NHTSA complaint: 2004 ACURA TL — SUSPENSION
THE AFTERMARKET ULTRA-POWER K500117 {#51210SEPA01} (ECONOMY) BALL JOINT REPRESENTS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. IT CAN RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE JPG ULTRA-POWER K500117 {#51210SEPA01} (ECONOMY) AFTER FAILURE SHOWS THE LOWER CONTROL BUSHING RIPPED FROM THE LLOWER CONTROL ARM. JPG BECK/ARNLEY 1027932 BUSHING CLOSE-UP IS IDENTICAL DESIGN AS THE ACURA OEM PART. THIS BUSHING IS PRESSED INTO THE CONTROL ARM FROM THE TOP. FROM THE FACTORY, ONCE THE BALL JOINT IS IN PLACE, THE RETAINER NUT HOLDS BOTH THE BALL JOINT AND BUSHING SECURELY IN THE CONTROL ARM. THE FACTORY FLANGED NUT IS LARGER THAN THE BUSHING DIAMETER AS TO ENSURE CONTACT WITH THE CONTROL ARM UNDERSIDE. OBSERVE THE NUT IN .JPG ULTRA-POWER K500117 {#51210SEPA01} (ECONOMY)'S. IT IS A STANDARD LOCK NUT. THE DIAMETER IS TOO SMALL. IT MAKES NO CONTACT WITH THE CONTROL ARM, BUT RATHER SEATS DIRECTLY TO THE BUSHING. THE BUSHING IS ONLY PRESSED IN, AND WILL EVENTUALLY PULL OUT. AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE AFTER FAILURE PICTURE, THERE IS NO WAY THE NUT COULD HOLD THE BALL JOINT AND BUSHING IN PLACE AS ACURA (HONDA) DESIGNED IT TO DO. PLEASE LOOK AT THE NUT OF THE MOOG K500117 AS AN EXAMPLE OF A CORRECTLY DESIGNED BALL JOINT AND NUT, AND HOW THE NUT IS FLANGED. THIS IS THE CORRECT STYLE NUT AS IT WILL MAKE CONTACT WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARM INSTEAD OF ONLY THE PRESSED IN BUSHING. IT CAN BE EASILY SEEN IN THE SECOND PICTURE THAT THE NUT IS CLEARLY SMALLER THAN THE CONTROL ARM BUSHING. ORDER NUMBER 825
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation