BMW cars and SUVs are widely praised as having some of the best handling and steering dynamics of any vehicle in the world. So how come you never hear about the BMW ball joint or BMW tie rod? After all, the BMW tie rod is responsible for transmitting the steering rack motion to the front wheels, creating that stellar steering feel. The BMW ball joint holds the top of the steering knuckle to the A-arm, preventing undue motion in turns and hard cornering. Yet the first time you hear about your BMW tie rod or BMW ball joint is probably going to be while your car is up on a rack at a front end shop or dealership. The symptoms of a bad BMW ball joint or bad BMW tie rod can be caused by a lot of different components, but since the BMW ball joint and BMW tie rod take the brunt of the forces in your front end, they're often the first components to wear out. Things like excess play in the steering wheel, skittish handling, and odd metallic clunking sounds from the wheelwells are signs that the BMW tie rod and BMW ball joint may be on their way out. Lubrication may help: If you haven't serviced your car in a while and you have the type of BMW ball joint and BMW tie rod that can be greased, you could just need a good chassis lube. That probably won't be the case on a newer vehicle, though: Most modern BMW tie rod and BMW ball joint setups are what's called 'permanently lubricated,' and there's no provision for additional greasing once the car leaves the factory. Either way, you need to get any kind of strange behavior in your BMW front end checked out. If a BMW ball joint or BMW tie rod gives out you could lose all steering ability, and that's just no fun.