Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 400101 | 05/31/2001 | 621617 | A condition may exist with noise from the front suspension. *tt | 09/27/2001 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||||
| VM | 12/01/2004 | VM | 10011593 | Check/replace front suspension lower control arms. *tc this supercedes the vm service action dated november 2004. *tt | 01/27/2005 |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 12/01/2004 | 2 | ||
| Recall campaign 00414000 dealer notice too much play in upper control arms and tie rods. *bf recall campaign# 99v248000. the consumer was told that the vin was outside of the vin range. the second issue was with the output stage control module which was replaced due to the vehicle losing power and shuddering. *sc | |||
| 04/18/2005 | 75200 | 2 | 04/19/2001 |
| I am having the known issue with the upper and lower control arms on my vw passat. volkswagen so far will only cover the lower control arms if they fail or appear damaged. many other people are having problems with the upper control arms that are not covered. the steering tie rod ends also need to be replaced. these tie rod ends appear to be failing at a very high rate in vw passats. i am having this replaced at a very high cost. volkswagens must be too expensive to maintain. it was my mistake was taking this issue to a vw dealership. i assumed vw would be able to work with me. *nm | |||
| 09/20/2004 | 64500 | 04/15/2004 | |
| The event that led up to the issue, was traveling on the interstate when the car began to shake violently and the car began to completely sway to one side. the car almost seemed as if it lost its alignment immediately. i brought it to a repair shop and they immediately informed me that the control arm on the upper right side was shot. i had to then take a used car that was purchased less than six months old to the dealer to replace the part at a price of 1100 dollars. *nm | |||
| 09/08/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving at any speed steering wheel vibrated and shook. *ak | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 70567 | 1 | 08/02/2002 |
| Purchased my 1999 vw passat 1.8t wagon in august, 2002. it had apprx. 53,000 miles on it. by september, 2003, there was a significant squeaking, creaking, groaning noise coming from the front end. at that time, car had approximately. 75k miles. diagnosis was front end suspension parts including control arms, ball joints, bushings were dangerously worn and in need of replacement. vw dealership provided me with a copy of technical service bulletin issued by volkswagen of america dated may 31, 2001. it calls for installation of parts in repair kit no 3bo498 798a. because of existence of the tech service bulletin for this problem, my extended warranty company (wynn's warranties) refuses to pay for repairs. repairs still needed to tune of $1100. front end is now so loose for safety reasons i will have to make repairs immediately at my own expense. *jb | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 85000 | ||
| Electrical problems from the start, melting of plastic, lights in the car working sporadically at best. oil, drain, oil pump, camshaft,all blamed on lack of verifiable oil changes. timing belt - let go on highway at 85000 miles (warranty for 1999 passat, 100,000 miles) blamed on oil changes. 82 days in shop steering goes during this time and i'm told i need an altenator [ 3rd one ] the story goes on and on...... | |||
| 05/31/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving at 65mph suddenly vehicle start shaking/ lost power, never went over 40mph. *ak | |||
| 10/01/1999 | 1 | 01/18/1999 | |
| Suspension system causes knocks in steering column. this affects consumers ability to properly control vehicle. consumer had tire rods changed, and problem still exists. *ak *yh | |||
| 02/25/2002 | |||
| While driving a grinding sound would come from front wheels whenever vehicle ran over a slight bumps or potholes. dealer and manufacturer were not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further information concerning this matter.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 09/15/2008 | 90000 | 1 | |
| I own a 1999 volkswagen passat in which the control arms, tie rod ends, ball joints, and bushings are failing. based on some internet research, this is a common failure for similar makes, models, and years. the problem occurs every day, and if left unattended, results in safety problems at higher speeds. parts will be replaced in the near future and old parts will be retained, if it is feasible. *tr | |||
| 04/15/2008 | 87000 | 1 | |
| On my vehicle, the passenger front lower control arm is failing at the ball joint. there are loud screeches at low speeds when passing over bumps coming from the ball joint evidencing the inappropriate wear. this was addressed and replaced according to service bulletin vm with volkswagen in early 2005, but the part is wearing improperly again. failure of this part could cause loss of steering and could be fatal at highway speeds. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2007 | 89000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact's son owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. while driving at an unknown speed, the contact's son heard metal rubbing near the front end of the vehicle. the contact stated that the front suspension was loose. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they replaced the upper and lower links. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 94,490 and failure mileage was 89,000. | |||
| 06/06/2005 | 68440 | 1 | 12/11/2002 |
| I own a 1999 vw passat wagon. there have been some recalls about the front end. i did have it checked at least twice by my dealer who said everything was ok. as i was nearing my home today at about 25 mph the right front wheel suddenly collapsed upward into the wheel well and the car started skidding on the right side of the frame off to the right side of the road. because i was going rather slow i was able to correct it and stop it before it went off the road. if i had been going 65-70 next to other cars on the interstate or even 40 on a two lane around town i'm sure things would not have been quite so benign and we (my family and i) may all have been injured or worse! when the wrecker lifted it the driver and i both looked at the a arm and the ends were cracked or sheared off. i did not hit anything before it happened, and did not hit anything while i have had the car. even if i had it would seem that the inspection by the dealer should have found it. this seems like a manufacturerer problem and it is way too serious to say they weren't responsible. there could easily have been a death connected with the front wheel collapsing when you consider lost of control at highway speeds! | |||
| 03/30/2005 | 98650 | 1 | 02/16/2002 |
| Normal use of '99 vw passat with an odometer reading of 99,650 lead to the failure of ront contorl arms and tie rod ends. replacement control arm set with tie rods retails for $1,700. purchased a set for $495 and an additional $198.75 in labor. *ak | |||
| 11/16/2004 | 45000 | 1 | 05/07/1999 |
| Front suspension creaks constantly while driving car. this appears to be common complaint by other owners, but volkswagen (vw) unwilling to admit that parts are wearing too soon. creaking started at about 45,000 miles. from other postings it appears that this will cost me at least $1,000 to repair. i am afraid to take car the vw for repairs, because of high cost. i hope this problem is not dangerous.*ak | |||
| 02/05/2004 | 30 | 5 | 03/06/1999 |
| The 1999 passat has had a number of problems from excessive oil consumption, electrical problems,water pump defects, front end assembly and transmission problems. (nar) *ph *cb | |||
| 07/18/2003 | 73257 | 1 | 03/13/1999 |
| The front end is creaky. there is considerable noise, usually when turning. i suspect that the bushings in the multi-link front suspension are worn. i received an estimate from the dealer on 7/18/2003 of $1020 to fix it. i chose not to fix it at that time. over the past year i have heard numerous stories of passat and audi a4s that have this same problem so i want to add another complaint to the file. *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| Recall letter for replacement of tie rods on 1999 volkswagen passat. *mr the front end of the vehicle squeaked. the technician found lower and upper control arm damage, the control arm boots were torn open with no lubrication which caused the squeak noise. there was also a cam shaft tensioner gasket leak which was removed and replaced. *scc. the consumer took the vehicle to have the rods replaced after receiving the recall, however, the dealer called the consumer back and informed him, the vehicle had been inspected and it was not necessary for the work to be done, even though the recall letter stated it they would be replaced to prevent future problems. *jb | |||
