As fastening parts, ball studs are used in vehicle axle systems in automotive industry. Structural integrity and strength of these axial and lateral load carrier fasteners are crucial. Due to these requirements, ball studs are produced using cold forging method which ensures more reliable strength to the parts in contrast to other manufacturing methods. Cold forging operations are conducted at room temperature and this leads to increase material’s tendency to cracking due to decreased ductility which is higher in warm and hot forging operations. As a result of that, mechanical variables should be optimized with the correct design of tools and dies as well as tribological conditions like friction and lubrication in forging. In this study, crack evolution beneath the O12x60.5 ball stud sphere was investigated. Damaged specimens were examined using an optical microscope to determine crack propagation and the possibility of material depended crack formation was revealed. Numerical analysis of cold forging operation was also conducted and simulation models of were prepared in simufact.forming finite element software. Examinations and simulations showed that crack evolution is directly related to forging operation. High strain rate was observed beneath the ball stud sphere in localized manner during forming and this was assumed to lead crack evolution due to shear band formation coupled with high temperature presence.