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How to change front suspension strut on VW Passat B7 saloon – replacement guide

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Important!

This replacement procedure can be used for:
VW Passat Saloon (362) 1.4 TSI, VW Passat Saloon (362) 1.8 TSI, VW Passat Saloon (362) 2.0 TSI, VW Passat Saloon (362) 1.6 TDI, VW Passat Saloon (362) 2.0 TDI 4motion, VW Passat Saloon (362) 2.0 TDI, VW Passat Saloon (362) 2.0 TDI 4motion, VW Passat Saloon (362) 1.4 TSI EcoFuel, VW Passat Saloon (362) 3.6 FSI 4motion, VW Passat Saloon (362) 1.4 TSI MultiFuel, VW Passat Saloon (362) 2.0 TDI, VW Passat Saloon (362) 1.8 TSI, VW Passat Saloon (362) 2.0 TDI, VW Passat Saloon (362) 1.4 TSI, VW Passat Saloon (362) 2.0 TDI 4motion … View more

The steps may slightly vary depending on the car design.

How to change a front shock strut on VW PASSAT B7 Saloon [TUTORIAL AUTODOC]

Alternative products

Shock absorber

Replacement: suspension strut – VW Passat B7 saloon. Tools you need:

                      Wire brush
                    
                      WD-40 spray
                    
                      Brake cleaner 
                    
                      Copper grease 
                    
                      Torque wrench
                    
                      Combination spanner #10
                    
                      Combination spanner #18
                    
                      Drive socket # 13 
                    
                      Drive socket # 16 
                    
                      Drive socket # 18 
                    
                      Drive socket # 21 
                    
                      Drive socket # 22 
                    
                      Drive socket # 27 
                    
                      XZN socket bit # 6
                    
                      XZN socket bit # 14
                    
                      HEX bit No.H7
                    
                      Wheel impact socket #17
                    
                      Ratchet wrench
                    
                      Pin punch
                    
                      Flat chisel
                    
                      Hammer
                    
                      Tap wrench
                    
                      Crow bar
                    
                      Hydraulic strut spring compressor
                    
                      Hydraulic transmission jack
                    
                      Fender cover
                    
                      Wheel chock

Buy tools

Replacement: suspension strut – VW Passat B7 saloon. Tip from AUTODOC experts:

Both shock struts of the front suspension should be replaced simultaneously.
The replacement procedure is identical for the left and right shock struts of the front suspension.
Please note: all work on the car – VW Passat B7 saloon – should be done with the engine switched off.

Carry out replacement in the following order:

Step 1

Open the bonnet.
Step 2

Use a fender protection cover to prevent damaging paintwork and plastic parts of the car.
Step 3

Remove the cowl grille seal.
Step 4

Remove the clips of the plastic cowl grille.
Step 5

Raise the wiper plastic cowl grille.
Step 6

Clean the fasteners of the shock strut upper mount. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 7

Loosen the upper fasteners of the suspension strut. Use a drive socket #13. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 8

Secure the wheels with chocks.

Step 9

Loosen the wheel mounting bolts. Use wheel impact socket #17.
Step 10

Raise the front of the car and secure on supports.
Step 11

Unscrew the wheel bolts.

AUTODOC recommends:
Warning! To avoid injury, hold the wheel while unscrewing the fastening bolts. VW Passat B7 saloon
Step 12

Remove the wheel.
Step 13

Clean all joints of the stabiliser link. Clean the fasteners connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 14

Unscrew the fastener connecting the stabilizer link to the shock strut. Use a drive socket #18. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 15

Remove the stabilizer rod.
Step 16

Clean the brake hose bracket fasteners. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 17

Unscrew the brake hose fastening bracket from the shock strut. Use a combination spanner #10.
Step 18

Loosen the fastener of the driveshaft. Use a drive socket #27. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 19

Remove the fastening bolt.
Step 20

Unscrew the lower fastener connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a drive socket #18. Use XZN #14. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 21

Clean the fasteners connecting the ball joint to the suspension control arm. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 22

Unscrew the fastener connecting the ball joint to the suspension control arm. Use a drive socket #16. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 23

Disconnect the ball joint from the arm. Use a crowbar.
Step 24

Prop up the steering knuckle. Use a hydraulic transmission jack.
Step 25

Detach the driveshaft from the steering knuckle. Use a pin punch. Use a hammer.
Step 26

Remove the fastening bolt.
Step 27

Release the lower fastener connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a flat metal-working chisel. Use a hammer.
Step 28

Disconnect the steering knuckle from the shock absorber strut.
Step 29

Unscrew the upper fasteners of the shock strut.

AUTODOC recommends:
VW Passat B7 saloon – To avoid injury, hold the suspension strut while unscrewing the fastening bolts.
Step 30

Remove the suspension strut.
Step 31

Set the shock absorber strut on the spring compressor tool.