| 05/09/2002 | 06/01/2001 | ||
| Front end knocking started at 35,000 worse when turning. brought to dealer front right and left lower control arms needed to be replaced not certain of saftey risk if problem left unfixed. dt | |||
| 03/01/2002 | 1 | 02/01/2099 | |
| Bushing failure on all 4 front lower control arms. these bushings gradually became loose and began squeaking, accompanied by clunking over low-speed bumps. this is a common problem on these cars. vw has refused to officially acknowledge the defect and do a recall, even though they are paying for part of the costs for some people's repairs and they have redesigned the bushings in question. furthermore, the relatively inexpensive bushings can be replaced without replacing the entire control arm, but dealerships refuse to do that, instead to force most customers to pay for the much more expensive control arm assembly. these bushing failures pose a danger if they fail severely enough. the only reason they aren't causing wrecks is that the failure is gradual and most owners replace them before the bushings get too bad. but this is still a safety issue and the repair is hardly optional. dt | |||
| 08/01/2001 | 2 | 09/01/2099 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 06/13/2002 | 05/01/2099 | ||
| Sypmtoms are creaking, groaning from front suspension | |||
| 04/10/2002 | 1 | 08/01/2098 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 05/06/2002 | 1 | 10/01/2098 | |
| Have contacted vw customer service and requested for coverage since this is quite a common problem on passat. however, vw refused to cover, not even half the cost! other passat owners have at least got all parts covered by vw! the total cost sum up with up to $1000. the main problem happening is basically i heard consistent clunking noise when turning under low speed, going over a bump, and occasional braking. according to what i have heard, this is called the lower control arm failure and there's a bulletin in vw that this is recognized as a problem and service providers are infomed to install particular components to fix the problem. i think this is quite a critical part for the car as we don't want the car to lose control expecially turning. and the most thing that pissed me off is that vwoa refused to cover some costs! i know at least an owner got it all covered by contacting vwoa! the first noticing of the noise was at around 40000 miles but sunnyvale vw referred that this is a noise coming out from the engine pump which is leaking at that time. noise of course didn't resolve and i didn't even bother to ask as they can't detect it. hopefully, i can get some help from nhtsa. thanks | |||
| 04/04/2002 | 1 | 06/01/2099 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 04/04/2002 | 01/01/2001 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 09/01/1999 | 05/01/1999 | ||
| Very common problem. suggest investigation/recall.no safety defect listed. *ak | |||
| 12/15/2000 | 3 | 03/01/1999 | |
| 07/21/01 scheduled service for clunking/rattling noise in front suspension over small road imperfections and secondly tie rod recall. mechanic replaced tie rods, but same clunking/rattling noise occurs upon departure. dealer ordered sway bar links, replaced on second visit. rattling noise stops, but shortly after repair, sharper clunking resurfaces, turns into also scraping/squeaking noise on sharp turns left with time. website and independent research indicates many instances of identical symptoms in same model of car leading to possible wheel detachment in extreme circumstances. other dealers indicate tsbs issued, but no remedy for repair cost on this relatively late model car. ball joints only come with kit priced at approximately $600 from dealer. after reading numerous website posts, i've become very concerned on safety of car as clunking/knocking/squeaking/scraping noises have grown louder with my vehicle. i'd feel very uncomfortable keeping/selling this car without the problem remedied. i strongly support a vw or at worst case nhtsa initiated recall on this apparent design defect to prevent recurring problems.*ak | |||
| 10/21/2000 | 09/01/1999 | ||
| Suspension clunking noise - taken to dealer 5+ times, no resolution. *ak | |||
| 11/01/1998 | |||
| Car had been recalled for repairing defective tie rod - once fixed the entire front end and tires have gone bad and the dealer estiimates $ 1500 for repairing tires. manufacturer is adamant and obnoxious and thinks that this is normal wear and tear based on telephone conversation. at 38,000 miles front end failure needs to be investigated. | |||
| 08/01/2001 | 2 | 09/01/1998 | |
| I have knowledge of these parts failing on at least 100 vw passats 1998-2001. i'm sure there are more. there should definitely be a recall or redesign parts made and substituted.*ak | |||
| 06/01/2001 | 1 | 03/01/1999 | |
| Known issue with vwoa, also happens on audi a4/a6. vw refuses to repair problem, but they have a repair kit for the caontrol arms, bushings and ball-joints | |||
| 07/10/2001 | 2 | 09/01/1998 | |
| Being a member of a vw passat forum, i know many other owners with the same failure. no safety defect. *ak | |||
| 06/05/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer went to the dealership due to steering/suspension alignment problems, the dealership performed recall service without proper authorization which cost the consumer additional money and repair work, consumer is very unsatisfied with the performance of the dealership while repairing vehicle and request assistance. *mjs | |||
| 04/11/2001 | |||
| When coming down a hill or stopping hard sounds like front of car is going to collapse.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Steering pulls to the right and always has, mostly during braking, the rotors need to be replaced while the front brakes are at 20%, steering problems possibly due to the faulty rotors. *slc | |||
| 07/01/1999 | 1 | 03/01/1999 | |
| While attempting to make a 180-degree turn, coming from a parked position on the street, the front left wheel disconnected from the car and hung at a 90-degree angle. this car is dangersou when super-extending the suspension system because a hollow knuckle is used in the suspension system. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM | |||
| 12/07/2007 | 60023 | 2 | 09/07/2005 |
| Tie rod ends excessive wear. required replacement prior to issuance of nys inspection @60k in 07. tie rods previously replaced by dealer under recall in 2001@ 19k. different recall in 05 @ 50k for inspection/replacement of control arms resulted in inspection only. dealer did not find excessive wear of control arms or tie rod ends. i doubt dealers integrity or that the service tech was aware of previous tie rod replacement. obviously the acceptable wear would be greater had the parts been in service longer. defective control arms lead to excessive wear of the steering linkages and ball joints. the vehicle has very low mileage for its age and has been used less than 6k a year since purchase in 05. cost for the replacement was $150 parts (moog tie rod ends), $90 labor, $75 for the required alignment and nys tax = ~$330. this is safety concern and excessive wear for a part that should have at least a 60k life expectancy. it would be normal for a vehicle to travel 20k between inspections. for the dealer to ok at 50k and an independent inspection facility to condemn at 60k is suspicious. the parts were visibly worn and defective by personal inspection. *tr | |||
| 11/26/2007 | 88010 | 2 | 05/12/2003 |
| Control arms making noise.. needs replacement..wv manufacturing defect... most such vehicle has the problem and its a safety issue. wv need to do a recall in this. *tr | |||
| 01/03/2007 | 75959 | 2 | 09/15/1999 |
