With the engine off and in a quiet garage, turn the steering wheel gently back and forth until you feel resistance. A loose tie-rod joint can make an audible click. The looseness can also be felt if someone's hand is on the ball joint while you do this. But other loose things can do this, including slack steering rack fasteners.

 

ylwagon has sound advice.

Wheel play at 3 and 9 can indicate a few issues.
With tire off the ground:

Loose wheel bearing at 3 and 9 will also show up at 6 and 12. Amount of play or slop will be the same in any direction.

Loose tie rod end, tie rod end ball joint, any of the upper or lower ball joints, upper or lower control arm bushings (but requires a heavy amount of force and is not as easily detected),
slop in the steering rack or loose steering rack bolts will all be detectable at 3 and 9.

The front and rear lower ball joint is hard to detect when the wheel is off the ground because of the geometry of the Passat suspension, with a second person (the person with the better eyesight) watching the lower ball joints while first person grabs the wheel at 3 and 9 and try's to "steer' or force the wheel back and forth, there should be absolutely no movement between the steering knuckle and lower control arm ball joints. If there is movement, the ball joint is bad.
Same as with the upper control arms where the are attached to the steering knuckle and also the tie rod end ball joint.

With tire/wheel off the ground, rapping on the tire with a section of 4x4 wood about 18 inches long works well also, but be careful not to hit your fender! At different locations around the tire where the sidewall and tire tread meet, forcibly(but not swinging like you would a hammer) rap the tire with the piece of wood, if there is an audible clunking noise, something is loose.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have a garage, a helper, or even a level driveway. It's been suggested to me by another member to lower the side onto some measured wooden blocks that would replicate bringing the control arms under load as if driving and then testing for play again. Ball joint play appears to be visible in the video I posted, yes?

The steering rack bolts are actually under the rain cowel and battery? That's crazy high up on the firewall. So different from what I'm used to. So the inner tie rods must really angle down on these cars?

 

The video does not work, at least for me it doesn't. It says video is unavailable.

Correct. The steering rack is under the battery / rain tray cowel. It' actually isn't to bad when the car is on the ground. The tie rod ends are only a few degrees downward at factory ride height.

 

https://youtu.be/zVxjFL47j0U

 

Sorry buddy still no go.

 

Thanks, fixed it. Was set to private for some reason.

 

The video makes it look like the tie rod ends are shot. This would agree it’s the 3 & 9 positions. Checking on the inner tie rod would be easier one you disconnect the tie rod end from the knuckle.

 

While the tie rod end appears to be absolutely shot, there is an awful lot of steering knuckle movement for just that tie rod end. I would checking the rest of control arm ball joints connected to the steering knuckle.

 

Ugh. After watching some Passat tie rod videos on youtube I just know mine is going to be seized.
It looks pretty simple otherwise.

 

Just start PB blasting until the weekend.

And as everyone here says, best would be that you replace the upper and lower joints at the same time, but that can get pricey.

 

I agree with Dave, there is too much movement in the knuckle to be just a TRE. It looks like the knuckle is moving off the rear upper control arm, either due to a bad ball joint or bushing. It can not be seen from the angle the video was taken. .

 

The bolt below the upper ball joint is usually the worst and often will need to be drilled out. The outer TRE where it threads into the inner is the next issue, you can break loose the lock bolt and spray behind it to allow the PB to work in better.

The play to look for is in the upper ball joint and at the opposite end of the upper arms, the bushing where they are bolted to upper plate. The bushing tears over time and can allow the control arm to move, eventually it lets the arm slide against the mounting plate and knock.

 

Replaced the tie-rod end and it seems to have eliminated the play there (visible in the video), but I still have play in the wheel @ 3 and 9 o'clock (sad trumpet).

And unrelated question: I had that side of the car up with a jack stand and wood block against what I thought was the jack point (just behind where that rubber seal can be pulled to let water out). I feel like the floorpan may have dented a bit on the left side? Is it possible it was always slightly rounded on the left foot and I just never noticed? It doesn't look that pushed in underneath, just a bit raised in the cabin.

