Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 36 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 36, in the owner's own words
ENGINE MOUNTS BROKE AND I REPLACED THEM ON MAY 10, 2014, THEN THEY BROKE AGAIN ON JULY 6, AND I AGAIN REPLACED THEM NOW THEY BROKE AGAIN TODAY AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE GAS STATION. WAS THERE ANY TYPE OF RECALL RELATIVE TO THE MOUNTS OF THE ENGINE IN THIS MODEL WHICH IS THE 200 PASSAT WAGON WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE WINDOWS ALSO KEEP STEAMING UP AND STRONG SMELL OF ANTI FREEZE. *TR
CREAKING, GROANING, CLUNKING, SQUEAKING OUT OF THE FRONT END, MOST NOTABLY AT LOW SPEEDS OVER BROKEN PAVEMENT, SPEEDBUMPS, COMING TO A SLOW STOP AND PULLING AWAY SLOWLY FROM A STOP. CONTROL ARMS ISSUE. *TR
THE CONTROL ARMS IN MY 2000 VW PASSAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. CONTROL ARMS SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER ONLY 116,000 MILES. *TR
I HAVE HAD MY 2000 VW PASSAT FOR A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AND IT HAS BEEN A MONEY PIT! I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS SINCE A MONTH OR SO AFTER I BOUGHT MY CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, TEST DROVE THE CAR, HAD IT CHECKED OUT BY A MECHANIC, AND I HAVE PUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTO THE CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR JUST BEFORE MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL THINKING I MADE A WONDERFUL CHOICE, AND I HAD TO REPLACE A NEW RIGHT SIDE BOOT JUST AFTER A MONTH OF OWNING THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/ABS/AIRBAG KEPT COMING ON AND BEEPING AT ME, AND I HAD TO BUY A WHOLE NEW BRAIN TO THE CAR OVER $1500. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT WAY BEFORE THE MILE WARRANTY, OIL LEAKS WHICH RUINED SOME WIRES, NEW SHOCKS/SHOCK ABSORBERS, NOW THE WINDOW WILL GO PART WAY DOWN, BUT WILL NO LONGER GO UP... AND MY HEADLIGHTS ARE FOGGED UP WHICH I HAVE NOTICED ON ALL OTHER 2000 PASSATS...! MANY THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I AM SO FRUSTRATED WITH THE CAR. I DO NOT RECOMMEND A VW TO ANYONE! I AM GOING INTO THE SECOND YEAR OF COLLEGE AND HAVE SPENT MOST OF MY SAVINGS ON THIS PIECE OF JUNK. I THINK AFTER FIXING A PART OF THE CAR THAT IT SHOULD RUN WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. SINCE I HAVE PUT SO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS CAR I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET A RELIABLE CAR. THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH VW AND THE RECALLS! AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED THE WHOLE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED!!!! *TR
PURCHASED MY 2000 PASSAT IN 2003, HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE. IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING ON THE CAR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTROL ARMS, O2 SENSORS, TWICE, BELTS, STEREO DIDN'T TURN ON, ALL NEW HOSES RIGHT AWAY, ALL 4 WINDOW REGULATORS, AND NOW TO TOP IT ALL OFF, THE ABS LIGHTS KEPT COMING ON. MY HUSBAND HAS A 2000 AUDI A4, VIRTUALLY THE SAME CAR, AND HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THE SAME THINGS. THE ABS SEEMED TO WORK FINE, BUT THE DEALER SAID IT WOULD BE $1800 TO FIX IT. I LOOKED AT SOME ONLINE FORUMS AND FOUND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THE MANUFACTURER, (BOSCH OR VOLKSWAGEN, SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. MY CAR HAS BEEN PARKED SINCE AUGUST 2006 BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO FIX IT! I AM COLLEGE STUDENT. HELP!