| Front upper control arms and outer tie rods had to be replaced for the second time. first time at 55,552 miles and second time at 75,959 miles. that's only 20,407 miles difference for the $1200.00 repair to be done again. absurd. called the vw customer care and they refuse to reimburse in any way stating the 2 year warranty expired. this defect would never fall within the warranty period so they have no excuse. i already absorbed the cost for the 1st repair so in all fairness they should cover the 2nd time. this is a very common problem with vw's. i'm not going to pay $1200 every 20,000 to have my car repaired. i will go legal and forward this complaint to consumer reports, the bbb, and the attorney general. *jb | |||
| 06/12/2006 | 74200 | 1 | 05/14/1999 |
| I have a 1999 vw passat v6 gls. i have 74, 270 miles on the car. my abs and brake light came on about 1 1/2 weeks ago, then my check engine light came on, then my abs/ brake and oil pressure light came on and were flashing. i brought it to vw dealer today, and was told my abs module needed replacement for $975.00. i went online and found at vwvortex.com that quite a few people had similar problems with their passat in my year range. i don't feel that i should be charged for a defective part that is jeopardizing my safety. in addition, i received a recall in 11/04 for vehicle control arms. i brought my car to vw dealer on 12/17/04, and was told that my control arms did not need to be replaced. at that time i had 61, 923 miles on the car. today, i am told only 12,000 miles later that my control arms need to be replaced at my own expense because the recall is closed. i don't feel that i should be charged for this part either, the defective part should have been replaced in 12/04 before it could pose a hazard to my safety. *jb | |||
| 01/20/2006 | 1 | 11/24/2001 | |
| Front lower control arms needed to be replaced. have been making a lot of noise for some time now. was told it wasnt a safety concern yet, just annoying because of the noise. called vw and was told they could do nothing even though they have documented many issues with the control arms and tie rods. *nm | |||
| 06/15/2005 | 69824 | 2 | 09/19/1999 |
| This is the 2nd time i have had the front control arms go bad on my vehicle. if the control arms aren't replaced, it can cause failure of the front suspension and steering mechanisms. both the front and back control arms were replaced and i do have the old parts. *jb | |||
| 03/30/2005 | 98650 | 1 | 02/16/2002 |
| Normal use of '99 vw passat with an odometer reading of 99,650 lead to the failure of ront contorl arms and tie rod ends. replacement control arm set with tie rods retails for $1,700. purchased a set for $495 and an additional $198.75 in labor. *ak | |||
| 04/01/2004 | 3 | ||
| The control arms, tie rod, and one cv boot failed. the consumer received recall notice for 1999 vw passat after repairs were done. *bf the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc the consumer claim for reimbursement was denied. the manufacturer stated the consumer did not have the necessary maintenance performed when required. *jb | |||
| 12/09/2004 | 74000 | 1 | |
| All 8 control arms were replaced between 70000 and 74000 mile. *ak. | |||
| 10/08/2004 | 79000 | 2 | 05/01/1999 |
| I own a 1999 vw passat v6. i had noticed that noises were coming from the front suspension, and recently steering felt a little funny. i took the car to an independent auto shop to have it checked and for the state inspection, and i was informed that the front upper control arms had deteriorated to the point of making driving the car quite dangerous. i had them both replaced at a steep cost. i checked online and found several complaints regarding to this issue. i called vwoa to inquire whether they would be willing to pay for the repairs, but they declined. control arms are not supposed to fail easily, certainly not have joints blown up as in my case. almost all of my miles are highway miles, and i haven't been hitting potholes or drive off-road for the problem to be attributed to normal wear and tear. i am surprised nhtsa hasn't investigated the issue or order a recall, since this is such a common problem in passats, the number of complaints so high, and a failure compromises road safety significantly (failure of the control arms can cause loss of steering and lead to crash or even death). *nm | |||
| 07/26/2004 | 60000 | 4 | 07/06/1998 |
| A grinding noise was heard when driving 5-30 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the consumer that the control arm bushing needed to be replaced. *ak the grinding noise was first noticed 1 year prior to repair. the noise was extremely loud when the vehicle at low speeds, there was a squeaking noise in the front suspension, and the vehicle needed front and rear pads, rotors. the glove box was broken. *sc | |||
| 09/04/2004 | 40000 | 1 | 12/11/1999 |
| Vehicle is at 40,000 miles. at 40000 service, dealer reported that the control arms are failing and must be replaced. because i do not want the control arms to completely fail, leading to a loss of steering control, and potentially resulting in a crash, i will be paying out of my pocket for an independent mechanic to replace the defective control arms. there have been many complaints about control arms reported over internet forums such as vwvortex.com and clubb5.com. volkswagen refuses to issue a recall for an obviously defective critical suspension component.*ak | |||
| 07/20/2004 | 80000 | 6 | 04/05/1999 |
| As a result of a persistent rattling in the front right end of my 4 cyl. 1999 vw passat, i took my car in for investigation. i have been advised by two independent repair shops that both upper control arms on both sides of the car as well as the tie rod ends must be replaced to the tune of $1200. if they are not replaced, i have been advised that one could break and i would have no steering. obviously at a high rate of speed this could be dangerous or deadly. i have spoken with vw and even though they acknowledge issuing a tsb on this defect, they refuse to cover its repair. this is a safety issue that must be addressed sooner rather than later. thank you for any help you can provide in this area. | |||
| 07/19/2004 | |||
| The control arms on my 1999 passat are wearing out and making a loud noise. i did research and saw that this is a serious hazard and that several other people have had this same problem. this issue should be taken care of by vw since it places people in danger. *jb | |||
| 06/30/2004 | 74000 | 2 | 07/20/2003 |
| I've had a clunking sound in the front suspension whenever i hit a bump. it has gotten progressively worse for the last several months. the dealer tells me it is the front upper control arms and ball joints and that there is a tsb on such. this is a common well known problem with this model and poses a safety issue.*ak | |||
| 05/10/2004 | 43000 | 1 | 08/20/1999 |
| Creaking and groaning noises were heard coming from the front of the vehicle (1999 passat station wagon with 43,000 miles) while slowing and turning at low speed. dealer confirmed loose sway bars/control arms and attempted to clean up, but noise persisted following service. at the next service the dealer replaced both lower control arms (conversion kit) and links. vw customer care (?) center refused to acknowledge any responsibility for a defective design or parts, claiming that this is normal wear and is beyond warranty coverage. | |||
| 04/26/2004 | 43000 | 1 | 06/01/1999 |
| I began to notice an occasional creaking/knocking noise coming from the front end of the car about six months ago . about a month ago the noise became bad enough for me to take it to the dealership to try and diagnose. i described the noise in great detail. service dept says they drove the car and didn't hear anything, but that the noise was probably due to my brake pads being worn down so far i had metal against metal. new brake pads and rotors: $1250. cha-ching.*ak next day driving to work i still hear the creaking/knocking noise. i take it back to the dealership, very irate. they say they'll drive it again and give it another listen. this time they do hear something and inform me that it's just a loose control arm, that it's expensive to fix and that [they] don't even have the parts on hand. but the guy assures me that the noise is only an annoyance issue and not a safty concern. the noise is consant now and very, very bad. i was actually getting a toasty, smoky odor coming from the car when driving across town the other day. | |||
| 03/02/2004 | 48000 | 1 | 02/27/1999 |