 

The jack point is right where the plastic flap is on the bottom quarter panel trim. You’re supposed to jack on the metal seam, where the standard jack has a notch to go around the seam. That area is reinforced and wont be bent if you jack with a block of wood.

Regarding play: does it still make a clicking noise? If it does, did you also replace the inner tie rod end?

 

Thanks. Where do I place my jack stands though?

Prior to failing the inspection, there was no indication of anything being wrong aside from a tiny bit of vibration in the steering wheel, which I attributed to the old tires. I did not replace the inner tie rod.

 

Ok, so I doublechecked the raised floor area and it's not as bad as I thought. The passenger's side also has a raised portion toward the right foot. I may still try to hammer the driver's side down a little bit as I think it is at least slightly dented.

View from below:

Good:

Dent:

 

For the front, I place the jack under the subframe "boobs". 2 unpainted metal brackets that connect to the rear of the the subframe.

It will give you room to place the jackstand just inside the seam at the jack locations behind the flap.

 

For the front, I place the jack under the subframe "boobs". 2 unpainted metal brackets that connect to the rear of the the subframe.

View attachment 88789
It will give you room to place the jackstand just inside the seam at the jack locations behind the flap.

Thanks for the visual!

 

Does the strut have to come out to do the upper control arms? I'm going to try seeing if the rack bolts under the battery need tightening first. If that doesn't solve it I'm guessing I have no choice. Will try to post another video.

 

Far easier to change the upper arms with the whole strut assembly out, in my opinion. Actually it is pretty easy; three bolts from the engine compartment, and one bolt holding the shock to the front lower arm.

 

Well, back again. New job/life has been nuts so I have not had time to take care of this. Now I must out of necessity.
Here's some videos. I had ordered 2 upper control arms and soaked that pinch bolt for a week daily with PB Blast but now I'm wondering if the real problem isn't with play in the steering rack itself. I wish I had checked things a little better when I replaced the outer tie rod. Could it be both? I don't see a lot of play in the upper control arms honestly, at least not compared to other videos I've seen onine that show clear internal damage to the ball joint.
Does this mean I have to replace the steering rack to pass inspection? I really hope not. It would be nice to have an idea whether I'd fail again like this. If things can hold off until summer that would be better. Doing the outer tie rod did tighten things up.

 

 

 

The steering rack isn't likely to develop looseness, other than possibly loose rack attachment bolts. One bolt is under the battery in case you want to check tightness of them. Your videos are very short, but seem to me show loose tie rod ends, but especially loose lower ball joints. Have someone, or yourself, put their hand around each ball joint while the steering is moved. You shouldn't feel any movement between the knuckle and control arms.

 

Sorry, kid was complaining about having to hold the phone for me (pulled him away from Fortnite.) First thing I did today was finally check those bolts under the rain tray-Both are super tight. It's definitely not the outer tie rod or ball joint-Those were already replaced back in September and there is no play there. Car hasn't been driven since then.

Should I just roll with that it's the upper control arms? If I can pass inspection like this after only doing the TRE I'll take it. Just not sure if that's a passable amount of play as is.

 

Did you remove the tie rod from the steering knuckle and wiggle it? That may isolate the TR problem.

Like PZ stated, I would also inspect the upper control arm bushings and ball joints.

Finally, the lower control arms ball joints.

These three points are the ones with which the steering knuckle is pivoted.

(And, the wheel hub. Learned it the hard way!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

It does look like play in the steering, but the next logical place to consider is the inner tie rods.

The job is straightwforward, although the inner boot clamp is a pain due to access. You can get a loaner crows-foot tool from advance.

 

check your steering box mounts up in battery tray area,they I believe have been known to loosen up,just a thought

 

Thanks guys. I guess I will pop out the outer tie rod ball joint then. To test I'm looking for directional play going in and out right? Pull on the outer tie rod and it shouldn't budge then? If it does, bad inner tie rod?