I have a Honda civic 2001. The car was shaking little bit at lower speeds, seemed like rocking from side to side. At higher speeds it seemed to be fine. May be just higher road noise. When I went in for oil change/checkup at a shop I was told that lower control arm bushing was cracking and need to be replaced. I went into get the bushings changed. After the work was done, when I drove off parking lot off the shop, I heard a pop and went back into the shop and they said that ball joint had broken. Do you think it was related to the work that was done. Shop owner says that it was just bad luck that ball joint broke right after lower control arm bushing was done. Is this plausible?

 

Ball joints don't just break, they must be badly worn and really loose first. They should have noticed that on taking it apart.

If the joint didn't fall apart at the ball part, but instead the shank broke between the tapered part and the threads, that's because someone overtightened the nut. Badly.

 

Thanks for the info. The shop took care of it/ they paid to replace the ball joint.