steering knocking

[v6tdi]

hi all,

I have started to get a knocking from the steering on my 2000 passat 2.5l tdi it is coming from around the bulk head area by the rack, i do not now if its the universal joint on the base of the column or the rack itself is at fault.
I have checked the rod ends etc all are fine also there is no play in the rack any ideas welcome.

Thanks

[vwtdi130pd]

noise from dash just at lower end of window thats what mine was changed all of the arms just to finde this out:zx11:

[v6tdi]

Find what out, was it the rack or the coupling?

[snapdragon]

Can you feel the knocking through the steering? I can each winter, but it goes in summer. :confused:

[v6tdi]

No not really its more through the floor pan, it only started about a month ago its more noticable if you rock the steering from side to side when stationary its definatley coming from the rack area. At the week end i think i will disconnect the n/s track rod and then the o/s to see if its a certain side of the rack, i suppose if the knocking is still there with the rod ends off there is a good chance its the steering coupling?

[muddy]

No not really its more through the floor pan, it only started about a month ago its more noticable if you rock the steering from side to side when stationary its definatley coming from the rack area. At the week end i think i will disconnect the n/s track rod and then the o/s to see if its a certain side of the rack, i suppose if the knocking is still there with the rod ends off there is a good chance its the steering coupling?

With both rod ends off there will be no load on the rack so you may not be able to reproduce the noise anyway.

A tiny amount of play in a track rod end OR a lower wishbone balljoint (both in my car ..... due to be changed this weekend) will produce an extraordinary amount of noise in what is otherwise a very quiet car.

What sort of mileage has the car done?

If you get someone else to gently rock the steering wheel from side to side as you lie on the ground and reach behind the front wheel you should be able to feel the free play in either joint.
Don't jack the car up by the way, do it in the normal position with the steering set straight ahead.

[v6tdi]

The car has covered 146000, i have already had my hands on the rod ends nothing there, as mentioned earlier its definatly coming from towards the centre of the rack itself. When i check it at the weekend i will remove one side at a time thus leaving some load on the steering.

[v6tdi]

Just an update on this issue i had, After purchasing a recon rack as i found wear in the rack bushes and there was a small amount of oil present in the boot, i then spent a day changing it in the freezing cold not such a bad job then went on a road test only to find out that the knocking was still there on cornering GUTTED:mad:

I then read on some other posts and on youtube about the dash board clips, so i went to wickes and spent 62p on some foam pipe insulation and stuffed it between the windscreen and dashboard as a last resort and this cured the knocking. I suppose you shout never rule out the simple things.

If any one requires a recon rack i used a local remanufacturer and got it for £120 with 12 mnths warrenty.

[vwtdi130pd]

told you iv fixed this on 3 passats now and cracked the windscreen when doing one of them!

[hillpassat]

hi all,

I have started to get a knocking from the steering on my 2000 passat 2.5l tdi it is coming from around the bulk head area by the rack, i do not now if its the universal joint on the base of the column or the rack itself is at fault.
I have checked the rod ends etc all are fine also there is no play in the rack any ideas welcome.

Thanks


i had a knocking from front near side when the wheel was locked to the right, i had the CV Joint replaced and no more knocking, might not be the same problem you have but worth a look

[v6tdi]

Thanks mate but i fixed this over a month ago now, it turned out to be the dashboard clips after fitting new rack ball joints etc.

[vwturbo]

hillpassat which cv joint did you replace

[djmx5]

" it turned out to be the dashboard clips"

?? Can someone please explain how to locate these?

Thanks
D

[dadots]

I have the same symptoms on a 2000 v6tdi with 110k. Have been told the rack moves when you rock the steering. Puzzled how dashboard clips may be related to this noise. Any clues please as quoted repairs are nearly value of the car.

[dadots]

All sorted now, 2 of the 3 bolts holding the rack on had worked loose. Wonder if this will happen more and more as you spend more time driving over speedbumps.