1998 Volkswagen Passat Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1998 Volkswagen Passat, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 82,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “control arms” (41% of reports).
- 90suspension complaints
- 82,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 12%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.
- Control arms: mentioned in 37 of 90 complaints (41%)
- Front suspension: mentioned in 15 of 90 complaints (17%)
- Tie rod: mentioned in 11 of 90 complaints (12%)
- Ball joints: mentioned in 5 of 90 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical suspension repair on the 1998 Volkswagen Passat at $1,700, and half of them between $1,450 and $1,850.
Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2005), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 20 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 90 complaints, 1 mention a crash.
Volkswagen Passat suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Passat | 2 | 4% | 13,000 |
| 2017 Passat | 3 | 3% | 24,000 |
| 2016 Passat | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2015 Passat | 16 | 7% | 42,100 |
| 2014 Passat | 6 | 1% | 86,000 |
| 2013 Passat | 13 | 2% | 21,000 |
| 2012 Passat | 1 | 0% | 2,000 |
| 2011 Passat | 1 | 6% | 11 |
| 2010 Passat | 2 | 1% | 64,118 |
| 2009 Passat | 4 | 3% | 42,500 |
| 2007 Passat | 2 | 1% | 14,525 |
| 2006 Passat | 8 | 1% | 7,362 |
| 2005 Passat | 1 | 1% | 33,515 |
| 2004 Passat | 2 | 1% | 76,000 |
| 2003 Passat | 10 | 2% | 39,800 |
| 2002 Passat | 16 | 3% | 53,995 |
| 2001 Passat | 25 | 6% | 52,510 |
| 2000 Passat | 36 | 7% | 60,000 |
| 1999 Passat | 118 | 18% | 62,000 |
| 1998 Passat | 90 | 27% | 82,000 |
| 1995 Passat | 5 | 5% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists suspension for the 1998 Volkswagen Passat. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The lower control arms on my 1998 vw passat are defective and dangerous according to my mechanic. Vw refuses to replace them even though there was a recall for these parts. The reasoning is that: - i brought my car in for the recall at their dealer in 2005 and at the time the parts seemed ok. - at…
Noise from left side control arm of a 1998 vw passat 1.8t. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 volkswagen passat. The contact heard a popping noise while driving 3 mph in reverse. The front end of the vehicle slammed to the ground without warning. The vehicle was towed and a local mechanic replaced the lower right control arm. The contact has the failed component…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Volkswagen Passats have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 90 owner complaints about suspension for the 1998 Volkswagen Passat (27% 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 suspension?
No recall currently lists suspension for this vehicle.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 82,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix suspension problems on the 1998 Volkswagen Passat?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,700 (half paid between $1,450 and $1,850), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1998 Volkswagen Passat?
The most frequent phrase is “control arms”, in 37 of 90 complaints, followed by “front suspension” (15).
Other 1998 Volkswagen Passat problems
See all 1998 Volkswagen Passat problems or suspension problems across all Passat years.