| The vehicle is a 1999 volkwagen passat. i took it in for regular maintenance at 48,000 miles and for my state safety inspection. since i had just begun hearing noises in the front of the car, i asked that it be looked into. the dealer informed me that the car, albeit in excellent condition and routinely maintained, would not pass state inspection due to a serious problem with the control arms. if the problem was not corrected the car could lose control and crash. the dealer informed me that a recall had been issued (recall ul) for this exact problem on the same make and model and year of car. but, that for no explainable reason my vin was not covered under the recall. i immediately contacted vw and they concurred but couldn't do anything about it. this is not only unethical, but vw is allowing people to drive around with cars that they know have a serious defect. not only didn't vw cover all the applicable vins in their recall, but they did not inform their consumers ofthe potential problem. according to the dealer, this problem, if left uncorrected, could cause serious harm if the control arms failed at high speed. vw will not recognize this problem. it should be noted once again, that this defect in the control arms occured at only 48,000 miles. not only did i have to pay $1200 for a serious, and acknowledged, design defect, but the repair parts that were installed are exactly the same as the poorly designed ones. this problem will happen again. the only question is when. the government should look into this before someone gets seriously hurt or even killed. vw refuses to stand by their product. the dealer has indicated that this is such a common problem that they stock the front end repair kit. if it is so common why aren't all the applicable vins covered? | |||
| 11/16/2003 | 1 | 02/07/2002 | |
| The control arms on the front driver's side failed and the car collapsed to the ground on the driver's side. the repairs are costly. the dealership and volkswagen are not receptive to paying the repairs or a discount. *jb | |||
| 07/11/2003 | 74500 | 2 | 03/07/1999 |
| Upper and lower front suspension control arm bushing failure. (left and right). *ak | |||
| 06/13/2003 | 40000 | 05/05/2002 | |
| Started to feel and hear a thumping, and creaking from my suspension. took vehicle to a vw dealer and they said that i needed to have both upper control arms replaced on the left front of my passat. i called vwoa and they said that they were not going to help pay for it b/c it is considered a wear item. a 99 passat w/ less than 50k miles! and they consider that wear?!? from what i have researched, i am far from the only person that this is happening to. now i have to dish out $500 easy to get it fixed. buy another vw? not on your life. vw has been hearing the complaints about this situation for years now and still will not help. i would hate to see something tragic to someone just for them to fess up. *nlm | |||
| 05/24/2003 | 43500 | 1 | 07/06/1999 |
| Control arms and ball joints need to be replaced with only 43000 miles on the vehicle. volkswagen went by recommendation of dealer not to help with the cost of repair. *ak | |||
| 04/28/2003 | 49900 | 07/16/1998 | |
| 1999 vw passat requires replacement of front suspension control arms at 64.8k miles. symptoms reported initially at 3 years/49k miles. appears to be related to service bulletin 400101. problem well known among passat/audi owners. dealer asking $1200 for repair. vwoa declines to help, stating that suspension is 2 year 24k mile component. mileage, existence of service bulletin, and widespread experience with this problem suggest that this is a defective component and should be at least partially covered by vwoa. *nlm | |||
| 04/19/2003 | 43000 | 2 | 02/13/2003 |
| Front control arm failure. *jb | |||
| 01/27/2003 | 92353 | 1 | 09/26/2002 |
| Creaking/squeaking noise from front-right (passenger) side of front control arms. dealer indicated need of replacing control arms for wear. vehicle manufactured in 99 with 92414 miles, mostly highway miles, does not give a reason for these to fail as most cars have control arms to last a lifetime of a vehicle hence failing at the car's current condition should not be acceptable. | |||
| 06/03/2002 | |||
| While driving there's a squeaking and popping noise coming from under side of vehicle when going over bumps in road. took vehicle to mechanic, and they replaced three control arms. a short time later popping started again, and consumer needed a fourth control arm. consumer contacted dealer, and they stated vehicle was not under any recall. currently, all eight control arms have been replaced.*ak | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 1 | 03/01/2099 | |
| Left and right control arms are worn and need to be replaced-common problem with 1999 vw. *ak | |||
| 07/04/2002 | |||
| Control arm on left front wheel has begun creaking very loudly and i have been told it is about to fail. on most cars the control arms are built to last the life of the car, so at only 60,000 miles this is definitely a problem. upon doing some research, it appears this is very common in recent model volkswagen passats, and that a recall has already been issued in germany where they have stricter automotive regulations. also, the part was re-engineered for 2001 model passats, indicating volkswagen is well aware of the problem. if this part is failing on basically all 98-2000 model year volkswagen passats, it seems like only a matter of time until a catastrophic failure causes an accident, unless a recall is issued in the united states. please keep me informed on any possible recall information. thanks. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2002 | 1 | 07/01/2099 | |
| The controle arm bushings are bad on my car and started to go at 5500. this should not happen on a car this new, and dealer service person said so too. volkswagen will not pay for this since it is out of the warranty. i did a search on the internet and found many passat owners experiencing the same problem with the control arms. there must be a way to make vw owe up to the problem.*ak | |||
| 06/25/2002 | 1 | ||
| Front suspension begins squeaking due to failure of ball joints which are integral with the lower control arm. this defect requires replacement of the entire arm. i've learned this is a common problem for 99 passats. it is unheard of for these types of components to fail so early before 50,000 miles but they do on these passats.*ak | |||
| 04/20/2002 | 2 | 11/01/2099 | |
| Increasing grinding sound and increased play and movement in front suspension caused by failing control arm bushings-diagnosed by dealer (stated it was a known and common problem). 2nd. vw passat with same problem ('98 model and '99 model) repair partially covered by vw on '98 model outside of original warranty. concerned about safety as bushings continue to wear.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2001 | 1 | 04/01/2099 | |
| Suspension control arms deteriorating. common issue. bushings drying out and disintegrating. symptoms include creaking and clunking at low speeds. vw is starting to pay 50% for some people with this issue, but no more. | |||
| 08/20/2001 | 12/01/1999 | ||
| Clunking in front end going over imperfections in road at low speed. seems like possible control arm failure.*ak | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1998 | |
| Control arm bushings are failing on the audi a4, they share the same front suspension. *ak | |||
| 01/01/1999 | 0 | ||
| Steering wheel has a lot of play inside of vehicle, and ball joints are making lound and poppy noises.*ak | |||
| 03/06/2001 | |||
| Vehicle was making a funny noise, and consumer took vehicle to dealer. they said that upper and lower ball joints would need replacing. consumer felt ball joints were wearing out too fast and feared that a wheel may fall off as a result of control arm.*ak | |||
| 03/12/2001 | |||
| Consumer has multiple problems with vehicle. received recall 00v414000 for tie rods. vehicle would shake and make noises at times. also, supension was squeaking enough to take vehicle to dealer. lower and upper control arms and tie rods had to be replaced. consumer had a foreign automobile shop to verify problem. it was unbelievable that a 2 year old vehicle would have this problem. consumer was responsible for $1400.00 to repair it. dealer has no explanation why it was like this.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||
