Component Record

Volkswagen Passat 1998 Steering Problems

58 distinct owners reported a steering problem on the 1998 Volkswagen Passat - 18% of all complaints for this model year.

Recall Coverage58 complaints

58 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system.

Campaigns Covering This System

99V248000Reported September 13, 1999 - 51,900 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the steering system, reported to NHTSA on September 13, 1999. The campaign covers an estimated 51,900 vehicles across all affected models.

Other Systems on This Model Year

Brakes101 Suspension98 Engine46 Visibility32 Electrical System29 Fuel and Propulsion System19

How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.