My service information doesn't cover that model in the U.S., and I couldn't find any other models that use a greaseable upper ball joint, so I can only give you generic advice pertinent to all car and truck models.
Except for a very few rare cases, upper ball joints are not the "load-carrying" joints, meaning none of the vehicle's weight is supported by it. All the weight is transferred through the lower ball joint. The upper one just holds the spindle / wheel in position. As such, there's little stress on it. Unless something special is spelled out in the owner's manual, any type of axle grease will work. The goal is to only add enough to see the boot start to fill out. The boot will have a relief hole for excess grease to squirt out, but getting it to do that is not what we're after. As long as that boot isn't ripped or dry-rotted, grease shouldn't be leaking out. One or two pumps on a hand-held grease gun is enough.
Often ball joint housings, especially the non-load-carrying ones, have nylon inserts to help cushion road shock. Suspension system grease will be formulated to not melt that nylon. If you aren't sure of the grease you have, the best place to get the right information is from the dealer's parts department. If there is a special precaution, they will know about, along with their mechanics. If they look at you with confusion, your concerns are not something they have run into, so you can rest assured that whatever you use will be fine.
How often you grease the joints will also be spelled out in the owner's manual. Most mechanics do it with every oil change. Some manufacturers recommend as much as every 30,000 miles. If a boot is torn or leaking, I would give it a little extra to expand the boot more, to keep water and dirt from getting in. In cases like that it is somewhat common to see the boot expand as you pump the grease in, and you'll often see the drops of water squeezing out.
The only time you WANT to see old grease being forced out is when the boot is damaged and could be letting dirt and water in. Other than that, the grease in a ball joint doesn't get hot, and it doesn't have any additives that wear out over time such as happens with antifreeze and engine oil. For maintenance, you only care that the housing is kept full, and the boot can squeeze grease back around the ball as it rotates.
Oct 5, 2026 at 6:37 PM
