I'm pretty frustrated right now. I have a 2004 Silverado 5.3L 1500 LT3 with 204K miles. Got a new engine a few years ago. Just left the dealership after getting routine oil change and tranny service. My "advisor" tells me everything is fine and sends me on my way. I've learned before leaving to always read the inspection report they attach to see if there's anything I need to know about. So...under condition of power steering etc the green OK box is checked, but the tech wrote in "rack leaks". The "advisor" didn't say anything about this and I went back and asked. He "didn't see it" and went to ask the tech. Apparently the rack and pinion boots feel "squishy" like there's PS fluid in them. This means that I "need a new rack and pinion assembly, PS system flush and front end alignment" costing about $1,000. :M If this is all true.. I ask... then why is the green OK box checked and everyone fails to tell me about the need for all this? :h Well.. it doesn't need it right away. So... I ask.. if I don't do this right away.. what happens if this fails? Do I lose my power steering? Well...it gets a little tight. :E A little tight???Ok... I'm thinking it's time for a new dealership since this is not the first time they've neglected to tell me about something the tech noted... and one tech never seems to agree with another one from one time to the next. And this is a large Chevy dealership in this county. Can someone explain to me about "rack leaks" and what the real story might be? And what real costs can I expect? I maintain this truck very well and it is paid for!!!cts

Steering racks can leak for a while before needing to be replaced. Your rack may leak past 300K miles and still be in service albeit leaving a few drops on your garage floor and needing to be topped off with PS fluid from time to time.If you are in a hurry to lighten your wallet by $1000 then by all means be mad and find another dealer to install a new rack ASAP.However I wouldn't be too hard on the current dealership...the tech was just doing his job by noting what he is supposed to note. The adviser is doing his job by keeping your truck safe and helping you prioritize your repair dollars.There are also degrees of leaking, everything in between "the seal was wet" to "there was a puddle on the floor". Just because a leak is starting doesn't mean you need to drop everything and replace the part. The leak will get worse and at some point the rack will need to be replaced. When? depends on how fast the leak progresses.You aren't be in danger of losing your steering per se; if the system leaked dry you would lose the power assist feature, making it very hard to steer but still doable. If you have strong arms you could guide the truck off of the road but you would not be able to drive it far without power steering (unless it was a straight road with no turns LOL).Likely you will notice the leak on the garage floor loooong before you lose enough PS fluid to lose power assist. Seeing as you can buy PS fluid in almost every gas station and parts store, topping it off if necessary will keep it going until you replace it.I think the dealership is on your side....as far as the cost, a remanufactured AC Delco rack is about $300 at Rock Auto. Sometimes these can be a bear to install depending on how/where they are attached. I don't have rack & pinion steering the burb so don't have a basis for comparison.Now that you you know that it is starting to leak, keep an eye on the ground for leaks and also on the PS fluid level. When you're topping more than you like to, then it's time to schedule the repair. Rarely if ever do you see a catastrophic leak on a steering rack where it just dumps the fluid and leaves you stranded. Again, I think your adviser is on your side here. If he wasn't he would have pushed hard to sell you the job as urgent.

I'm not mad at the tech for making the note! I'm upset that my advisor didn't tell me about it! I asked if everything was ok and was told "just fine" and "no problems". It was only when I specifically asked about the techs rack leak note that the advisor went to find out. I'm on the road a lot and really want these guys to tell me about everything!!! Really! This isn't the first time I've had to ask about what the notes meant or gotten conflicting information. That's why I came here to "get the real story". I'm not in any hurry to spend the money... but I do want to be safe. That's my biggest reason for asking. cts

Even "leaks" is not the real story...how much it leaks will determine how soon it needs to replaced. A better tech would have written "slight leak", "leaking badly", "leak forming", etc. Again, I think it's a bit of a reach to assume that you are not safe just because the tech noted a leak. But, if you're not happy with how the advisers treat you then take your business elsewhere, not sure what you;re looking for here.

