Passat 3B: Steering Rack Replacement Experience

On the Passat 3B5, after almost 11 years and 260,000 km, it was no longer possible to adjust the play in the steering without increasing the internal damping so much that the steering would no longer return to center on its own during driving. After searching for some time, I found a new original steering rack from a warehouse clearance sale for €300 instead of approximately €700 at . Last weekend, I started working on it.
The steering rack on the Passat 3B (likely also applies to the 3BG and A4/A6 - it seems even worse on all-wheel drive models) is the most difficult part to access! Replacing it was a real pain. One screw needs to be inserted from below, behind the steering rack – you need to use a large mirror to see into the engine compartment, then good luck! Another problem are the two hydraulic lines. I thought that after loosening them, the worst would be over – far from it; it took almost two hours and countless curses before I managed to reconnect the lines. Whoever designed this should be forced to replace one of these every day as punishment.
Before installation, I used two adhesive strips on the steering wheel and steering column cover during a drive in the center lane of a three-lane highway to determine the straight-ahead position of the steering. Then, using a sturdy steel ruler against fixed points on the bodywork, I measured and adjusted the new steering rack, centering it and aligning the steering wheel with the marked position, to match those measurements. I recently had the alignment checked, and only one tie rod needed to be adjusted by half a turn for the tracking to be correct. The driving feel is really good now; the gas-filled shock absorbers have approximately 20,000 km on them, and all front axle components were replaced at the same time. The car drives smoothly; it was quite unstable before.

Yes, replacing the steering rack on a 3B is almost as bad as a day at the quarry. What surprises me is why it was so worn out after "only" 260,000 km? I have many customers with 3B, 3BG, A4, and A6 vehicles who have driven well over 300,000 km, some even exceeding 400,000 km, and still have the original steering rack. They are actually extremely durable. So far, I've only had to replace one on a 3BG, but that was also because it was damaged in an accident.

The steering system wasn't completely broken, but the car had become too unstable for me, especially on rough roads and in windy conditions. Maybe I'm just a perfectionist, but it started to annoy me. Some other people might have continued driving like that for a long time. Also, nothing was mentioned during the technical inspection. Now, it drives wonderfully smoothly.

Best regards, Jürgen.