Why does my Lexus LS 460 clunk over bumps in the front?

Short answer: On the LS 460, a clunk or knock from the front over bumps, especially while turning, is very often worn front control arm bushings. The front suspension has eight arms, and their rubber bushings crack and go soft with age. Lexus specialists can charge a lot. ClubLexus owners got all eight replaced with aftermarket arms at an independent shop for well under the specialist quotes. If the clunk is still there after new arms, check the tie rods.

Symptom: A clunk or knock over bumps, first when turning and later going straight, steering that feels loose or wanders, or uneven tire wear on the front.

What to check first

1. Note when it clunks. Owners said it usually starts when turning over bumps and gets worse until it clunks going straight too.
2. Have a shop do a pry-bar check on each arm's bushings with the car on a lift. Cracked rubber or extra movement means it's worn.
3. Check the tie rods and sway bar links too. One owner still had a clunk after replacing all 8 arms, and it turned out to be the tie rods.
4. Look at the front tires for wear on the inside or outside edge.
5. Get an alignment after any arm replacement.

Likely causes

1. Worn front control arm bushings. The most common cause. Many owners replace all 8 arms at once.
2. Worn tie rods or sway bar links. These can clunk too and are cheaper to fix.
3. Worn upper control arm bushings only. Some owners press new bushings into the original arms.

What it usually costs

On ClubLexus, one owner bought all 8 arms on eBay for about $510, plus $100 for sway bar links, $620 labor and a $140 dealer alignment, for $1,370 total. Another had the lower arms done for under $800 ($414.50 for parts, $350 labor) after Lexus specialist shops quoted $1,600–2,300. Another paid $280 for bushings and $350 to have them pressed into the original arms.

Is it safe to keep driving?

Usually yes for a while, but worn bushings get worse and affect steering and braking. If the steering feels loose or the car pulls hard, get it checked soon. Verify with a mechanic.

DIY or shop?

Shop for most people. It's doable for an experienced DIYer with good tools, but an alignment is needed afterward.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• No recall: this is normal wear on a heavy car, not a safety recall.
• NHTSA complaints: 35 keyword-matched complaints for Lexus LS 460 2007–2012 (of 349 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-20; keywords: control arm, bushing, clunk, knock, suspension, steering wobble, vibrat) (NHTSA returned no complaint data for 16 model-year queries).

What owners report

• In My Lexus LS460 control arms problem - fixed for $1,115 including labor (page 2) on ClubLexus, a 2009 owner listed his costs to replace all 8 front arms: about $510 for eBay arms, $100 for links, $620 labor and $140 for a dealer alignment. Another owner did the lower arms for under $800 after specialist quotes of $1,600–2,300, and another pressed new bushings into the original arms for about $630.
• In Control Arms Opinion on ClubLexus, an AWD owner on bad roads said he replaced the lower forward arms and upper bushings about every 15,000 miles. Owners described the clunk starting on bumps while turning, then showing up going straight, and explained how to check the bushings with a pry bar.

My take

My advice as a former pre-purchase inspector: on an LS I drive slowly over a speed bump with the wheel turned. A front clunk there is almost always arms, and it's a fair price cut on a used car.

Vehicle focus: 2007–2012 Lexus LS 460 and LS 460 L (RWD and AWD).

Safety / mechanic note

Worn suspension parts can affect steering and braking. Verify with a mechanic.