Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Volkswagen Passat owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The timing chain system is defective and they know it. Why didn't they inform me of this.maybe because they have hands full with the emission cheating scandal. Or if they did them they would be liable for all the complaints before. Please putvoutca recall. This car is dangerous !!!!!
I am the second owner of a 1998 Volkswagen Passat VIN #[redacted], which has a safety recall for the tie rod ends. The local Volkswagen dealer(s) have acknowledged that the front tie rods do need to be replaced, however, they will not honor the safety recall. The reason is that there is no record of factory recommended service checks. I have had the vehicle serviced on a regular basis by a couple of independent mechanics, however, I cannot produce the paper work for the recommended service checks between 35,000 miles and 60,000. I called Volkswagen headquarters and they acknowledged that although it is a safety recall, they will not honor the repair unless I can provide proof of compliance. The symptoms have presented themselves for 3/4 years on an intermittent basis. I am in the process of having my current independent mechanic replace the ball joints.
Steering: control arms. The vehicle was purchased used with approx 34K miles. Service has been maintained by owner and/or independent repair. At approximately 50K owner was notified by independent repair service that both upper control arms needed to be replaced. Owner chose not to do the repair at that time. During 2005 owner received a letter from Volkswagen about a recall on the affected part(s). Two local Volkswagen dealerships acknowledged the part was defective but denied to do the work under the recall notification. Both gave justification that because the owner could not document service checks at the recommended factory intervals the Volkswagen company would not pay for parts or service. Owner called the Volkswagen company directly and a customer service representative verified the policy. Owner has since replaced one control art, however the other side also needs repair.
My 1998 vw Passat has a loud grinding, rumbling sound and vibration coming from the front suspension, sounds like the wheels are going to fall off. The dealer replaced the cross link arms at a cost of approx $300. I also had the tie rods replaced under recall. But noise/vibration still there. Now the dealer tells me it might be bushings on either the upper control arm or the lower control arm, each costing about $1300 to replace. I asked the dealer if this was a normal repair item, they said "sure", your car has 90K miles on it. I find it hard to believe that a well built, safe car would have this type of expensive repair.
Our 1998 Passat has only 50,000 miles on it, and yet all of the expensive front control arms are starting to go bad. They are getting play in the ball joints, which are only replaceable by replacing the whole control arms. Since there are a total of 8 control arms, the cost of repair is potentially very high. And if they are not replaced, the potential for hazard and injury becomes very great if the joints get so sloppy that they affect the handling of the car and eventually come apart. Vw should not be allowed to get away with building such an under-engineered suspension system.
The front of my car constantly groans when I move the steering wheel (while driving or not) and if I apply pressure to the front end. I took the car to my mechanic (not vw) who said that there is something going on with the struts, tie rods, or something in that area. He recommended I talk to vw to see if the item is recalled or covered by warranty in any way. I called vw gave my VIN and it is not part of the current recall regarding tie rods. I bought one of the first 1998 vw passats of the b5 series.
The consumer's vehicle had smoke coming from the steering column. The smoke had an odor of burning oil and smoke combined. The appearance was white. This started one year ago and went away, and now the problem recurred. Took car to dealer in rapid city sd. They said there was an excess of grease on certain parts under the stering wheel / in the stering wheel. This build up of dust would cause smoke and smell.
Consumer disappointed with denial for reimbursement of repairs on 2004 vw-Passat control arm. Recall campaign; NHTSA campaign id number : 99V248000. The consumer made repairs to the vehicle for a defective steering and control mechanisms. The consumer was denied reimbursement because she did not provide proof of the 40,000 mile maintenance.
The tie rod ends were dangerously worn and needed to be replaced at 59,000 miles. The VIN for the vehicle was lower than those included in an earlier recall but the problem appears to be the same. There is no reason for the tie rod ends to wear out that early unless they are defective. This is a safety hazard and appears to result from faulty parts.
The owner received recall notice#99v 248 000/tie rods from the mfr. In September,1999. The work was done in December 1999. Less than 30,000 later the tie rods failed again. The consumer contacted he mfr. Who indicated that they have fulfilled there commitment and there is nothing else they will do.
Related recalls
Steering › Linkages › Rod › Relay › Connecting
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The tie rods of the steering assembly are protected on each side by a seal to prevent moisture and dust particles from entering the swivel bearing mechanism. It is possible that some tie rod seals May not seal properly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tie rods.
Steering complaints in other Passat years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 1998 Volkswagen Passat?
NHTSA has 52 complaints about the steering of the 1998 Volkswagen Passat, 16% of the model year's 331 complaints. The component named most often is linkages › tie rod assembly (24 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Volkswagen Passat steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 99V-248 (connecting, Sep 13, 1999). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Volkswagen Passat steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.