# 2019 Atlas - Steering Rack Replaced!



## AtlasAviator (May 21, 2019)

Purchased a 2019 Atlas SEL Premium w/4Motion on May 15. Had the car 32 days and started getting a noise when turning the steering wheel. Took it to the dealer and without really look said it needed a new steering rack. 3 1/2 weeks later, still in the shop. Anyone had their steering rack replaced?


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## Justin7983 (Nov 18, 2008)

AtlasAviator said:


> Purchased a 2019 Atlas SEL Premium w/4Motion on May 15. Had the car 32 days and started getting a noise when turning the steering wheel. Took it to the dealer and without really look said it needed a new steering rack. 3 1/2 weeks later, still in the shop. Anyone had their steering rack replaced?


What kind of noise?


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## Hetletco (May 15, 2018)

AtlasAviator said:


> Purchased a 2019 Atlas SEL Premium w/4Motion on May 15. Had the car 32 days and started getting a noise when turning the steering wheel. Took it to the dealer and without really look said it needed a new steering rack. 3 1/2 weeks later, still in the shop. Anyone had their steering rack replaced?


I had a noise in the steering column area of a 2019 SEL, dealer replaced clock spring and said it was fixed but the noise was still there. Brought it back, they again said it was the clock spring. They found a 2018 on their lot that made the same noise and a 2019 that did not. They ordered a new clock spring and it took a few weeks for it to come in, but so far sounds much better now.


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## AtlasAviator (May 21, 2019)

You would get a single knock when you started to move the wheel.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

AtlasAviator said:


> .....3 1/2 weeks later, still in the shop.....


Why did you leave the vehicle with them if they don't have the parts?


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## JKaruzas (Dec 5, 2007)

*Mine too...*

I am shocked that this is literally the only thread that shows up when I search for "steering rack". on all the Facebook group pages there are TONS of people dealing with this issue. 

I have a 2020 CS SEL R-Line with about 1500 miles and the creaking started showing up in the past week. 

OP - I assume you finally got your replaced. How has it been afterward? Issue resolved?


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

same issue here, but I kept my car while the part was ordered. I will get a new Tiguan as a free loaner when they do the work.


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## Misio9 (Sep 23, 2019)

JKaruzas said:


> I am shocked that this is literally the only thread that shows up when I search for "steering rack". on all the Facebook group pages there are TONS of people dealing with this issue.
> 
> I have a 2020 CS SEL R-Line with about 1500 miles and the creaking started showing up in the past week.
> 
> OP - I assume you finally got your replaced. How has it been afterward? Issue resolved?


I just got mine replaced like two weeks ago and no problems since then. Mine was bad from the very beginning literally l noticed it few days after I purchased my brand new 2019 Atlas. At 6500 miles it was really bad but was told by the dealer that it's safe to drive as I was waiting like three weeks for the part to arrive.


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## JKaruzas (Dec 5, 2007)

Misio9 said:


> I just got mine replaced like two weeks ago and no problems since then. Mine was bad from the very beginning literally l noticed it few days after I purchased my brand new 2019 Atlas. At 6500 miles it was really bad but was told by the dealer that it's safe to drive as I was waiting like three weeks for the part to arrive.


I thought I heard the sound very early on in ownership as well (I'm only at about 1,500 miles now...), but initially thought it was just the tires rubbing on the concrete in my garage. Then started seeing all the FB group posts and listened to it again to verify it wasn't the tires.


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## cptcaveman (May 24, 2016)

I recently took my 2019 FWD in for the same issue (2500 miles on the clock). The dealer replaced the steering gear assembly. So far it has been a little over a week with no issues.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

its been about 3 weeks since the dealer said I needed a new rack. no idea when parts will arrive, but I swear the clock spring has ALSO became noisy in the meantime.


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## SixEVANeight (Mar 17, 2019)

Justin7983 said:


> What kind of noise?


I second this? Can someone describe the sound? I noticed a slight almost creaking noise in the column when in a drive thru but it sounds like it is an internal issue and not mechanical like underneath the vehicle. Took the Atlas in for a few other things and the dealer checked it out but said it wasnt anything but they thought they heard something as well. I can say I do not hear it all the time myself, it comes and goes.


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## Misio9 (Sep 23, 2019)

I would say clicking/cracking noise that at some point I was able to feel through the steering wheel. But definitely it's coming from steering wheel column but more like from engine bay compartment rather then inside the cabin.


