gazthecab Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 Yesterday I noticed a "knock" or "rattle" coming from the n/s/f, jacked up the car....no discernible movement up/down, top/bottom, side to side on the wheel. Took a hefty screwdriver and tried levering joints etc.....the only place I could find any movement was the inner bush on the lower arm, upwards and sideways, but I have no idea what movement is permissible (i would have thought not a lot). Is this the common fault on the Passat?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snipper Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 not a snapped spring is it .... i had that it was about 2" off the end broke and rattled now and then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulkbear Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 Sounds like one of the suspenion arms ball joint is worn, have it checked out at your local dealer as they may do it under "good will" as it looks as if your 3 year warranty is just out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20valver Posted January 21, 2006 Report Share Posted January 21, 2006 I agree with Mulkbear, I seam to have to change the lower arms on my passat every 20k or so. Could be any of the arms, it's like an octopus under there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazthecab Posted January 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 I couldn't agree more, came home last night and threw it up in the air again, still can't find anything amiss, it sounded like the wheel was going to fall off, just like theres something loose there, but then the noise disappeared and is now intermittent doesn't do it at higher speeds. The car has a dodgy cv joint so when it goes in for that they can check out the suspension. Thanks for the comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugboy Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 My knocking noise was traced to the near side bolt on the steering rack being loose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazthecab Posted January 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 Called in at the local indie and booked it in for 2 weeks time, but judging by the racket this p.m I may have to take it somewhere else. They did say about £80 per arm plus fitting of course. Not impressed at all. Any one bought any off ebay?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugboy Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 Dont buy a cheap one off ebay. When I looked I noticed that sellers were listing items right across the VAG range, yet when you check an online parts supplier they have different numbers. I wouldn't risk it. I know that on the 205 you get what you pay for and some of the pattern parts only last a year or so - thats on a much lighter car, but they are driven hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Dont buy a cheap one off ebay. When I looked I noticed that sellers were listing items right across the VAG range, yet when you check an online parts supplier they have different numbers. I wouldn't risk it. I know that on the 205 you get what you pay for and some of the pattern parts only last a year or so - thats on a much lighter car, but they are driven hard. [/ QUOTE ] yeah, i was the same. Had steering racks and front bushes replaced several times on my fiesta. Lot of crap parts you get these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazthecab Posted February 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 I decided to put the car in for a service with instructions to check for anything causing this "rattle". Central VW Ellesmere Port serviced the car, the only thing they found on the suspension side was a small amount of play in the o/s/f lower ball joint (booked in for replacement). However the racket when going down some of Chesters cobbled streets is horrendous, it is actually worse when you lightly depress the brake pedal, sounds like the whole front end is loose, the steering sems to have gained a slight "wander" or what we used to call "white lining". Today it went into ATS for a check, I stood there and watched, again they confirmed the Slight play in the ball joint..........other than that.......NADA, they also checked the tracking....spot on the guy said. I have 2 other symptoms,there is some "patter" from the n/s/f when running on poor surface (indicates to me that the shock is not too good although it bounces fine), and also if you run in 4th gear and let the car slow until the engine is starting to struggle then depress the braKE pedal there is a significant clunking form I beleive the n/s/f could be an inner C.V joint I suppose. So I reckon its either shocks causing the racket, or a drive shaft any suggestions greatfully appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meriafel Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Know it sounds obvious but have you checked the front pads for the noise problem and the 'C' link on the roll bar? Some are rubber bushed and others are ball-jointed. My wife has just mumbled 'cotter pins' but she knows bugger-all. Surprisingly we did have a sheared front wheel cotter-pin through Portuguese cobbles in a Cooper S in the 70's! It was a normal to replace every 3k miles over there for that reason so she seems to know more than I do! She says "keep off the cobbles"!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meriafel Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 She says does it have a cotter pin? Well, have you checked the driveshaft/hub centre bolt for tightness as it should always be renewed, has a high torque setting and should it come loose it would cause all of your symptoms! It would be funny if she was right! Worth a look! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazthecab Posted February 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 Cheers for that, no play in anti roll bar mounts/links and I have put a set of Ferodo pads in this morning to replace the Q.H set that were in there.......£41.13. I shall know tonight if this has cured it (doubtful). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugboy Posted February 19, 2006 Report Share Posted February 19, 2006 Like I said before get them to check your steering rack as mine had a similar fault. I found a specialist to do the work on mine as I cant afford the main dealer rates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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