Power Steering Rack Leaking

yan19454

20 years ago

A few weeks I took my Saturn 2002 for the car dealership for change the oil. After that, I found the oil leak occasionally leak, I suspected the dealer did not tight up something after they changed the oil. I went back to the dealer. They told me my power steering rack leaking. The repair cost $1400. I asked them what is the cause. They could not explain to me. I just feel a lot puzzle. Last year I took my car for oil change, after the change, I found the noise, after that, I have a front frame bent which I have never have a accident, this time I have the power steering wheel rack leak. Which does not have explaination for the reason, too.

Any thought about that ?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

yan19454
Original Author
20 years ago
The dealer said they will monitor the leak and they would not fix right now. I am wondering what serious the problem. My car is 70,000. I hope it did not need to fix until the car retire.
reekola
20 years ago
My power steering was leaking on two of my cars. I think the seals were drying out or shrinking or something. I asked my mechanic what he would do - he said try a PS stop leak product. I put Power Steering Stop Leak fluid in(Lucas brand Stop Leak on one and another name brand PS fluid with stop leak in the other)and both leaks have been stopped for about a year each. Much cheaper than replacing the power steering unit. Not sure if that is your problem, but worth a try in my opinion (but I'm not a mechanic or even close to knowing much about cars!). Others on this site should have better advice. Not sure if that stuff can damage other things or not, but it appears to have worked for my problem (for now, anyway).

Good Luck!
Related Discussions
power steering pump on 98 ford ranger
Q
Comments (3)
The special tool is a puller for the pump pulley, and then the re-installer. The bolts that hold the pump to the bracket are behind the pulley, and the bracket also only has an opening sufficient for the pump shaft to stick through, so no matter what, the pulley has to come off in the car, and then be pressed back on in the car. Yes you can buy the tool, for a cheap version, you'll be spending about $50. For one that will last over many uses, figure about $200. As far as your local small shops not already owning this tool, that directly comes from the very likely possibility that they are underpriced, and therefore have to control expenses to the point that they cannot purchase tools like this. I can only imagine what else they SHOULD be buying in scan tools, DSO's DVOM's, information sources, and above all training. But they have themselves caught in a downward spiral. Seriously, expect them to go out of business fairly soon, and at the same time you can almost be assured that no one will be there to replace them. The reason for that is for someone to be able to get another shop going, they would have to price correctly. Which means not like the two you presently have. Then they will have to struggle through all of the endless times that they will hear "but Henry down the street will do that for half that price". Yea, your in for a rough ride when it comes to keeping your vehicles running.
...See More
Help...lost steering, but why??
Q
Comments (17)
Last year my daughter was driving a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder, transporting her 2 children ages 1 and 3. This was the only vehicle that she owned and drove it for almost 2 years before the incident happened. My daughter totally lost all control of her steering after taking a left from a stop sign on to a main Hwy. She was almost involved in a serious if not fatal collision. Her husband had it towed to the dealership where they could find nothing wrong. They tried re-enacting what happened but still said they found nothing. My daughter refused to set foot in the vehicle with her children and got rid of it. This brings me to this web site today. Last night My mother was driving her 2009 Dodge Caliber to my house to visit me. She had bought the car new off of the lot and had been driving it since. She was waiting at a red light when she noticed an emergency vehicle approaching. Her light turned green and she waited to let the emergency vehicle pass. She said that she tried to give the car gas but it wouldn't move at first. She said that when it finally moved it acted like it wanted to fishtail but yet she hadn't given it too much gas. She was turning left at a major intersection and said the car was uncontrollably steering all over the road. She said it didn't matter which way she turned the wheel it went where it wanted to go. She described it as driving on ice. My mom made it to the median, turned the car off, with hazards on, trying to catch her breath. She was almost at the turn to my neighborhood so she decided to go very slow. She said that it could have been really bad. I believe that something serious is being missed mechanically. The reason that I'm searching for answers now is because it happened to 2 of my family members at different times and in different vehicles. How many more has this happened to or will this happen to? If anyone out there has any information that would help me find out what's causing this please let me know. Thanks
...See More
Steering Problem on Truck
Q
Comments (9)
That's some pretty good information to work from. Let me start with the handling complaint, and work from there. A vehicle drifting to the right could have an alignment issue, a tire issue, or could simply be following the crown of the road. Roads are not flat, they are high in the center to help water run off, or they could be sloped all the way across as in a banked turn. There are specs that have a technician check for just how quickly a vehicle leads to one side. If the lead is less than a given amount, then no repairs are indicated. This is somewhat subjective, but can in fact be proven by an experienced tech. As far as why didn't they start the truck and drive it in? I have that answer right away. I can just hear someone saying, "WE TOLD YOU XXXX WAS LEAKING, WHY DID YOU START THIS UP???" You see sometimes no matter what the tech does, he/she is going to be wrong somehow, to someone. But think about it, if the tech is wrong no matter what they do, then that is not fair and if you were the tech you'd be the first to protest. I don't know what was wrong with the truck, but the fact that it had to be towed, and pushed into the shop suggests the leak was serious, and maybe the truck didn't even run. Turning the wheel without power steering assist is a hard thing to have to do. Ford knows this, and has built the system to be able to do that if necessary. Having to push it into the shop, without the engine running will NOT hurt the steering on the truck. Read this next sentence and stop for a second and think about it before you go on. "I never noticed the truck pulling to the right, before the truck went into the shop last week." Does that sound like your friends current statement? Tell me where in that sentence does it say that the truck did not in fact actually lead to the right before it went into the shop? The answer is, it doesn't. It simply says he didn't notice that it did and in that you are likely to find the greatest explanation of what is going on. Once the truck went in for the last repair, what ever it was. Now your friend is looking at the truck closer and noticed something he does not like. From there it's not a big stretch hor him to assume that turing the steering without the engine running had something to do with this percieved difference. Which brings us to the last part of the post. The steering wheel lock only applies in one position. If you want to test to see if it still works, jack up the front of the truck so both front wheels are off the ground. Now with the keys in your pocket, turn the wheels side to side by hand and see if the column locks.
...See More
Skylights -- my architect is steering me away from them
Q
Comments (24)
In '89 we put a Velux skylite in our kitchen. It has never leaked. However, since then, during our cold Chicago winters, our kitchen has been so cold at times, that we must eat in the dining room or wear jackets. We have added insulation everywhere, in the can lites, walls, ceiling. It never happened before the skylite. We also have a skylite, orig 1960 when house was built, in the warmest room in our house, a windowless interior bathroom. I know this is a lonely position, but natural light is overrated to me. If I had to choose, I'd rather have wall space and enough can lites to do surgery! Generally, I've never had enough time to watch birds/critters/stars. Altho I do love the scenery/nature/water at our Lake Mich beach house. On a dune! Walls of sliders facing the water!
...See More
johndeere
20 years ago
Sounds like there doing damage putting your car on the lift rack to me?Since you have had problems after a oil change?You mention a bent frame thats what gives me the clue.
yan19454
Original Author
20 years ago
I do not know whether it is coincident or something. Anyway I will try the power steering fluid. The leak did not happen every day. It is something related to weather and how big the turn I made. AS reekola stated, seals were drying out or shrinking or something. Thanks.
gary__
20 years ago
1st off, assuming you do need a rack and pinion someday, take it to an independent shop. @ $1400 I bet they were selling you a brand new part. They are rebuildable and typically cost $100 - $250 exchange at an auto parts store. I'd think 1/2 - 1 day labor should cover it. If I'm correct about that the job can be done for 1/2 or less the price you were given.

