The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TIE RODS OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY ARE PROTECTED ON EACH SIDE BY A SEAL TO PREVENT MOISTURE AND DUST PARTICLES FROM ENTERING THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME TIE ROD SEALS MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY.
The risk
IF MOISTURE AND/OR DUST PARTICLES ENTER THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM, THE SWIVEL BEARING COULD WEAR OVER TIME DIMINISHING THE STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIE RODS.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Audi A4 | 1999 |
| Audi A6 | 1999 |
| Audi A8 | 1999 |
| Volkswagen Passat | 1999 |
Components: STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi A4 | 1999 | 190 | 4 |
| Audi A6 | 1999 | 217 | 9 |
| Audi A8 | 1999 | 9 | 4 |
| Volkswagen Passat | 1999 | 664 | 5 |
Other steering recalls in 2000
45 of the 541 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2000 concerned the steering; VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC filed 204 campaigns in all.
| 00V428000 29 Dec 2000 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
| 00V246111 28 Nov 2000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 00V391000 21 Nov 2000 | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. |
| 01V139001 20 Nov 2000 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
| 00V246310 8 Nov 2000 | FORETRAVEL, INC. |
| 00V246309 2 Nov 2000 | ATHEY PRODUCTS CORP. |
| 00V246108 31 Oct 2000 | E-ONE, INC. |
| 00V341000 24 Oct 2000 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2000