Replace a Steering Rack on a Volkswagen Passat

Remove the foot panel and disconnect the plugs. Remove the cardan joint. Next, undo the bolts at the track control arms and release the tie rod ends. Locate the mounting bolt. In order to gain access to this, remove the battery as indicated. Below where the battery sits, you can see the bolt. Remove the bolt.

Next locate the bolt as indicated which is located below the brake master cylinder. Remove this. Locate the next bolt as indicated. The car will need to be lifted on the lift to reach this bolt from underneath as shown. Clean the area around the fluid lines and remove them from the steering gear. The steering rack can now be prised out of position and can be removed from within the wheel arch.

Tag the old steering rack with the core return label. Check that the replacement rack is identical to the one removed. Offer up the new steering rack into position through the wheel arch as shown. Bring it into the correct position and tighten the fixing screws to the torque recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

Clean all hydraulic connections and replace port connection sealing rings. Re-fit the fluid lines tightening the fixing with the torque as specified by the vehicle manufacturer. winding the tie rod end onto the tie rod as shown. Fit the tie rod end into the track control arm and ensure that the top of the pin is within 3mm of the top of the track control arm.

Now re-fix bolts and torque to the correct specification in accordance with the instructions from the vehicle manufacturer. Fill the steering system with the appropriate fluid as specified by the vehicle manufacturer, then proceed to flush and bleed the system in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer instructions.

Once this complete, re-fit the road wheels and check the wheel alignment. Stable behaviour of the vehicle can only be guaranteed if the wheels are correctly aligned.