| 05/06/2008 | 228000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. while driving 30 mph, the front end of the vehicle lowered to the ground without warning, which caused the vehicle to stop. the tow truck driver stated that the front lower control arm broke. as of may 8, 2008, the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. the contact stated that he received service action bulletin for the front lower control arm in november of 2004. the dealer inspected the vehicle however; they did not make any repairs. the contact stated they he was able to replace the front lower control arm. the current and failure mileages were 228, 000. updated 05/22/08 *bf updated 05/22/08. *jb | |||
| 07/21/2006 | 110000 | 1 | |
| The failure of lower control arm happened without any warning, during normal driving on the city road when making a right turn (approximately at 5 mph speed). right front suspension lower control arm sheared in two pieces, leaving a front passenger wheel completely separated. if this should happened on any higher higher speed, consequences would be deadly. i researched this safety hazard and found that vw issued a service action for the lower control arm on 1999 passat. however, vw service representative informed me that the service action does not cover my vehicle. vw's explanation was that it only covers parts from certain supplier (according to representative, vw used two different suppliers for the lower control arm). i believe that lower control arm was a defective part, as this type of failure could not be a result of normal wear and tear. it is a safety hazard. i have to replace lower control arm, drive shaft and wheel liner (and, possibly some other parts which were damaged as a result of the control arm failure) at my expense. i believe, vw should cover at least some of the expense, as it happened as a result of a factory defect. *nm | |||
| 08/31/2005 | 54000 | 3 | 03/08/1999 |
| 1 - normal use - only 55,000 miles 2 - failure of lower control arms - must replace 3 - required to replace at cost of $400.00 | |||
| 07/19/2005 | 73560 | 03/08/2001 | |
| Lower control arms recall vm. wanted to charge me 325.00 for the recall. vw dealerhip said the recall was not valid unless 40k service was performed. do not see the correlation with having some filters and fluids changed (40k service) with a suspension recall. prior to 40k i had cvs changed and had filters and fluids changed. my car had a lot of problems with it and was worked on by vw dealership over 20 times between 32-49k. i was told the 40k service was not needed because of work done at 36k. was told $240.00 on 40k service check was not needed because of previous work and was over priced not not smart to do. if there is a malfunction with the car, and their is a recall, the owner should not have to pay for it. if their was decent logic for me paying for this recall i would have no problem with it, but i cannot find it. it just seems a loop hole for me to pay for the manufacturer's poor workmanship. this loop hole should be closed, there is a lot of exceptions to why 40k was not performed. | |||
| 04/08/2005 | 1 | 09/14/2002 | |
| I have a 1999 vw passat, 1.8l turbo. i received a service action from vw related to a lower control arm issue and took the car to the dealer. the dealer looked at it five weeks ago and told me there was nothing wrong with it despite the creaking and groaning i'm getting in the suspenion. i took it in today because the creaking an groaning have gotten worse and the service guy at the dealer is telling me that both lower control arms need to be replaced and they quoted me $1400. he told me that lower control arms fail over time due to the weight of the car, age and wear. this sounds like an engineering failure on the part of vw. i'm waiting to find out whether this is safety related, the service guy is going to call me back. i've been looking online and a lot of people thought a complaint should be lodged, so that's what i'm doing here. i shouldn't be having suspension issues at 70,000 miles.*ak | |||
| 03/30/2005 | 98650 | 1 | 02/16/2002 |
| Normal use of '99 vw passat with an odometer reading of 99,650 lead to the failure of ront contorl arms and tie rod ends. replacement control arm set with tie rods retails for $1,700. purchased a set for $495 and an additional $198.75 in labor. *ak | |||
| 11/08/2004 | 59380 | 2 | 09/09/1999 |
| Volkswagen of america sent me a letter to check/replace front suspension lower control arms 1998-2000 passat vehicles. vw dealer informed me they will fix the control arms at no cost to me but as a result of the work performed the vehicle will now need an alignment which is not covered as part of the recall. this is absurd. i paid for an alignment 5 months ago and prior to the recall my vehicle obviously does not need an alignment but as a direct result of fixing the control arms my car now needs an alignment which i have to pay for. the alignment should be covered as part of the recall for the control arms!!!*ak | |||
| 10/06/2004 | 54000 | 1 | |
| The front suspension lower control arm makes a squeaking, thumping noise as if there are no shocks. *ak | |||
| 03/27/2000 | 2 | ||
| Control arms on my 99 vw passat have been replaced twice now.....they are expensive ($650+) and obviously poorly engineered as others have had te same problems. *ak | |||
| 01/04/2004 | 5 | ||
| Submission of complaint re vw of america feel he has been over charged for numerous & extensive repair bills for his 1999 vw passat. the consumer stated he is still experiencing problems with the front suspension. the front stabilizer was repaired and the lower control arm was repaired, however the problem recurred. the rear brake pads were worn. the front doors creaked when opened. *jb the cruise control was intermittent. the consumer requested assistance of all the matters. *sc *jb | |||
| 02/17/2003 | 75000 | 3 | |
| While merging off the highway, a loud noise came from the left front of the vehicle. the vehicle was driven to the dealership. the left lower control linkage had broke. the dealership replaced the part. the failure has recurred 3 additional time on the other control arms. *jb | |||
| 03/24/2004 | 66000 | 1 | |
| The lower front and rear passenger side control arms needed to be replaced because they were starting to make noise, and will potentially fail. the dealership indicated that this could result in steering failure while driving. *ak the noise was coming from the right side of the vehicle. the front control arm was replaced along with the rear control arm bushing. *sc | |||
| 05/06/2004 | 43385 | 6 | 04/04/2002 |
| The control arms in the 1999, 2000, and 2001 volkswagen passats are defective. according to the dealership if these are not repaired one can lose steering control. the upper control arms in my 1999 passat had to be replaced in november 2003 and now the lower control arms need to be replaced. the dealership indicates that this problem is common in 1999, 2000, and 2001 passats, and i have spoken with other owners who are having the same problem. this safety hazard warrants a recall on these vehicles.*jb | |||
| 03/15/2004 | 40000 | 2 | |
| Control arm made a clucking sound when the vehicle was driven at low speeds. dealership indicated that the noise occurred because the control arm was loose, and if this part failed, the ball joints could break will driving. the control arm on the front driver side was replaced, but the failure occurred on the front passenger's side. *ak | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 62000 | 2 | 08/08/1999 |
| Both control arms failed on 1999 passat glx @ 60000 miles on left and right side of the car. repair covered by vw extended warranty to the tune of $689 per side of the vehicle, but these control arms should not be failing! steering, control, and tire wear suffer serious impairment as a result of these failures.*ak | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 54000 | 2 | 11/01/2002 |
| Problems with front suspension arms on 1999 passat. *mr the right lower control arm was replaced under warranty at 23500 miles and the dealer suggested that there were earlier problems before the current owners. the suspension part were design defective. *sc *jb | |||
| 06/03/2004 | 60000 | 1 | 10/01/1999 |
