1998 Volkswagen Passat Steering Problems
Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 1998 Volkswagen Passat, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 58,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “tie rod” (31% of reports).
- 52steering complaints
- 58,500median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Tie rod: mentioned in 16 of 52 complaints (31%)
- Control arms: mentioned in 7 of 52 complaints (13%)
- Power steering fluid: mentioned in 5 of 52 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 16 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 52 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Volkswagen Passat steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Passat | 2 | 15% | — |
| 2021 Passat | 2 | 11% | — |
| 2020 Passat | 2 | 11% | — |
| 2019 Passat | 1 | 8% | 2,000 |
| 2018 Passat | 2 | 4% | 46,000 |
| 2017 Passat | 16 | 15% | 33,750 |
| 2016 Passat | 19 | 18% | 41,500 |
| 2015 Passat | 26 | 11% | 47,773 |
| 2014 Passat | 44 | 7% | 40,000 |
| 2013 Passat | 51 | 7% | 61,125 |
| 2012 Passat | 46 | 10% | 68,000 |
| 2011 Passat | 2 | 13% | 51,885 |
| 2010 Passat | 13 | 8% | 81,700 |
| 2009 Passat | 20 | 14% | 59,000 |
| 2008 Passat | 12 | 7% | 82,556 |
| 2007 Passat | 15 | 6% | 63,000 |
| 2006 Passat | 112 | 19% | 63,250 |
| 2005 Passat | 2 | 1% | 142,000 |
| 2004 Passat | 2 | 1% | 96,000 |
| 2003 Passat | 10 | 2% | 21,269 |
| 2002 Passat | 1 | 0% | 26,786 |
| 2001 Passat | 13 | 3% | 59,100 |
| 2000 Passat | 25 | 5% | 51,000 |
| 1999 Passat | 76 | 11% | 64,004 |
| 1998 Passat | 52 | 16% | 58,500 |
| 1995 Passat | 4 | 4% | 110,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
Problem: 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.
Risk: If moisture and/or dust particles enter the swivel bearing mechanism, the swivel bearing could wear over time diminishing the steering control of the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will replace the tie rods.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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 !!!!!
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…
I am the second owner of a 1998 volkswagen passat vin #[xxx], 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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Volkswagen Passats have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 52 owner complaints about steering for the 1998 Volkswagen Passat (16% of the 331 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Volkswagen Passat steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 58,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 1998 Volkswagen Passat?
The most frequent phrase is “tie rod”, in 16 of 52 complaints, followed by “control arms” (7).
Other 1998 Volkswagen Passat problems
See all 1998 Volkswagen Passat problems or steering problems across all Passat years.