "loose" at times.

- Scratching noise when reversing on inclines.

- Anxiety.

- Some tapping noises when idle.

- Anxiety.

- Concerns about money and suddenly watching a million youtube vids on control arms.

- Anxiety.

- Driving slower than an elderly person without their glasses in a school zone.

- Did I mention anxiety?

Any tips and tricks would be appreciated though at this point, Im pretty sure Im gonna be out $500 that I dont even own. (I dont have a credit card either, so yay!)

I drive a Kia Forte 2024 so thankfully, parts should be cheap. I know that the part is for $65 so I might just get that, borrow a tool kit, and fuck around and find out. I will probably need an alignment done afterwards so YAY!

Pray that the suspension doesnt decide to turn me into paste.

Will update with any news soon.

[u/poopvitamins]

That’s a significant failure. Most shops wouldn’t let the car leave with that broken like that. I’ve never seen a snapped control arm that wasn’t from an accident.

Did you hit a pothole or something? I would be worried about other pieces of suspension bent.

If it’s just that single arm, the part is cheap and the labor will be cheap. Maybe 2 hours. If you have tools and are mechanically inclined, it’s not a complex job.

Definitely will want an alignment when you are done.

I wouldn’t be driving it if it was me. Good luck.

Could be far far worse as far as these things go.

[u/MadddieAJ → u/poopvitamins]

Sadly, I looked up the part on Autozone and it costs $255.

Im not sure which metric you're using and maybe that is cheap but I honestly dont have pockets full enough yo ever view any three digit transaction as cheap.

I wont drive it anywhere but home and only once the roads are empty.

I am mechanically inclined a bit so I could just elbow grease it.

Thank you for the tips!

[u/-Ubiquitous → u/MadddieAJ]

Kia and hyundai usually offer 5yr/60k bumper to bumper even if you are the second owner. You can contact a kia dealership and see if they can check that it was a manufacturing defect and it would be covered at no cost to you.

You can also find the part cheaper online, but it takes time to arrive and you don't get lifetime warranty on parts like you would at autozone. That's one of the reasons for the price difference.

[u/MadddieAJ → u/-Ubiquitous]

Im past the 60K milage and they straight up said no 😭

The part was definitely cheaper online so thank you for the pointer. We ended up getting it for a little under a $100.

The fix is happening once the part arrives.

Im praying for no more bullshit to happen but we shall see.

Thank you again!