What Happens When Rack and Pinion Goes Out?

Apart from being hit by another car or crashing into the ditch or a tree, one of the worst things to experience while driving is to lose steering assist or for your steering to become unpredictable.

You depend on your steering system’s rack and pinion for all steering maneuvers. The steering rack is firmly mounted to the car body or frame, with the pinion connected to the steering column through a couple of small universal joints.

The rack is connected at both ends to the spindles by the way of the tie rods. On hydraulic steering equipped vehicles, the power steering pump provides over 1,000 pounds of pressure to the steering rack for steering assist.

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

Pro Tip: If you have hydraulic rack and pinion steering, the power steering pump needs to be in good working order and full of clean fluid. The rack needs to remain firmly attached to the body or frame. This is also true if you have rack and pinion with no power steering at all.

Here are some of the symptoms you can observe if the rack and pinion goes out:

Loose or Tight Steering

A loose or malfunctioning rack can cause your steering to be somewhat squirrelly and unpredictable. If in the steering column one of the u-joints wears out or gets tight, it can also affect the steering negatively in a way that may be hard to describe when it happens.

Fluid from the Steering Rack Leak

Another symptom is a leaking steering fluid. If you notice that you have to constantly top off your steering fluid, chances are, it is dripping at the wrong places (check the ground for traces). Remember not to confuse the steering fluid with other fluids in your car. It’s the one that’s pinkish red.

Tires Wobble

Do you suspect your steering column to be getting out of alignment? That’s one more indicator of a steering system gone bad. When this happens, tire control will be rough, resulting in shaky wheels and uneven wear and tear on the tires themselves.

Noises

Usually, the steering wheel will make noises when something’s wrong it. When you turn it and you hear clunking, grinding, or thudding, that could mean your steering components are starting to get loose.

If you encounter most of the above situations, it’s a must for you to go to your trusted mechanic and have your vehicle checked immediately. Again, it is not advised to continue driving with faulty rack and pinion. Your best option is to replace them.

The average cost of replacement parts is between $700 and $2,000. Meanwhile, rack and pinion labor cost is estimated at $200, which can go up to $500, which means your expenses will surely soar!

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

Pro Tip: If you replace the steering rack yourself, lock the steering wheel at the center position before removing the rack and make sure the rack is centered before reinstalling it. If you don’t center the steering wheel first and make sure the rack is centered before installing it, you can destroy the spiral airbag “clockspring” under the steering wheel, which will be an added expense.