> In January of this year I purchased a 2001 Honda Accord, 60k miles. > Before I bought it I had a mechanic look at the car, and he determined > that the "Front Left Ball Bearing" needed to be replaced, along with 2 > tires. > So the dealer agreed to make the fixes before I drove it home. They > replaced the Bearing, and put 2 new tires on the car. No such thing as "Left Front Ball Bearing". Perhaps you mean "Left Front WHEEL Bearing".
> Now its the end of March and all has been fine up to this point. > Saturday I started noticing that the car had a squeaking sound coming [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > sound is coming from bad Upper and Lower Ball Joints in the front and > it needs to be replaced. Squeaky lower ball joints are common.
> My questions are: > --> Do you think this assessment is accurate giving the sounds I was > hearing? Online I read people usually hear clunking sounds, and have > trouble steering. I had none of that. It drives great, just the > squeaking is getting louder and more consistant, on highways too. What you're reading online is wrong. Squeaking can be a SEIZING balljoint. Clunking has little to do with Honda balljoints. You CAN get clunking from stabilizer bar link balljoints, such as those on many Toyotas.
Power steering boost will mask a seizing balljoint, and all you'll get is the noise and no increased steering wheel effort.
Even a loose balljoint can be completely missed by most owners, as they'll have got used to the vagueness of the steering. Keep in mind that a car with rack-and-pinion steering and worn balljoints will track better than a older car with perfect balljoints and a steering box.
> --> Does it seem weird that the car was in fine shape when I bought it, > and just 2 months later the ball bearing is this bad? They told me [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > --> Do you think this is related at all to the Ball Joints I had > replaced, or the new tires? Different from all of that. Coincidence. This is what warranties are for. Guess that dealer's sorry he picked up this particular vehicle.
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The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
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