Replacement: suspension strut – VW Passat B7 saloon. Professionals recommend:
Note that when using a spring compressor, spring coils need to be securely gripped, compressing the spring on the opposite sides.Ensure the correct position of the spring in the retainer.Make sure that the spring coils tightly entered the lock handles.
Step 32

Compress the spring.
Step 33

Treat the shock strut rod. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 34

Remove the strut piston rod nut. Use a drive socket #22. Use HEX No.H7. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 35

Remove the top strut mount.
Step 36

Release the coil spring.
Step 37

Remove the spring.
Step 38

Remove the shock absorber dust cap and the bump stop.

AUTODOC recommends:
Replacement: suspension strut – VW Passat B7 saloon. Carefully inspect the mount, the boot, and the bump stop of the shock absorber. Replace if necessary.
Step 39

Remove the old shock absorber from the hydraulic coil spring compressor.

Replacement: suspension strut – VW Passat B7 saloon. AUTODOC recommends:
Before installing a new shock absorber you should pump it manually 3-5 times.
Step 40

Install the new shock absorber on the hydraulic coil spring compressor.
Step 41

Install the spring on the shock absorber.
Step 42

Compress the spring.
Step 43

Install the dust sleeve and the bump stop on the new shock absorber.
Step 44

Install the upper strut mount and the strut mount bearing.
Step 45

Tighten the shock strut piston rod nut. Use a drive socket #21. Use HEX No.H7. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 60 Nm torque.

Replacement: suspension strut – VW Passat B7 saloon. AUTODOC experts recommend:
Check to make sure the spring is positioned correctly. Avoid its misalignment.
Step 46

Treat the shock strut rod. Use copper grease.
Step 47

Decompress the spring.
Step 48

Remove the assembled shock strut.
Step 49

Clean the mounting seats of the shock strut. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 50

Install the shock strut into the wheel arch.
Step 51

Secure the upper fasteners of the shock strut. Do not tighten it.

AUTODOC recommends:
VW Passat B7 saloon – To avoid injury, hold the suspension strut while screwing in the fastening bolts.
Step 52

Clean the mounting seats of the shock strut. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 53

Fix the shock absorber strut on the steering knuckle.
Step 54

Install the fastening bolt.
Step 55

Screw in the fastener that connects the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a drive socket #18. Use XZN #14. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 56

Clean the splines of the drive shaft CV joint. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 57

Remove the support from under the steering knuckle.

AUTODOC recommends:
Replacement: suspension strut – VW Passat B7 saloon. Lower the transmission jack smoothly, without jerks, to avoid damaging components and mechanisms.
Step 58

Install the drive shaft.
Step 59

Clean the ball joint mounting seat. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 60

Attach the ball joint to the control arm.
Step 61

Tighten the fasteners connecting the ball joint to the control arm. Use a drive socket #16. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 60 Nm torque.
Step 62

Tighten the brake hose fastening bracket to the shock strut. Use a combination spanner #10.
Step 63

Tighten the lower fastening of the shock absorber. Use a drive socket #18. Use XZN #14. Use a ratchet wrench. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 70 Nm torque.+90°

AUTODOC recommends:
Important! Be sure to use new fasteners.
Step 64

Clean the mounting seats of the stabiliser link. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 65

Ιnstall the transverse stabilizer link.
Step 66

Tighten the fastener connecting the stabilizer link to the shock strut. Use a combination spanner #18. Use a drive socket #18. Use XZN #6. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 55 Nm torque.
Step 67

Install and tighten the drive shaft bolt. Use a drive socket #27. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 68

Treat all joints of the arm. Treat the shock strut fasteners. Use copper grease.
Step 69

Treat the surface where the brake disc contacts the wheel rim. Use copper grease.
Step 70

Clean the brake disk surface. Use a brake cleaner.

AUTODOC recommends:
Replacement: suspension strut – VW Passat B7 saloon. After applying the spray, wait a few minutes.
Step 71

Install the wheel.

AUTODOC recommends:
Important! Hold the wheel while screwing in the fastening bolts. VW Passat B7 saloon
Step 72

Screw in the wheel bolts. Use wheel impact socket #17.
Step 73

Lower the car.
Step 74

Tighten the bolt connecting the drive shaft to the wheel hub. Use a drive socket #27. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 70 Nm torque.+90°

AUTODOC recommends:
Important! Be sure to use new fasteners.
Step 75

Tighten the wheel bolts using a criss-cross pattern. Use wheel impact socket #17. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 120 Nm torque.
Step 76

Remove the jacks and chocks.
Step 77

Tighten the upper fasteners of the shock strut. Use a drive socket #13. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 15 Nm torque.+90°

AUTODOC recommends:
Important! Be sure to use new fasteners.
Step 78

Treat the fasteners of the shock strut mount. Use copper grease.
Step 79

Install and secure the cowl grille.
Step 80

Install the fasteners of the wiper plastic cowl grille.
Step 81

Install the cowl grille seal.
Step 82

Remove the fender protection cover.
Step 83

Close the hood.

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