9/2003: HEADLIGHTS AIMED INCORRECTLY; ROAD WASN'T ILLUMINATED. WITHIN 2 WKS, 1 OF THE BULBS BURNED OUT. WITHIN A WEEK OF THE 1ST, THE 2ND BULB BURNED OUT. COST TO HAVE HEADLIGHTS REPOSITIONED & BULBS REPLACED: $267. 9/2003: REAR TAIL LIGHT OUT. COST TO HAVE BULB REPLACED BY MECHANIC: $32.50. 11/2003: BOTH REAR WINDOWS OFF TRACK. COST TO TEAR DOORS APART & FIX: $159.75. 12/2003: ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH FRONT POWER WINDOWS. NEVER KNOW IF WINDOW WILL GO UP OR DOWN. 2004: HAD CAR IN FOR (AT LEAST) 3 DIFFERENT DASHBOARD WARNING CODES. ONE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH FUEL, OR THE FUEL TANK OR SOMETHING. AFTER SOME TRIAL AND ERROR ON MY MECHANIC'S PART, DISCOVERED THAT UNSCREWING AND TIGHTLY RESCREWING GAS CAP FIXED THE PROBLEM. COST TO DIAGNOSE AND "FIX": $165. HAD (AT LEAST) TWO OTHER WARNING CODES IN 2004 THAT REQUIRED ME TO TAKE THE CAR IN. 6/24/2005: HAD BEEN HEARING CRUNCHING SOUND FROM FRONT RIGHT PORTION OF CAR THAT WAS PARTICULARLY APPARENT WHEN HITTING A POTHOLE, A DIP IN THE ROAD OR ATTEMPTING A TIGHT 360 TURN. MECHANIC (SPECIALIZING IN EUROPEAN CARS) IDENTIFIED A BAD CONTROL ARM. COST OF REPAIR & ALIGNMENT: $713.70. COST OF RENTAL CAR: $100.88. TOTAL: $814.58. NOTE: THE LEFT SIDE HAS BEEN MAKING THE SAME SOUND SINCE 12/2005. HAVE NOT YET REPAIRED IT. 10/24/05: CAR STARTED GOING DEAD INTERMITTENTLY. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 60000 MILES ON IT. REPLACED BATTERY FOR $106.50. 1/2006: TEMP GAUGE MAXED OUT, COOLANT BOILED OVER, SMOKE & STEAM ISSUED FROM HOOD IN LESS THAN 8 MINUTES AT IDLE. COOLED CAR FOR 2L HOURS, REPLACED COOLANT AND DROVE TO MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP & TIMING BELT. COST: $725. 2/2006: BRAKES ARE SPONGY AND PROVIDE NO RESISTANCE UNTIL NEARING THE FLOOR. MECHANIC SAYS ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS ARE FINE. 6/2006: TRANSMISSION GETS STUCK IN 1ST GEAR. MUST STOP THE CAR, TURN IT OFF AND THEN RESTART. THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND IS GOVERNED BY THE COMPUTER. COST TO FIX: UNKNOWN. 6/2006: FRONT WINDOW NOW OFF TRACK. HAVE NOT YET FIXED IT. *NM
MY 2000 VW PASSAT WITH 60,000 MILES HAS 2 SERIOUS AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEMS FIRST ONE WAS WHEN I NOTICED A LOUD POPPING NOISE ON BUMPS AND STEERING WAS VERY UNSTABLE ON BUMPS. TOOK IT TO A SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE CONTROL ARMS AND TIE ROD ENDS AND THAT BOTH WERE DEALER ITEMS. SO UPON GOING TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THEY NEEDED $90 DOLLARS BEFORE THEY COULD EVEN LOOK @ IT. SO I SAID NO BUT HOW MUCH ARE THE PARTS AND TURNS OUT THERE MORE THAN $500 DOLLARS. THREE WEEKS LATER MY ABS LIGHT AND ASR LIGHT COMES ON AND IT READS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASH TO STOP! BRAKE FAULT SO READING THIS WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR I IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER FIND OUT WHERE THE NEAREST VW DEALER IS AND ASK THEM TO INSPECT THE PROBLEM. WELL THAT WAS EASIER SAID THAN DONE FIRST THEY WANTED THE $90 DOLLARS AGAIN BEFORE THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT AND SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO! NOTHING THEY CAN DO!! THAT'S CRAZY!! AFTER ARGUING WITH THEM ON WHY THEY DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT IT BUT IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT THEY SAID THERE'S NO IMMEDIATE PROBLEM ITS OK TO DRIVE BUT IT COULD BE THE ABS MODULE OR THE DASH CLUSTER ITS SELF. SO I ASKED THE PRICE ABS $1200 DOLLARS NEW DASH OVER $700 AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDING LABOR.. SO SORRY TO SAY BUT VW LOST A CUSTOMER WITH ME AND MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THE CAR IS JUST TO NEW FOR THIS TYPE OF STUFF TO HAPPEN THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE I KNOW IM NOT THE ONLY ONE. AND JUST TO ADD, MY OLD CAR WHICH I HAVE TO DRIVE NOW SINCE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THE PROBLEMS WITH THE VW IS A HONDA PRELUDE WITH 185,000 MILES AND STILL NO PROBLEMS. