Problems with 1999 Volkswagen Passat SUSPENSION

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

1 - normal use - only 55,000 miles 2 - failure of lower control arms - must replace 3 - required to replace at cost of $400.00

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.

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

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!

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

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

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

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

All 8 control arms were replaced between 70000 and 74000 mile. *ak.

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

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

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

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

The front suspension lower control arm makes a squeaking, thumping noise as if there are no shocks. *ak

Control arms/ball joint failed, requiring replacement under 50k miles. purchased car new . *ak

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

While driving at any speed steering wheel vibrated and shook. *ak

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

Front upper control arm disintegrated . as a result the wheels become loose. *ak

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Upper and lower ball joints making grinding noise dealer suggested replacing all upper and lower ball joints on left and right sides. *ak

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.

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

99 vw passat vin [xxx] 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. updated 07/30/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) ivoq n 20010809 n y y 4 fwd tb gs man v n n

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

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

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

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?

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

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.

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