Losing control of your vehicle is probably one of the worst things that can happen when you’re driving. Usually, this happens if the components of your steering racks are damaged or faulty.
For example, one of the most common components found in most cars’ steering racks is the rack and pinion. Most mechanics consider this part as the heart of the steering system.
When this component is faulty, it can cause issues with your car and make your steering unreliable
1 Can You Drive with a Broken Steering Rack?
First of all, can you drive with a broken steering rack? This is perhaps one of the most common questions people ask when they notice issues with their steering system.
Well, a lot of experts recommend that you don’t drive your car in this condition. Aside from making your car difficult to steer and handle, you’re also a danger to other drivers on the road.
Keep in mind that if your steering rack is broken, you’ll have a hard time keeping your vehicle in a straight line. The reason for this is that there will be a lot of free play involved.
Because of this, you should avoid driving your car if your steering rack is broken. As much as possible, you need to have it fixed by a professional mechanic first before you can drive it again.
2 What Happens When Your Steering Rack is Broken?
One thing to keep in mind is that steering racks don’t have definitive longevity. Their lifespan greatly depends on the condition of the road, your driving behavior, the model of the car, and the design of the steering rack.
In general, almost every driver will need to replace their steering racks at least once throughout their ownership of the vehicle.
So, what are the common issues with steering racks? Here are some of the things you should know:
(1) Extreme Wobble
This is perhaps one of the most severe steering rack issues that your car can experience. It does not matter what the cause of the steering wobble is. It’s a wise move to avoid driving your vehicle in this condition.
As soon as you notice this problem, contact your car mechanic right away.
Usually, you will experience this problem if your car is using an electric power steering system. Aside from that, this issue is so severe that you’ll need to replace your steering system.
Thus, it is going to cost quite a lot.
(2) Steering Wheel Not Returning
In general, the steering wheel of your car should return to its original position after you turn it. However, if you’ve got a broken steering rack, that won’t be the case.
Keep in mind that it can differ in severity. For instance, a couple of steering wheels still return to their original position. However, it does not feel smooth. On the other hand, other steering wheels might not return at all.
Usually, this issue is quite common in hydraulic power steering systems.
However, a misalignment problem can also be the cause of this problem. On rare occasions, the cause can be a defective control arm.
(3) Tight Steering Wheel
Keep in mind that the purpose of your steering rack is to make steering comfortable and easier. When you steer your vehicle, it should feel effortless.
However, if you’ve got to work hard to turn your steering wheel, then there’s a huge possibility that you are experiencing a steering rack issue.
Both electric and hydraulic power steering systems can experience a tight steering wheel issue. It is worth noting that the steering rack might not be the culprit. Other components that can cause this problem include electronics, motors, steering pumps, and more.
Also, you should know that there are various forms of steering wheel tightness. Because of this, you might feel various severity of tightness in various cases.
For instance, some drivers will experience a tight steering wheel only in one direction. Some drivers report that the tightness will be gone after a couple of minutes and comes back later.
Different forms of steering wheel tightness can indicate failure on various parts. Unfortunately, diagnosing this issue on your own can be extremely difficult.
Because of this, the best thing you can do is to bring your car to a professional mechanic and have a steering rack specialist take a look at it.
(4) Clunking Sound When Turning
Another indication of a steering rack issue is a knocking or clunking noise.
Usually, if you have this problem, you’ll hear a knock below your vehicle. This sound also occurs whenever you turn your vehicle.
So, try to listen to this clunking or knocking sound whenever you turn your steering wheel. Usually, you can hear it close to where your foot rests.
Also, you should not confuse this issue with the rapid clicking sounds that your drive shaft makes whenever you turn your vehicle.
The clunking sound should only occur once and then another knock after several minutes. On several occasions, you can hear the noise again whenever you return the steering wheel to its original position.
If that is the case, you might have a defective steering rack.
(5) Vibration in the Steering Wheel
Do you feel like your steering wheel is vibrating? If so, then you might have a problem with your steering rack.
Typically, you’ll notice this vibration more if you are driving on rough roads. You do not have to drive your car fast to feel the vibration, just normal driving speeds will do.
When it comes to vibrating steering wheels, there are a couple of signs you need to look for. However, the most important indication is the severity of the shake.
