I was told my sway bar link pins are broke in my 2003 impala. Can anyone give me an explanation of what that means in terms that someone with little automotive understanding will be able to grasp and what something like that might cost to repair.
Front or Rear?
Front- The wheels are held in place by control arms (a-arms) which can hinge up or down as the car’s body moves up and down in relation to the wheels. A stabilizer bar (sway bar or anti-roll bar) runs across the front of the vehicle and attaches to the R&L control arms. This keeps the car from leaning too much in turns.
There’s a short link (link pin) that attaches the stabilizer bar to each control arm. It’s got rubber isolators or bushings to keep it from rattling. That’s probably what has gone bad on your car.
It is not a major job to replace these and the parts shouldn’t be very expensive. I’d see if there is a kit available.
CSA
The place I am having the rack and pinion replaced priced it out at $49 per each one, so $100 to resolve that issue also. doing the work myself isn’t an option.
Rear-
Similar to the front links, but a little longer, still utilizing rubber isolators which can wear out. The rear links connect the rear stabilizer bar (sway bar or anti-roll bar) to the R&L shock struts, rather than control arms. The function is the same.
Again, no major repair, and I’d see about a kit. The isolators may not be available separately, but may be a part of whole new links, R&L.
CSA
@brm7675
What is wrong with the car? Is it rattling?
CSA
Outside of the steering issue with the R&P there is nothing else I can tell, there is no vibration in the steering, no sounds or rattling outside of the gurgle sound I hear when I turn left. I can let go of the wheel and the car drives straight as can be.
@brm7675
So, It’s The Front Links?
I Just Read The Discussion On The Rack And Pinion.
I have owned an 01 Impala LS 3.8L for many years, now at almost 300,000 miles. These were good great cars and worth hanging onto. That body style Impala hasn’t been made for 11 years, but there’s lots and lots of them on the road!
I have 3 GM cars with the 3.8L.
Can you just ask the shop what the links would add to the repair cost?
I’d get it done at the same time. Chalk those up to the pot holes, too.
CSA
I plan on getting it all done a week from Friday if my tax return gets in which is covering most of the cost, just wasn’t sure what these things did and if $100 to replace both front ones was a fair price, thanks for the info…
@brm7675
"I plan on getting it all done a week from Friday if my tax return gets in which is covering most of the cost, just wasn’t sure what these things did and if $100 to replace both front ones was a fair price, thanks for the info…"
I DIY just about everything, and I don’t know what parts cost for those links, but $100 (if it’s parts and labor) for the front, seems reasonable.
CSA
I struggle putting gas in my car, DIY is not my cup of tea, I always believe in allowing those with the skill do the work and I will feel safer.
brm7675
"I struggle putting gas in my car, DIY is not my cup of tea, I always believe in allowing those with the skill do the work and I will feel safer."
I hear you. I basically taught myself car repair over the years and built up a good selection of the tools necessary.
My 21 year-old daughter came home from college this past week-end. She’s got our 09 Impala. She was due for an oil change and rear brakes.
We did the oil change with Mobil-1 EP synthetic oil, AC oil filter, rear brake rotors, high quality ceramic brake pads, and set the tire pressure to the correct pressure.
It never quite got up to 32 degrees here Friday, but it was sunny and we had a good father/daughter time in the driveway and she learned more about car repair and maintenance and how driving a car is not free.
Total cost for a synthetic oil/filter change and rear brake job?
Just under $87 total, parts and our “free” labor.
By the way, it was done right (probably better than a pro who’s working to get it done and on to the next job) and thee car is quite safe. 
CSA
Without reading all the responses first, on my GMs there are just long bolts with rubber bushings. They rust off and break and you get a creaking noise on bumps or turns generally. They aren’t that hard but can have problems getting the old rusted ones out and need to be cut off. Also I’ve had problems getting the nuts on the new ones started and have to somehow compress the sway bar enough to get the nuts started. Then its just a matter of tightening them down. The parts themselves are about $20 so the price doesn’t seem bad for the hassle.
That sounds about right. It makes me wonder why I haven’t had this problem on my high miles 01 Impala. I’ll have to crawl under and have a peak, as soon as the ice melts off the driveway :neutral:
Ice in April… Global warming
CSA
brm7675 ;
sway bar links will not affect steering or driving, they are not relative to alignment.
the long bar going side-to-side that was initially mentioned - controls . . as its name suggests . . ‘‘sway’’.
This may not be much of an immediate concern depending on your driving style but most noticable during sway conditions such as navigating driveway aprons at an angle and turning quickly .
The more extreme handling danger arises when needing maximum control if swerving to maneuver.
If you hear nothing driving , this is normal . You might hear something when cornering ( even in to a parking space ) or bouncing up a driveway apron, or feel less in control doing so like it wobbles too much to one side.
Not such a big deal for the day to day . .BUT . . if both give out ( bushings dry out, rust invades the end threads. ask your tech to show you ) , the sway bar could drop to thr ground and, due to its arced shape , the ends of the bar could catch in any raodway space, crack or seam.