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## terence23 (Aug 19, 2020)

AtlasAviator said:


> Purchased a 2019 Atlas SEL Premium w/4Motion on May 15. Had the car 32 days and started getting a noise when turning the steering wheel. Took it to the dealer and without really look said it needed a new steering rack. 3 1/2 weeks later, still in the shop. Anyone had their steering rack replaced?


I’m still waiting for the replacement parts . VW needs to address this issue and place it on recall bulletin!


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## *DesertFox* (Sep 26, 2017)

terence23 said:


> I’m still waiting for the replacement parts . VW needs to address this issue and place it on recall bulletin!


I don't have the problem. Why a recall? Is it dangerous? Are you driving your Atlas while waiting for the part?


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

That's a fair statement. I can assure you the noise is not right. Steering rack problems are not like a random rattle in the dash. A bad rack can cause death pretty quickly. I would like to know what exactly causes the noise, but I can promise you it is NOT normal.


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## cptcaveman (May 24, 2016)

Mine was like how Misio9 described and was in the engine compartment.  I could hear a sort of griding/rubbing sound when turning the wheels when parked or a clunk type sound when driving at very very slow speeds like idling through a parking lot. Hard for me to explain over text. 
I don't have enough posts yet to post links or images here, but if you search youtube for "vw atlas steering noise" there is a video named "Brand new 2019 VW Atlas steering noise" which described mine to the T. I even used it when setting up my appt with the dealer. The video is not mine nor is that my Atlas in the video.


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## gti_addict (Nov 22, 2000)

terence23 said:


> VW needs to address this issue and place it on recall bulletin!


The problem with that statement is that so far it sounds like the not everyone is having the same problem or at least it's described differently. I just googled "VW Atlas steering noise" and there are a lot of people that all describe different issues. Some say turning the wheel without moving, some only when driving slowly, others say just a noise.

Then you have which part is at fault, some replace steering rack, some the clock spring etc. Without a clear definitive "this part is known to fail in this scenario" how do you expect a global recall or even a TSB if each individual has their own solution.

Now if the rack itself is in fact the cause and can be proven that it has X potential to fail then of course VW would recall them to have them fixed. They've never been shy about recalling a part if has the potential to go bad, so it's not like they're just ignoring everyone.


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## Chuck_IV (May 21, 2020)

We have a 2019 S. We got it will 800 miles on it in May and have 3600 on it now(damn pandemic) and so far our steering is fine. No noises or anything else like that. Was there a specific mileage when you started noticing the noise?

I’m also curious of those that have the issue, do you keep it in normal steering mode or sport? Wondering if that has something to do with it(I have not noticed any noise in sport either btw).


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

speed51133! said:


> its been about 3 weeks since the dealer said I needed a new rack. no idea when parts will arrive, but I swear the clock spring has ALSO became noisy in the meantime.


UPDATE

The dealer has had my car since last week Wednesday. It is SUPPOSED to get finished today by 5pm, but they close at 5. We will see.... 

Note, they ordered the parts and they arrived BEFORE I brought in the car. My loaner was a base Jetta, no Tiguans available  .

They ended up replacing the steering rack AND the clock spring.


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## speed51133! (Aug 5, 2002)

well, got the car back today. they told me they had to reprogram the ACC, lane assist, etc. VW's online server was down so they had a hard time getting the programming done. After I got in the car and got on the highway I noticed the lane assist is totally out of calibration. WHen I am in the center of the lane the car is pulling me to the left. It wants me to be just about riding the line on the left. SOOO....it is going back to the dealer tomorrow at 8am. No loaner available.


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## UmiZumi (Feb 13, 2020)

AtlasAviator said:


> Purchased a 2019 Atlas SEL Premium w/4Motion on May 15. Had the car 32 days and started getting a noise when turning the steering wheel. Took it to the dealer and without really look said it needed a new steering rack. 3 1/2 weeks later, still in the shop. Anyone had their steering rack replaced?


I just had mine replaced on my 2019 SE R-Line this week. The noise was gone but the alignment was off! The steering wheel required me to keep it more then slightly to the right otherwise the car went left if I centered the steering wheel. Brought the car right back to the dealer 5 minutes later. Then had to deal with them telling me that they did do an alignment as is required when the steering rack is replaced and they just looked at me waiting for me to just say “Ok thanks”. Well I told them then your Quality Assurance needs some work....so now waiting to see how this turns out.


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## Misio9 (Sep 23, 2019)

Got my steering rack replaced two months ago and taking my car back to the dealer on Monday due to the same noise issue that started to happen week after repair.


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