If it's just a minor leak, you can leave it alone till it becomes a major leak, which could be never. Just check the power steering fluid level every once in a while. That's what I'd do with it anyway. jmo
majorkemba_hotmail_com
15 years ago
If my car, a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix needs has a leak from the rack and pinion, will I see the leak under my car when it is parked? I took my car in for inspection and it failed because they said I had a leak. They showed it to me, but they could have put some liquid on it to make it look like it was leaking. I had to pay them over $1,000 for the repair. They are working on it now, a midas shop in my area. Should I be concerned I am being taken advantage of because I am a woman? I had no issues with my car and did not know of this leak, no symptoms, until they told me it at the time of the inspection.
victoriamcfadden46_yahoo_com
15 years ago
i have a leak when i put power steering fluid in it leaks out they said the silver piece thats on the rack and hose is leakin. can i buy that are i have to buy the hose....
systerb69_hotmail_com
15 years ago
I was told in December 2010 that I had EITHER a power steering pump problem OR a power steering rack/pinion problem, OR both. Together the cost would be $1200. No problems with either until today (late May) when i was told I had a steering rack problem fixable at about $700. I still have no evidence there's a problem. When I was first told i put more power steering fluid in my car and it's stayed full ever since. This tells me that IF I have a leak it's not coming from the reservoir. No oil on the concrete driveway.
What should I do? This is in my 2001 Mercury Villager minivan with 130,000 miles. The service engine soon light has come on, as it has before, but in the past it turned itself back off.

Power Steering Rack Leaking

Comments (8)

yan19454
Original Author

reekola

Related Discussions

johndeere

yan19454
Original Author

gary__

majorkemba_hotmail_com

victoriamcfadden46_yahoo_com

systerb69_hotmail_com

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Power Steering Rack Leaking

Comments (8)

yan19454Original Author

reekola

Related Discussions

johndeere

yan19454Original Author

gary__

majorkemba_hotmail_com

victoriamcfadden46_yahoo_com

systerb69_hotmail_com

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

yan19454
Original Author

yan19454
Original Author