Known APK problem

BMW 5-serie F11: control arms / ball joints

On the BMW 5-serie F11 the APK inspector finds control arms / ball joints problems 6.9× as often as on cars of the same age: at 13–15 years 13.2%, against about 1.9% nationally.

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Worn bushes or ball joints in the suspension.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

Listen for clunks or knocks over speed bumps on the test drive. The car should not wander when braking.

Ask the seller: Have the control arms or ball joints been replaced?

By age

Share of inspected BMW 5-serie F11s with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	5-serie F11	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
9 – 10 years	C	0.8%	0.4 – 1.7%	1.0%	0.8×	949
11 – 12 years	C	1.5%	1.0 – 2.2%	1.3%	1.2×	1,440
13 – 15 years	A	2.8%	2.3 – 3.4%	2.0%	1.4×	3,243
13 – 15 years	B	0.5%	0.3 – 0.8%	1.3%	0.4×	3,243
13 – 15 years	C	13.2%	12.1 – 14.4%	1.9%	6.9×	3,243
16+ years	A	3.4%	1.9 – 5.8%	2.8%	1.2×	357
16+ years	C	15.1%	11.8 – 19.2%	4.3%	3.5×	357

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 13–15 years

Model	Control arms / ball joints	Vs. national
BMW 5-serie F11	13.2%	6.9×
Volvo V50	1.5%	0.8×
Peugeot 508 I	0.8%	0.4×
Mazda Mazda6 (GH)	1.8%	0.9×

Looking at a BMW 5-serie F11? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other BMW 5-serie F11s of the same age.

All weak spots of the BMW 5-serie F11 · Control arms / ball joints: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the BMW 5-serie F11 often have control arms / ball joints problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 13–15 years the inspector found a control arms / ball joints defect on 13.2% of inspected BMW 5-serie F11s, against about 1.9% of all cars of the same age (6.9×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the control arms / ball joints on a used BMW 5-serie F11?

Listen for clunks or knocks over speed bumps on the test drive. The car should not wander when braking.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know