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM PROBLEM. THE RUBBER BOOT PREMATURELY WORE OUT. HE RECEIVED A SPECIAL SERVICE ACTION FOR THIS PROBLEM IN NOVEMBER 2004 FROM THE MANUFACTURER. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIRS. LATER, WHILE HE WAS INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE DISCOVERED THE DEFECTIVE PART HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. WHEN HE CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY WERE NO LONGER WILLING TO OFFER A FREE REMEDY UNDER THIS SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *AK
I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. DURING THIS TIME THIS PASSAT HAS HAD SEVERAL SUSPENSION PROBLEMS. THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS HAVE BEEN POINTED OUT AS A PROBLEM BY VARIOUS SERVICE CENTERS AND VW. THE CONTROL ARMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE PASSAT HAS AGAIN DEVELOPED A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. *NM
I OWN A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND THE CONTROL ARM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CRACKED CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE CONTROL ARM IS BEING REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE UNDER DIFFERENT DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES.
UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS (4 UPPER CONTROL ARMS, 2 PER SIDE) ARE TORN AND SUSPENSION HAS PLAY COUPLED WITH LOOSE STEERING RESULTING IN NOISE.
UPPER CONTROL ARMS ARE FAILING AND DANGEROUS, WHICH IS LEADING TO THE TIE RODS FAILING. I AM TOLD THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. VW QUOTED ME $1100 TO MAKE MY CAR SAFE TO DRIVE. I AM PUZZLED THAT VW IS UNCONCERNED ABOUT LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE OWNER AND OTHER DRIVERS. I HAVE SEEN MANY WEBSITES ASKING FOR OWNERS TO CONTACT NHTSA ABOUT THIS ISSUE.*AK
CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FRONT END PARTS (TIE-RODS, UPPER LINKS) WHEN CAR HAD 59,000 MILES ON IT. *AK
(1) DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED WHILE ROUNDING CURVE CAR MADE A LOUD SNAPPING NOISE AND BEGAN SWERVINGUNCONTROLABLY TO THE RIGHT. (2) CAR CAME TO REST HALF ON AND HALF OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, LANE HAD TO BE CLOSED AND TRAFFIC JAM RESULTED. (3) DEALER SAID RIGHT FRONT AND REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS FAILED. PARTS MUST BE REPLACED.*AK
OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS I HAVE NOTICED VARIOUS NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, NO PROBLEMS WERE NOTED BY THE SERVICE CENTERS I TOOK THE VEHCILE TO.*AK HOWEVER, THE STEERING CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE HAS SUDDENLY GOTTEN VERY BAD. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE CENTER, THEY TOLD ME BOTH OF THE TIE-ROD ENDS IN MY 2000 VW PASSAT HAVE FAILED AT 100,000 MILES. BOTH OF THE FRONT WHEELS HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF "PLAY" IN THEM WHICH LEADS TO THE CAR BEING DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND IT IS VERY UNUSUAL TO HAVE THESE CRITICAL PARTS GO BAD IN A VEHICLE THIS EARLY. THE ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR WORK WAS WELL OVER $500. I HAVE GOTTEN NUMEROUS SECOND OPINIONS, AND ALL HAVE COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION: THE TIE-RODS ARE BAD. ALL OF THEM ALSO TELL ME THEY HAVE SEEN THIS FAILURE ON THESE VEHICLES BEFORE AND NOT ON ANY OTHER VEHICLES AND THAT IT SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN. AS OF YET, I HAVE NOT HAD THE VEHCILE REPAIRED BUT I HOPE TO DO SO SOON.
THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONT OF THE VEHICAL ARE FAILING. THE DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS VERY ODD TO SEE THESE ITEMS FALING AT ONLY 67,000 MILES. IF THEY WERE TO COMPLETELY FAIL IT WOUD CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICAL. THIS SAME FAILURE HAS OCCURED ON A NUMBER OF OTHER VEHICALS OF THE SAME MODEL.*AK
CONTROL ARMS ON 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT ARE FAILING. THE CAR HAS 55,000 MILES; ARMS ALSO FAILED AT 36,000 AND WERE REPLACED. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE; I HAVE ALSO HEARD OF PEOPLE WHO HAD THE CONTROL ARMS BREAK WHILE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO MANY, MANY OWNERS.*AK
STEERING WAS MAKING A FUNNY NOISE - BROGHT CAR IN FOR SERVICE WAS TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IT HOME. HAD TO REPLACE ALL CONTROL ARMS (4) DEALER SAID THIS WAS COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE. CAR HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT. THESE ITEMS SHOULD NOT FAIL SO SOON - COST $1600 TO REPAIR. *AK
A NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER DETERMINED THAT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE. *AK *MR
HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS AND TIE ROD ENDS ON MY 2000 PASSAT GLX 4-MOTION WAGON. FIVE OUT OF 8 CONTROL ARMS WERE IN VERY POOR CONDITIONS WITH TORN BOOTS OVER THE BALL JOINTS. THE BALL JOINTS IN THE CONTROLL ARMS WERE TORN AND BALL JOINS WERE DRY AND NOISY. THE TIE ROD BALL JOINS WERE WORN OUT AND MAKING NOISES. THE CAR HAS NOT BE WRECKED OR DAMAGED OTHER WISE.*AK
IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER LINKS ON MY 2000 PASSAT HAD FAILED WITH 48,000 MILES ON THE CAR. *LA
AT 62K MILES 3 CONTROL ARMS/BUSHINGS AND TIE ROD END HAVE FAILED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AUTHORIZED DEALER'S MECHANIC SEEMED SURPRISED THAT THIS PART FAILED SO EARLY. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH 2000 PASSATS (AND AUDIS WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO USE SAME PARTS), AND THE RECALL HAS ALREADY BEEN SUPPOSEDLY ISSUED FOR IN GERMANY. WHY HAS IT NOT BEEN ADDRESSED HERE IN THE U.S. IF IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM AND SAFETY RISK? *LA
FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARM NEEDS REPLACEMENT BECAUSE BALL JOINT IS LOOSE. THIS CAUSES SEVERE RATTLING WHEN DRIVING OVER EVEN LITTLE BUMPS. *JB
ARM CONTROL BALL JOINTS AND BUSHINGS PREMATURELY FAILED ON VEHICLE. BALL JOINT FAILURE WAS SO SEVERE THAT IT COULD HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE RACK AND DISABLED STEERING OF VEHICLE.*AK
CONTROL ARMS ON THIS MODEL ARE CHRONICALLY FAILING. EVERY PASSAT OWNER I HAVE TALKED TO IS HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS ONLY AT 40000 AND THE CONTROL ARMS ARE STARTING TO CRACK AND TEAR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND CONSIDER A SAFETY RECALL. A CONTROL ARM FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED COULD BE FATAL.*JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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