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Steering rack issue, but no visible leak
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cruciex
New User
Oct 23, 2013, 7:23 PM
Post #1 of 2
(1365 views)
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Steering rack issue, but no visible leak
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Hey everyone,
I got my car a year ago (used). Took it to a mechanic for a check up prior to buying and he told me the boot in the steering rack was full of fluid and this indicated bad seals on my steering rack (or something like that from what I understand). The solution he gave me was replacing the steering rack. He said I could probably go about a year, maybe less, without having to do it right away.
It is now a little more than a year later and I still haven't done it. I'm about to go for seasonal fluid changes right away. I get whining and groaning when turning my wheel on cold start up but after warming up a bit it's fine. There are no visible leaks coming from my vehicle at all.
Here is my question: if the groaning is my power steering fluid needing a fill, then where is the fluid all going if the seals are bad? Is it all sitting in the boot still? I don't know anything about cars and I would really prefer to hold off on replacing a steering rack as long as I can manage because as a university student I have giant holes in my pockets for most of the year. If I could get the money in the summer, I would prefer to replace it then. But I don't want to fret over my car potentially breaking down over winter.
Recommendations?
I have a 2003 Toyota Matrix. It's at almost 155k kilometers.
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nickwarner
Veteran
/ Moderator
Oct 24, 2013, 1:18 AM
Post #2 of 2
(1352 views)
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Re: Steering rack issue, but no visible leak
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: if the groaning is my power steering fluid needing a fill, then where is the fluid all going if the seals are bad?
If the seals are bad, the fluid is obviously going through them and onto the road. Not seeing visible leaks won't mean much, as it only leaks under pressure when you have the engine running and are turning the wheel. Just sitting there parked it won't leave a puddle. The boots he is talking about are accordian-like plastic that basically are there to keep dirt off of the seals which will wreck them very fast. They are not sealed, and the fluid will eventually drip out of them as you go down the road.
The noise you are hearing could mean you are low on fluid, and I while asking for advice is always a good idea I do wonder why you haven't checked the fluid level. You know you have a leak, so you should be keeping an eye on it. If you run the fluid low enough you will damage your pump, and if you think paying for a rack and pinion is expensive try doing a new power steering pump with it as well. Puts big holes in already empty pockets.
If you are low, that would mean this has gone beyond the minor seepage the mechanic told you about when you bought the car. That means the seals are getting worse. In that case, I would change the rack now or risk this breaking on you this winter.
I will warn you ahead of time if you go to the parts store to get some power steering fluid there will be an aisle full of bottles of various additives, and some will be labeled as some form or other of power steering leak stopper, a miracle cure-all that will seal up your leak and make it like new. As tempting as it may be to put it in, do not do it. All leak stop additives come with an unwanted price, as those that do manage to seal small leaks also gum up the whole system in the process and cost you way more money down the road than fixing the problem right in the first place. Under no circumstances should you ever use any sort of leak stop additive in anything. If I had it my way, I'd go cross-country and toss every bottle of that stuff off the shelves and into the dumpster where it belongs.
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