How long do ball joints last?

Per 100 MOT tests

Ball joints: failures and advisories by car age

3–5 yrsreg. 2020–2022

0.1

0.2

6–8 yrsreg. 2017–2019

0.4

0.7

9–11 yrsreg. 2014–2016

1.5

2.0

12–14 yrsreg. 2011–2013

2.5

3.2

15+ yrsreg. 2010 and earlier

2.2

3.8

Items recorded per 100 class 4 tests at each age, across the whole fleet. Advisories run ahead of failures: the tester saw the part wearing and said so a year or two before it failed. Peak band highlighted.

DVSA recorded wording

What the tester writes

• “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”peaks at 12–14 yrs · 2.1 per 100 tests
• “A stub axle swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn”peaks at 15+ yrs · 0.3 per 100 tests
• “A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment”peaks at 12–14 yrs · 0.1 per 100 tests

When it fails

The defects behind it, explained

• Ball joint worn

Steering and drive

Other parts in the same system

• Driveshaft gaitersfrom 12–14 yrs
• Wheel bearingsfrom 12–14 yrs

Every part, every age

Common questions

How long do ball joints last?

Across the British fleet, ball joints barely fail before 9 to 11 years: 0.1 failures per 100 tests at three to five years, rising to 2.5 at 12 to 14 years, 28 times the rate. Steering and suspension ball joints wear internally and their dust covers split; excessive play fails.

At what age should I have ball joints checked?

From about 9 to 11 years, when failures reach half their peak rate across the fleet. Advisories for ball joints run ahead of failures by a year or two, so a car whose MOT history shows one is on the curve.

Is a worn ball joint an MOT failure?

It depends on how worn. "Ball joint worn" is the defect testers record; each page explains the threshold at which the item fails rather than being advised.