BurbMan wrote:Even "leaks" is not the real story...how much it leaks will determine how soon it needs to replaced. A better tech would have written "slight leak", "leaking badly", "leak forming", etc. Again, I think it's a bit of a reach to assume that you are not safe just because the tech noted a leak. But, if you're not happy with how the advisers treat you then take your business elsewhere, not sure what you;re looking for here.x2

BurbMan wrote:Even "leaks" is not the real story...how much it leaks will determine how soon it needs to replaced. A better tech would have written "slight leak", "leaking badly", "leak forming", etc. Again, I think it's a bit of a reach to assume that you are not safe just because the tech noted a leak. But, if you're not happy with how the advisers treat you then take your business elsewhere, not sure what you;re looking for here.Well...in the past... some retired techs have pointed out things to look for and have advised to check things out a bit further.. or get a second opinion. You've given me a lot more information than I got at the dealership. I didn't assume I wasn't safe... I just didn't assume that I was because of lack of information. In other states I've had some really outstanding techs who have thoroughly explained issues and have said "fix it now" or this can wait and we'll just watch it. You said it though.. a better tech would have described it. And, I guess that's what I want in the future. A better tech. I haven't been impressed with this place for awhile now... so maybe it's time for me to move on to a different dealer. But...thank you for explaining a bit more about the leak. I've had no problems at all with the steering..no noise, no vibrations.. no visible leaks on the garage floor.. this truck doesn't leak anywhere. Seriously... nothing is dripping anywhere. thankscts

Rack Leaks?? | Good Sam Community

Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
This is the reason why tech's don't want to write or do anything beyond what is exactly written on the service order to do or look at.

Been there, done that. :R
Perrysburg_Dodg
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
Well it must be vehicle thing my DD Chrysler 300 was pumping oil out as fast as I could put it in. Just did a rack on a 2001 Chevy Malibu that did the same exact thing, as fast as they could pour the fluid in it was on the ground! So it must be a Chevy thing too. :B

Turtle am I wrong in what I posted? As a tech do you know what the psi of the power steering pump is. I know when I flushed my trucks system it only took about ten seconds to suck the bucket with 4 quarts in it dry. and the five gallon catch bucket was unable to keep the oil in it. the fluid was coming out so hard that it sprayed fluid out of the bucket. Momma was not very happy about the oil all over the driveway. :R

Don
covetsthesun
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
Well folks...just got home from the second opinion...driving a 2014 Silverado loaner.

Seems that the rack is indeed leaking and the tech was very concerned I not take any long trips. And... tie rods are an issue... and they also recommend a new PS pump.

This dealer is one I used several years ago and had a good relationship with. They're just further than home than the one I have been using since moving back.

They went over the truck with a fine toothed comb and the adviser (same guy I had in 2004) said... If it was my Mom I'd tell her not to take any trips. Ummmm... I'm only 62! Your MOM??:E This guy might be younger than me...but he's still got white hair!

Oh well. So... the wallet is getting lighter. So. It's my birthday weekend...guess I'm getting my truck fixed for my birthday. Not exactly what I had in mind though.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

cts
The_Texan
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
Charlie D. wrote:
The Texan wrote:
For all the retired aircraft mechanics, my hats off to you for keeping me safe for 20+ years that I flew in the Navy. Today, I will NOT fly because the professionals no longer have a say in the maintenance, it is all controlled by the bean counters and the bottom line is the main factor, not passenger safety.

