Broken Shock Absorber: Troubleshooting & Repair

@all,

My Passat Variant V6 Syncro (first registered in December 1998), with 192,000 km, is at the workshop to have Eibach shock absorbers installed.

Today, the mechanic called and said they couldn't remove the suspension arm because the screw on the wheel carrier was 'stuck fast.'

Now, a new wheel carrier needs to be installed. A new wheel bearing will also need to be installed in the wheel carrier.

The cost of the materials alone is already about ~ €400.

Is that normal?

What experiences have you had with removing the shock absorbers?

Greetings.
Peter.

Hello, by 'radträger' you probably mean the wheel bearing housing.
Sure, there are always problems. Sometimes it's difficult to remove the top screw that holds the two upper control arms (trailing arm assembly) in the wheel bearing housing, as they tend to become corroded and stuck.
There's a tool for that, which I believe Paschke offers.
Alternatively, you can warm up the casing to help remove the screw.
However, one should proceed carefully, as the material will otherwise become brittle (due to hardening).

I had the exact same problem. The screw was corroded and stuck. I heated the entire assembly with a torch and then carefully tapped it out piece by piece.

First of all, thank you for your responses.

I understand that the screw somehow came loose. I'm also very frustrated that I went to a VW dealership. However, the car is now at the workshop, and there's not much I can do about it right now. I guess I'll just have to 'bite the bullet.'

But it can't be right that you have to pay €400 for the replacement of fully functional parts (wheel carriers, wheel bearings) just because VW has a corrosion problem here, or because the workshop is incompetent.

This screw also needs to be removed if, for example, the driveshaft or the axle boot (another common wear item on the Passat) needs to be replaced.

Is there an internal VW regulation regarding this? Is there any goodwill offered on the parts? Is anything known about this?

Or do I have to accept that at some point the other side might not be released, and then another €400 will be due?

That is not acceptable .

Greetings.
Peter.

@all,

So, this topic is really bothering me (which is probably understandable).

The shock absorbers are now installed.

Since the car was already partially disassembled and I needed the vehicle, there was nothing I could do about 'taking it back.'

The left wheel bearing housing, the left wheel bearing, and the two upper handlebar pieces on the left side were replaced. The cost of materials was approximately €400, and the labor cost was approximately €50.

The handlebars and wheel bearings were in perfect condition.

Allegedly, the screw came out on the right side.

What is the official Volkswagen policy on this matter?

For example, the screw also needs to be loosened when the axle boot is replaced (which happens fairly often on Passats).

It can't be right that when replacing a CV joint boot (in my opinion, less than €100), parts are installed that cost €400.

I can imagine that official VW dealerships wouldn't use a torch to weld the wheel bearing housing. They certainly operate strictly according to factory specifications.

On the other hand, this problem occurs with the Passat, A4, and A6 models as well.

Is there any hope for leniency?
Is the problem with VW or with the workshop?

Greetings.
Peter.