| Bushing has dried out on lower control arm on one side resulting in frequent loud creeking / squeeking noises. when making appointment with dealer i asked if it was a safety problem and should i rush the car in. they said no, it's probably just a dry bushing and scheduled me for 10 days later. when i learned of the $1200 repair cost and the need to keep the car overnight, i had to reschedule the appointment. again, another 12 days wait (yet to come). if this is truely not a safety issue, then fine, but info on this site is to the contrary. besides, why do suppose they call them control arms? if they mal function could that mean loss of control? hmmm. 85k miles on this car, but in retrospect, the noise started a long time ago and the dealer attributed it to lack of steering fluid. the noise returned and came back. this car has a lot of highway miles. i'll bet the failure is time based rather than milage based. these rubber busing can only take so much exposure to the elements. vw - change the material for your bushings, right!!*ak | |||
| 07/30/1999 | 40000 | 1 | 07/30/1999 |
| Control arm's of '1998-'2000 passats are failure prone much earlier then the norm for passaneger automobiles. (a fact they recognized by a redesign of the control arms on '2001 and up passat's. i purchased my car in 7/99. i drive 70 miles a day, mostly freeway, which as all know is actually very easy on an automobile. yet with-in 2 years (40k) my front suspension was showing signs of premature wear. i get many creaks and clunks that are easy to hear at low speeds. after researching in popular internet forums for the car,(www.clubb5.com , www.vwvortex.com) i found out this failure is very common for this automobile. vmoa (volkswagen of america) has not issued a recall yet (even though they have received thousands of complaints) as of this late date. (6/04) the response from vwoa and your dealer network has been inconsistent, to say the least. some dealers will not even look at the car, some will look at it and say nothing is wrong, and some will say that it is the control arms, but will not help out the owner when the time comes to contact the customer care center at vwoa . vwoa is not much more help, promising to get on the problem and telling you they will callback, only they dont. or if they do ,it is, sorry we cannot help you. . so what happens is that many of the owners that are out of warranty, must pay for a costly repair out of pocket. a repair that should have never happened. (i have never had control arm bushing failure in my previous 13 automobiles!) repair costs run over $700 for parts, and the same amount in labor. i am purchasing my car from the bank soon. overall it is a great car. i must replace the control arms very soon. i dont look forward to that and the high cost it will run me. i wish for vmoa to treat its customers like a modern customer focused company. bad designs happen. they owe it to their customers to make it right. thank you. john e. tami. *ak | |||
| 04/02/2004 | 60000 | ||
| 99 vw passat vin wvwma63b6xe245865 has loud creaking sounds from right-front suspension. tie rod ends were replace in earlier recall. ball joints are not worn. lube of control arm and other bushings does not solve problem. vibration corresponding to creaking can be felt in lower control arms. ivoq n 20010809 n y y 4 fwd tb gs man v | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 70000 | 1 | 08/18/1998 |
| My vw passaat developed excessive play and noise in steering and front suspension. car would wander on road and would not track straight on a highway. this was a safety issue. my local vw dealer said to bring car in immediately. dealer said 4 control arms had failed and needed replacement at cost of $1400. car had been maintained well and driven gently previously. defective control arms on this vehicle are a safety issue. | |||
| 07/11/2003 | 74500 | 2 | 03/07/1999 |
| Upper and lower front suspension control arm bushing failure. (left and right). *ak | |||
| 07/29/2003 | 35000 | 1 | |
| The vehicle experienced a constant groaning and squeaking in the front end suspension when driving at low speeds. the dealer said the lower control arm needed to be replaced. the dealer indicated that this was not a safety problem. *ak *nlm | |||
| 07/24/2003 | 67000 | 2 | 04/30/2001 |
| Lower control arm failure. vehicle purchased from vw as certified like new with warranty to second owner. vehicle had approx 30000 miles at purchase. now has 67k miles. appears to fit pattern relative to defective - should be recalled issue in which these parts fail every 30k miles. as noted on other incidents, no other vehicle exhibits this type of failure making this unique to vw and audi. therefore more indicitave of factory defect and creation of hazardous driving situation. *ak | |||
| 21000 | 1 | 10/01/1999 | |
| Lower control arms did not fail but were significantly worn at 21000 miles and they required replacement`. vw covered 100% of replacement cost. *****dims 11 ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over*****757901. *ak *jb | |||
| 03/13/2003 | 38000 | 0 | 10/24/2002 |
| I am experiencing a creaking sound coming from the lower control arm bushings on both sides of the vehicle. from the nhtsa site, i have now learned that failed lower control arms and bushings are a common problem in the passat. the vehicle was just purchased certified used from vw four months ago with 34,000 miles. i returned the car to the dealer, who said that the lower control arm bushings were just dry from road salt, and proceeded to hose the bushings down with an aerosol can of lubricant. he said that if this did not eliminate the noise (it didn't) then i might wish to return in a week or so for them to investigate further. it is obvious from the other complaints i have read what the problem is. if this vehicle's lower control arms fail as frequently as other owners on this site have indicated, with the only warning being a dull creaking noise, it is conceivable that most ordinary drivers would never have the problem investigated. those that do would find that the repair is extensive and expensive. it is likely that some of these may choose to delay or neglect the situation. both scenarios pose a unique and serious safety threat to the operators and occupants of the vw passat. there are tens of thousands of these vehicles on the road, and all apparently share in what is an obvious design flaw that creeps up every 25 to 40 thousand miles in spite of very expensive replacement. failure of a lower control arm could easily cause a crash. vw should do the right thing by acknowledging this engineering failure and voluntarily recall these vehicles immediately for the safety and well being of its customers. *nlm | |||
| 03/23/2003 | 62000 | 1 | 10/04/1999 |
| Driver's side lower control arm (front suspension) bushing/link has worn out at only 62k miles, a common problem on vw passat and audi a4 w/quadralink front suspension, unheard of on other vehicles. this is a potential safety issue. there ought to be a recall. this car has 8 control arms in total. the premature failure of these parts is by now well known, quite expensive, and potentially hazardous, not to mention inconvenient to vw customers. vw has done very little to address this potential safety issue. the only recourse is to pay exorbitant sums, repeatedly, over time to replace the defective parts with equally defective parts which also fail prematurely; there is no permanent solution to this problem. there needs to be a recall or at the very least vw should be fixing these cars for free each time, no questions asked. | |||
| 02/06/2003 | 80000 | 0 | 04/21/1999 |
| Creaking noise eminating from passenger side lower control arm bushing over low speed bumps. can be reproduced by manually compressing front suspension while vehicle is parked. dealer says vw doesn't consider failure of front control arm bushings to be a safety issue. | |||
| 01/01/2000 | 11 | 03/01/2099 | |
| Lower control arm bushing failure, causing erratic handling, degraded since.*ak | |||
| 05/07/2002 | |||
| Right lower control arm sheared off wheel attachment, resulting in loss of control and crash.*ak | |||
| 12/25/2001 | 1 | 07/01/1999 | |
| Lower front control arms have failed in less then 30,000 miles. a loss of control of the car is possible.*ak | |||