:h You flew for 20 years in the Navy and you are afraid to fly commercially then don't need to tell you the odds of dying in an airplane vs. pulling out of your drive way in your vehicle.
10 years ago Charlie, I would have agreed with you, but NOT today. The maintenance is no longer controlled by the FAA inspectors or the maintenance supervisors. ALL airline actions are controlled by the bean counters and the FAA inspectors are no longer held responsible for their actions. I have personal friends that are A&P or A&I rated and have quit the profession because of this. You should hear the horror stories they are telling about how much cover up there is of plane failures and "deferred" serious maintenance problems. My brother is ATP rated and he will no longer step on a commercial flight unless it is a dire emergency. Take it for what it is worth.
Charlie_D_
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
The Texan wrote:
For all the retired aircraft mechanics, my hats off to you for keeping me safe for 20+ years that I flew in the Navy. Today, I will NOT fly because the professionals no longer have a say in the maintenance, it is all controlled by the bean counters and the bottom line is the main factor, not passenger safety.

:h You flew for 20 years in the Navy and you are afraid to fly commercially then don't need to tell you the odds of dying in an airplane vs. pulling out of your drive way in your vehicle.
BurbMan
Explorer II
Oct 03, 2013
Don, I've never heard of a rack seal blowing out like that, is that a Dodge thing? My experience has been that once they leak they get worse but really don't just let go. What psi does a PS pump run at anyway?
Perrysburg_Dodg
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
Find a real dealer with real techs!!!!

Fist lie: rack and pinion boots feel "squishy" like there's PS fluid in them.
BS the "plastic" boot not rubber on each end of the rack will NEVER hold power steering fluid! There is a small hole to let any fluid leak out.

The boot will never feel squishy. CV boot yes, as they are made from rubber. A rack boot is made from ABS plastic.

Second lie or as lest misinformation: Well.. it doesn't need it right away.
Wrong when the rack starts to leak it is due to a seal starting to fail. At the first sign of a leak the rack needs to be replaced! If not and the seal fails power steering fluid WILL spray out and can be ignited by the exhaust system. Oil can and will burn if spayed onto a hot manifold or catalytic converter.

A small leak will become a larger leak very quickly in the winter due to the viscosity change of the power steering fluid in sub-zero temps.

Again find a real shop, but if your not having to add PS fluid and your not seeing PS fluid on the driveway, you don't have a leak.

Don
Vulcaneer
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
A "squishy" boot does not mean a leak. What that means is...the boot is SQUISHY. Could be squishy from age. Or fatigue. Could be from an oil leak. The tech simply guessed it was a leak. But he obviously didn't really KNOW. He could have loosened the clamp, to see if any oil seeped out. But he didn't. One reason why I like independent mechanics is it is a lot easier to talk to the guy that does the work. Dealers are for warranty work. Service and tech bulletins. Getting OEM parts. Otherwise find a good independent guy.

At this point you don't have a safety problem. You are alerted to a possible maintenance problem. So you need to look for signs of worsening.

Also like it or not...a woman can have a problem getting a good answer. You obviously know whats going on. Some don't. But the dealer didn't try to snow you. They said if you need a new rack, the job costs about $1,000. But the green check box, indicates you don't need it now. But keep an eye on it.

I see no problem with what the dealer told you. The only problem was the tech should have reported the squishy boot. And he should have informed you of all the possibilities. Not just the worse case scenario.
Peg_Leg
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
Embry Riddle, Daytona, great school. Blue stripes under the wing. Niece graduated from there. First class to have Space Architecture helping develop the curriculum.

Planes and trucks, two different things. Trucks shouldn't fly, planes shouldn't pull trailers an occasional banner but like trucks, they need to be properly equipped to do the job.
The_Texan
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
For all the retired aircraft mechanics, my hats off to you for keeping me safe for 20+ years that I flew in the Navy. Today, I will NOT fly because the professionals no longer have a say in the maintenance, it is all controlled by the bean counters and the bottom line is the main factor, not passenger safety.

As far as a "leak" in the rack, we have had a small one in our GM car for 3 years now and it is NOT getting any worse, so my mechanic said to just monitor it and keep driving. The dealer also quoted $1000 to R&R, but the local independent said BS, it would be less than $600 out the door, with OEM parts.

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