AIPlateChecker← Check a car

MOT advisory explained

“Suspension arm ball joint has slight play”

Recorded on 979 of the 25,257 cars checked on this site. Every time it was an advisory.

Seen this on a car? Check it free

Every MOT test, every advisory, the mileage record and a condition score, in seconds. No sign-up.

Buying it? The full history report adds finance, write-off, stolen and keeper checks.

Cars with it
979
of 25,257 checked
Share of cars
3.9%
at least once
Recorded as
Advisory
100% of 1,252 visits
Back next time
15%
of 988 follow-up visits

What it means

A ball joint lets a suspension arm move with the wheel. The tester levers the joint to check for movement. This note means a small amount of play was found, less than the amount that fails.

It is an advisory, which does not fail the car by itself. A joint that is excessively worn is recorded as a major defect.

How it shows up in the records

Advisory 100%
15% came back
The same entry, on the same part of the car, was recorded again at the next test in 15% of cases.
64,718 miles
Median recorded mileage when it first appeared, on cars a median of 7 years old. From the 248 cars whose whole MOT history is recent enough to compare.

Share of cars with this entry, by year of manufacture

1.7%1971–733.7%1980–820.8%1983–852.2%1986–883.0%1989–912.9%1992–942.3%1995–974.3%1998–005.8%2001–036.9%2004–068.4%2007–097.7%2010–125.3%2013–152.7%2016–181.4%2019–210.3%2022–24

Models where it is recorded most

ModelCars with itShareSame-age cars
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter21 of 7727%3.3%
Mercedes-Benz E-class22 of 9723%3.9%
Ford KA13 of 6520%5.6%
Nissan Juke34 of 20217%3.3%
Renault Clio21 of 12417%4.4%
Vauxhall Vivaro12 of 8215%3.0%
Mercedes-Benz C-class26 of 16216%4.8%
Ford Fiesta71 of 48715%5.0%

Models with 20 or more cars checked here. “Same-age cars” is the share among all checked cars built in the same years, so an older model is compared with older cars.

What to check before you buy

  • On a test drive over a rough road, listen for a knock or clunk from the corner named in the record.
  • With the car safely raised, a garage can lever the joint and show you the movement.
  • Ask whether the joint or the arm has been replaced since the test, and for the invoice.
  • Read the later MOT tests to see whether the note came back or became a failure.

Cars checked here with this entry

Other suspension entries explained

Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movementCoil spring fractured or brokenShock absorbers has light misting of oilCoil spring corrodedSuspension arm ball joint excessively wornAnti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirtAnti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight playShock absorbers has a serious fluid leakSuspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated

Checking a car with this on its MOT?

Repair costs depend on the car, so this page does not quote one. Enter the plate and the free report estimates them for that car, alongside every test and advisory on its record.

Check a car’s MOT history

Counts are of cars checked on this site, from official public records. Updated 22 Sept 2026 · figures as of 4 Oct 2026. All MOT entries explained.