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Streering Rack Leaking?


prix

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After an oil change and fluid replacements and 22 point inspection, was advised that steering rack had a leak and would need to replaced. It's not a crisis situation (they said), but advised taking care of it at some point. Since the diagnosis, I've been checking the power steering fluid levels and I don't appear to be losing fluid. If I am losing fluids, it's really really slowlyl. At the same time of this diagnosis for the steering rack, I was also told I had a valve cover gasket seal leak (which I've since had fixed). Question: How do I verify that I have a steering rack leak? Wouldn't I be seeing power steering fluid loss if I had one? Could they have confused the loss of power steering fluid (which they found when I brought the car in for service) from the valve cover gasket problem with the steering rack? Thoughts? Thanks!

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I was having the same problem with my Infiniti. I do most work myself and wanted to put it off until summer. Everything in MN is a bummer in the witner. So I tried the LUCAS Power Steering Fluid and stop leak. It worked great. It's been a couple of months with no problems or leaks. I will still have to get the work done but work great as a temporary fix.

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Thanks...I was trying to figure out how to verify that this is, in fact, a leak in that area. I guess I'll keep checking the power steering fluid to see if it goes down. Right now, it's not.

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My steering rack also leaks a little. How I could tell was by putting the car up on ramps and looking at the rack. You will notice that part of it appears to be wet with fluid while other parts are dry. Mine only leaks just a little, maybe an occasional drip. Since it costs (i think) about $2K to get it replaced, I think I will wait. I believe it is a really good idea to change the power steering pump, and all hoses at the same time as the rack so as not to contaminate the new rack with the old fluid. Power steering is probably one of the biggest problems facing a Lexus owner. They seem to have repeated problems in this particular area.

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I also have a leak on the driver's side of the rack at the boot. It is a very, very slow leak but enough to get the boot wet at one end. Can these boots be changed easily? I have seen some boot repairs that have a split in the boot so you can reassemble around the rack without dismantling the rack. Does anyone know if any of these split boots are available for the steering rack?

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vbdenny: are you sure about the 2K? i was told it would only be 1K -- this from a lexus specialty shop, not a dealer shop. they said i wouldn't necessarily see the leak because it leaks when the car is in use, on turns, etc., not when it is sitting still. apparently it's not a bad leak. how could it be, if i am not going through ps fluid? i've heard/read that before, that one should replace all to avoid recontamination.

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can anyone post a pic so i can see what we are talking about? what does a rack look like and what does the boot look like? well, if you know of a pic that would work....

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you can rebuilt you rack yourself with the lexus seal kit availabel for 70$ or you can buy a rebuild rack for 300$, it will cost you 2k only if you will go to the dealer and get a brand new progressive power steering system.

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