| 07/24/1999 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| I have informed the dealer and i imformed them about the lower control arm failure and there was tsb call for the item they told me that i dont quailify for that problem. the problem is that their a bushing failure on both side of the lower control arm it made it loose and you can feel it in the wheels and steering wheel. it would be a easy fix if they just replace the bushing but they dont just sell the bushing they sell the whole lower control arm. i have technical knowlegde about the cars and i believe that this is a problem. its a safety issue to anyone. if the person does not know what going on. they will continue driving their unsafe car. the suspension test on the inspection station will not detect the problem. it will affect the alignment and the drive shaft and steering.*ak | |||
| 05/15/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1999 | |
| The lower right arm of the front suspension has failed. this is after only 25,000 miles. the bushing has apparently come loose from the arm. if allowed to progress far enough, this could lead to unsafe handling of the vehicle. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 11/08/2004 | 59380 | 2 | 09/09/1999 |
| Volkswagen of america sent me a letter to check/replace front suspension lower control arms 1998-2000 passat vehicles. vw dealer informed me they will fix the control arms at no cost to me but as a result of the work performed the vehicle will now need an alignment which is not covered as part of the recall. this is absurd. i paid for an alignment 5 months ago and prior to the recall my vehicle obviously does not need an alignment but as a direct result of fixing the control arms my car now needs an alignment which i have to pay for. the alignment should be covered as part of the recall for the control arms!!!*ak | |||
| 06/30/2004 | 74000 | 2 | 07/20/2003 |
| I've had a clunking sound in the front suspension whenever i hit a bump. it has gotten progressively worse for the last several months. the dealer tells me it is the front upper control arms and ball joints and that there is a tsb on such. this is a common well known problem with this model and poses a safety issue.*ak | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 62000 | 2 | 08/08/1999 |
| Both control arms failed on 1999 passat glx @ 60000 miles on left and right side of the car. repair covered by vw extended warranty to the tune of $689 per side of the vehicle, but these control arms should not be failing! steering, control, and tire wear suffer serious impairment as a result of these failures.*ak | |||
| 07/30/1999 | 40000 | 1 | 07/30/1999 |
| Control arm's of '1998-'2000 passats are failure prone much earlier then the norm for passaneger automobiles. (a fact they recognized by a redesign of the control arms on '2001 and up passat's. i purchased my car in 7/99. i drive 70 miles a day, mostly freeway, which as all know is actually very easy on an automobile. yet with-in 2 years (40k) my front suspension was showing signs of premature wear. i get many creaks and clunks that are easy to hear at low speeds. after researching in popular internet forums for the car,(www.clubb5.com , www.vwvortex.com) i found out this failure is very common for this automobile. vmoa (volkswagen of america) has not issued a recall yet (even though they have received thousands of complaints) as of this late date. (6/04) the response from vwoa and your dealer network has been inconsistent, to say the least. some dealers will not even look at the car, some will look at it and say nothing is wrong, and some will say that it is the control arms, but will not help out the owner when the time comes to contact the customer care center at vwoa . vwoa is not much more help, promising to get on the problem and telling you they will callback, only they dont. or if they do ,it is, sorry we cannot help you. . so what happens is that many of the owners that are out of warranty, must pay for a costly repair out of pocket. a repair that should have never happened. (i have never had control arm bushing failure in my previous 13 automobiles!) repair costs run over $700 for parts, and the same amount in labor. i am purchasing my car from the bank soon. overall it is a great car. i must replace the control arms very soon. i dont look forward to that and the high cost it will run me. i wish for vmoa to treat its customers like a modern customer focused company. bad designs happen. they owe it to their customers to make it right. thank you. john e. tami. *ak | |||
| 04/09/2004 | 62000 | 1 | |
| The consumer heard a creaking noise coming from the front end. the mechanic informed the consumer. please provide more information. *jb the consumer stated that the vehicle became unstable at highway speeds. many other drivers of the same vehicle on the internet have experienced the same problems. *tc | |||
| 05/05/2004 | 59950 | 1 | 08/21/2001 |
| Upper and lower ball joints making grinding noise dealer suggested replacing all upper and lower ball joints on left and right sides. *ak | |||
| 52000 | |||
| A loud noise was heard while driving the vehicle. the dealer determined the front upper and lower ball joints were cracked on the right side and leaking oil. please provide details. | |||
| 05/24/2003 | 43500 | 1 | 07/06/1999 |
| Control arms and ball joints need to be replaced with only 43000 miles on the vehicle. volkswagen went by recommendation of dealer not to help with the cost of repair. *ak | |||
| 04/02/2003 | 54000 | 12/20/1999 | |
| 1999 vw passat. front suspension problems. refer to tsb 4001-01. i brought my 1999 passat to the dealer regarding a noisy front suspension problem and informed them of a tsb on the vehicle. i was informed that vw provides a repair kit for this problem that requires the replacement of the lower control arm assembly. which includes the defective ball joints (both sides). the dealer informed me that vw will not cover the repair and that the cost to me would be $875.00. spoke with vw representatives on april 2 and was given a decision on 4/9 that they would not assist with the cost in any way since this could also be caused by normal wear and tear. this assertion, in my opinion is bogus since a. vw knows there is a problem, hence the tsb. provide a kit to repair the defect. the case number is 30164333. suspensions should not be falling apart on a 3 year old vehicle with 50,000 miles on it. and the cost ($875) is quite excessive. the noise started showing up in early january of 2003. *nlm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER ARM | |||
| 01/03/2007 | 75959 | 2 | 09/15/1999 |
| Front upper control arms and outer tie rods had to be replaced for the second time. first time at 55,552 miles and second time at 75,959 miles. that's only 20,407 miles difference for the $1200.00 repair to be done again. absurd. called the vw customer care and they refuse to reimburse in any way stating the 2 year warranty expired. this defect would never fall within the warranty period so they have no excuse. i already absorbed the cost for the 1st repair so in all fairness they should cover the 2nd time. this is a very common problem with vw's. i'm not going to pay $1200 every 20,000 to have my car repaired. i will go legal and forward this complaint to consumer reports, the bbb, and the attorney general. *jb | |||
| 08/15/2006 | 78050 | 1 | |
| Car clunked and rattled over small bumps, and felt floaty and wandering at highway speeds. dealer reported that upper front control arms were bad. said this is a very common problem with vws and audi's. *jb | |||
| 03/30/2005 | 98650 | 1 | 02/16/2002 |
| Normal use of '99 vw passat with an odometer reading of 99,650 lead to the failure of ront contorl arms and tie rod ends. replacement control arm set with tie rods retails for $1,700. purchased a set for $495 and an additional $198.75 in labor. *ak | |||
| 01/14/2005 | 1 | 11/09/1999 | |
| Recall for lower control arms only even though in most cases the upper control arm needs replacements. heck the forum http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1745481. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2004 | 38179 | 1 | |
| Front upper control arm disintegrated . as a result the wheels become loose. *ak | |||
| 07/13/2004 | 52000 | 1 | 09/09/1999 |
| Upper control arm problem---when turning steering wheel left or right around a curve would hear a rattling noise. my mechanic said both upper control arms needed to be replaced. car has 53000 miles on it. repair cost me $1000.00. i have the bill specifying the parts that were replaced along with part numbers.*ak | |||
| 05/06/2004 | 43385 | 6 | 04/04/2002 |
