10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
0 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1998 Volkswagen Passat:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #5

Sep 072001

Passat

  • miles
While driving and steering car would make a loud groaning noise. Went to dealer. Dealer found that steering rack was leaking and had to be replaced. At a cost of $930.

- Mansfield, MA, USA

problem #4

May 312001

Passat

  • miles
After speaking withthe service manager, parts manager, and technician at dover VW in dover, Delaware-they all agreed that the power stering rack had to be replaced due to battery acid draining onto the power steering rack. They all agreed this part should not have failed in a vehicle this new and re-routed the drain outlet for the battery so that this damage could not occur again. They all agreed that the drain was positioned by the manufacturer and tried to assist me in working with volkswagon America to reimburse me for the entire repair, $920.16. After much debate with VW America, they would only offer 50% or $460.08 supposedly mailed to me 7/26/01. I believe along with VW's own trained personnel at the dealership, that this repair should have been covered in its entirety by VW, as it is the way they designed the battery drain to drain away from the battery. It is my intention to raise this concern that in the event you can recover the balance of the repair, that would be phenomenol. I also want to alert other owners they may have a potentially dangerous and expensive repair lurking under the vehicle's hood. Because te acid dripped onto the steering rack, it caused a hole in the part, which caused me to loose all of my power steering fluid, which nearly caused me total loss of steering control of the vehicle. Please address this problem with VW America 800 822-8987 (3)they say they review these matters internally, but refused to let me know if there were other reports although no " campaigns " were ever issued for this defect.

- Rehoboth Beach, DE, USA

problem #3

Oct 182000

Passat

  • miles
The rack has to be replaced because the power steering fluid is leaking from it.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #2

Oct 182000

Passat

  • miles
Leaking power steering fluid, replaced reck.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #1

Oct 182000

Passat

  • miles
The rack has to be replaced because the power steering fluid is leaking from it.

- San Diego, CA, USA