Control arm Bolt rusted

Tiny
MTX51
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 TOYOTA YARIS
  • 4 CYL
  • 61,000 MILES
I have a 2007 Toyota Yaris. The Front Lower Control Arm Bolt has rusted out. The entire head has fallen off. It looks like the Control Arm will have to be removed to get the bolt out. Either carefully with a pliers or possibly have to drill it out. Several questions. Should this happen after only 3 years? Is this an expensive fix? Any suggestions? It is weird because it appears that water get caught by the bolt and there is no way for the water to drain. It just sits on the bolt and appears to be a design flaw.
Saturday, December 11th, 2010 AT 9:18 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
This bolt should last the life time of the car, you will have to undo the lower ball joint and the sway bar link pin, this will remove any load from the lower arm, the bolt should drive out with a punch if the head is gone.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Monday, December 20th, 2010 AT 7:15 AM
Tiny
MMPRINCE4000
  • MECHANIC
  • 8,548 POSTS
Also check with Toyota to see if there is a TSB on this problem.
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Friday, January 7th, 2011 AT 5:44 PM
Tiny
MTX51
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks for the help guys. I went to toyota and they gave me the run around. So I said "screw it." I traded in the junker on a Kia with a great warranty. As a thirty year old I have a lot of cars to buy in my day still to go. Guess what. Toyota will be zero of them. The obviously wont stand behind their shoddy product in what was an obvious design flaw. I wonder what they would do to someone who case isn't so obvious. Any any MTX out. And thanks again for the help.
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Saturday, January 8th, 2011 AT 2:50 AM

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