| The control arms in the 1999, 2000, and 2001 volkswagen passats are defective. according to the dealership if these are not repaired one can lose steering control. the upper control arms in my 1999 passat had to be replaced in november 2003 and now the lower control arms need to be replaced. the dealership indicates that this problem is common in 1999, 2000, and 2001 passats, and i have spoken with other owners who are having the same problem. this safety hazard warrants a recall on these vehicles.*jb | |||
| 07/20/2004 | 80000 | 6 | 04/05/1999 |
| As a result of a persistent rattling in the front right end of my 4 cyl. 1999 vw passat, i took my car in for investigation. i have been advised by two independent repair shops that both upper control arms on both sides of the car as well as the tie rod ends must be replaced to the tune of $1200. if they are not replaced, i have been advised that one could break and i would have no steering. obviously at a high rate of speed this could be dangerous or deadly. i have spoken with vw and even though they acknowledge issuing a tsb on this defect, they refuse to cover its repair. this is a safety issue that must be addressed sooner rather than later. thank you for any help you can provide in this area. | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 62000 | 2 | 08/08/1999 |
| Both control arms failed on 1999 passat glx @ 60000 miles on left and right side of the car. repair covered by vw extended warranty to the tune of $689 per side of the vehicle, but these control arms should not be failing! steering, control, and tire wear suffer serious impairment as a result of these failures.*ak | |||
| 07/30/1999 | 40000 | 1 | 07/30/1999 |
| Control arm's of '1998-'2000 passats are failure prone much earlier then the norm for passaneger automobiles. (a fact they recognized by a redesign of the control arms on '2001 and up passat's. i purchased my car in 7/99. i drive 70 miles a day, mostly freeway, which as all know is actually very easy on an automobile. yet with-in 2 years (40k) my front suspension was showing signs of premature wear. i get many creaks and clunks that are easy to hear at low speeds. after researching in popular internet forums for the car,(www.clubb5.com , www.vwvortex.com) i found out this failure is very common for this automobile. vmoa (volkswagen of america) has not issued a recall yet (even though they have received thousands of complaints) as of this late date. (6/04) the response from vwoa and your dealer network has been inconsistent, to say the least. some dealers will not even look at the car, some will look at it and say nothing is wrong, and some will say that it is the control arms, but will not help out the owner when the time comes to contact the customer care center at vwoa . vwoa is not much more help, promising to get on the problem and telling you they will callback, only they dont. or if they do ,it is, sorry we cannot help you. . so what happens is that many of the owners that are out of warranty, must pay for a costly repair out of pocket. a repair that should have never happened. (i have never had control arm bushing failure in my previous 13 automobiles!) repair costs run over $700 for parts, and the same amount in labor. i am purchasing my car from the bank soon. overall it is a great car. i must replace the control arms very soon. i dont look forward to that and the high cost it will run me. i wish for vmoa to treat its customers like a modern customer focused company. bad designs happen. they owe it to their customers to make it right. thank you. john e. tami. *ak | |||
| 07/01/2003 | 65000 | 1 | 03/28/1999 |
| Front control arms. *ak | |||
| 07/11/2003 | 74500 | 2 | 03/07/1999 |
| Upper and lower front suspension control arm bushing failure. (left and right). *ak | |||
| 07/15/2001 | 4 | 12/01/1998 | |
| Twice, with less than 50,000 miles on my 1999 passat, both upper control arms have failed. i have spoken to numerous audi a4 and vw passat owners who have experienced the same failures. the cost to repair the control arms is in excess of $1200 and vw has done nothing to remedy this problem. the dealerships have been absolutely pitiful to deal with and have no reasonable explanations as to why these parts are failing. please do something about this. in a car that costs over $25,000 this is unacceptable. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | |||
| 01/03/2007 | 75959 | 2 | 09/15/1999 |
| Front upper control arms and outer tie rods had to be replaced for the second time. first time at 55,552 miles and second time at 75,959 miles. that's only 20,407 miles difference for the $1200.00 repair to be done again. absurd. called the vw customer care and they refuse to reimburse in any way stating the 2 year warranty expired. this defect would never fall within the warranty period so they have no excuse. i already absorbed the cost for the 1st repair so in all fairness they should cover the 2nd time. this is a very common problem with vw's. i'm not going to pay $1200 every 20,000 to have my car repaired. i will go legal and forward this complaint to consumer reports, the bbb, and the attorney general. *jb | |||
| 01/14/2005 | 1 | 11/09/1999 | |
| Recall for lower control arms only even though in most cases the upper control arm needs replacements. heck the forum http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1745481. *ak | |||
| 09/28/2004 | 55000 | 4 | 08/18/1999 |
| Control arms/ball joint failed, requiring replacement under 50k miles. purchased car new . *ak | |||
| 06/30/2004 | 74000 | 2 | 07/20/2003 |
| I've had a clunking sound in the front suspension whenever i hit a bump. it has gotten progressively worse for the last several months. the dealer tells me it is the front upper control arms and ball joints and that there is a tsb on such. this is a common well known problem with this model and poses a safety issue.*ak | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 62000 | 2 | 08/08/1999 |
| Both control arms failed on 1999 passat glx @ 60000 miles on left and right side of the car. repair covered by vw extended warranty to the tune of $689 per side of the vehicle, but these control arms should not be failing! steering, control, and tire wear suffer serious impairment as a result of these failures.*ak | |||
| 05/05/2004 | 59950 | 1 | 08/21/2001 |
| Upper and lower ball joints making grinding noise dealer suggested replacing all upper and lower ball joints on left and right sides. *ak | |||
| 52000 | |||
| A loud noise was heard while driving the vehicle. the dealer determined the front upper and lower ball joints were cracked on the right side and leaking oil. please provide details. | |||
| 05/24/2003 | 43500 | 1 | 07/06/1999 |
| Control arms and ball joints need to be replaced with only 43000 miles on the vehicle. volkswagen went by recommendation of dealer not to help with the cost of repair. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SPRINGS - TORSION BAR | |||
| 02/01/2001 | |||
| While driving at slow speed consumer heard a knocking sound from front. dealer found links that hold swaybar in place had worn out. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR | |||
| 04/11/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle stalls intermittently at speeds of 25-65 mph. vehicle taken to dealer 10-15 times, cannot find a cause. *ak the mirror switch is inoperative due to window switch failure. the driver seat warmer was inoperative. engine has a burning smell due to oil leak. vehicle made noise in front end on left turns due to a stabilizer bar clamp being loose. front brakes make noise. steering makes noise and locked while driving. steering column sliding cover cracked. *yh | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 12/28/2001 | 1 | 07/01/2099 | |
| 1) coolant temp. sensor failed at @47422 miles 2) chaplins checked car because i reported noise in front wheel area. they said both front wheel bearings needed replacing and refused to cover the costs. i took it to an independant vw specialist and was told only the right front wheel bearing was bad. cost was $466.79. vw still refused to assist. 2 independant vw specialists reported vw has a bad wheel bearing design. 3) replaced original tires with exact brand and style of tire that was originsal to car. tires felt odd, i had them checked by 2 tire retailers and did own pressure checks twice monthly. after 15,804 miles on tires left rear tread separated from sidewall while driving on freeway at 70mph.*ak | |||