A couple of vibrations are simply minor steering wheel shake that you can barely feel. However, there are cases where the vibrations are so strong that you have to hold your steering wheel tight to stop it from moving.
(6) Unresponsive Steering
Try to feel if your vehicle is properly responding to your steering wheel whenever you’re driving on the road.
One of the most common issues steering racks experience is unresponsive steering. This occurs when you slightly turn your steering wheel, but your car still keeps driving straight.
However, some people call this problem “free play”.
The steering wheel will feel extremely light if you’ve got unresponsive steering. It feels like your steering wheel is not connected to your car.
In addition to that, you’ll also notice that your car won’t change direction when you turn the steering wheel.
Aside from being frustrating, this issue can also be extremely dangerous since you can’t make the correct changes to the car’s direction when you need to.
Typically, unresponsive steering is a result of wear and tear on the steering rack. This is not a simple problem that any car owner can fix. It requires a couple of unique tools and a lot of knowledge.
(7) Steering Fluid Leaks
This is perhaps one of the simplest ways to identify a problem with the steering rack. You’ll notice a fluid leaking under your car.
The reason for this is that electric power steering racks don’t use any fluid in their steering systems.
So, how do you know if you’ve got a leak in your steering system?
The best thing you can do is to park your car overnight. Then, in the morning, try to look under your car to see if you find some oil stain on the ground.
However, since your car carries a couple of various fluids, you have to ensure first that the leak is coming from your steering rack.
The easiest way to do this is to take a look at your steering fluid reservoir. If the fluid level is low, then there’s a huge possibility that it’s leaking.
Another thing to consider is the color of the fluid. Steering fluid is usually red or pink.
3 Signs That You’re Driving a Car with a Broken Steering Rack
The things mentioned above are the common issues that you’ll experience with a bad steering rack. However, before these issues happen, there are a couple of signs to look out for.
Keep in mind that these signs are a bit different from the above. These signs usually occur a lot earlier. Thus, if you notice these signs, it’s best to take your car to a mechanic right away before the problem becomes worse.
(1) Burning Oil Smell
One sign to look out for is the smell of burning oil. Because most power steering fluids smell like burning oil, the foul odor of burning oil will be present if you have a hot steering gearbox.
If this happens, make sure you stop your car right away. Then, look for a safe place to park your car and contact your mechanic immediately.
If you keep on driving your car when the gearbox is overheating, it will lead to more expensive damage.
(2) Grinding Sound When Steering
A failing or bad steering rack usually happens if you don’t properly lubricate or service your car. The extreme heat of the car causes metal to contact each other and creates a loud grinding sound whenever you turn right or light.
Usually, you’ll notice this noise if you hit a bump while turning your car at the same time.
Make sure you take your car to a mechanic as soon as you notice this grinding noise whenever you steer your car. Your mechanic will immediately diagnose your vehicle and fix any issue before it becomes worse.
(3) Leaking Power Steering Fluid
Do you notice that your steering is a bit tight? If so, you might have a low-power steering fluid. Keep in mind that this should not be the case unless your steering system is leaking.
Once your vehicle starts to leak power steering fluid, you might have an issue with a broken gasket, loose fitting, or other mechanical problems. Make sure you fix this problem right away.
If you choose to ignore this issue, your steering rack will develop extreme heat that can potentially damage other parts of the steering system.
(4) Very Tight Steering Wheel
Nowadays, almost every steering system uses hydraulic pressure to enable quick and easy steering wheel handling.
Whenever you feel that your steering wheel is tight or it is more difficult to turn than normal, it is usually because of the steering rack accumulating more heat or a loss of hydraulic pressure.
It does not matter what the cause is. This issue will not go away unless you have a mechanic inspect it.
4 How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Steering Rack?
Almost every modern vehicle today uses a power steering rack to make turning comfortable and easy. Without a steering rack, it would be impossible to turn your car at all.
Whenever your engine is running, the power steering is in constant use. Fluid will always circulate throughout the system even if you’re not driving your car.
As time passes by, internal valve failures or fluid leaks can develop and can cause sporadic steering issues.
On a lot of occasions, the power steering rack can last the entire lifespan of your vehicle. Issues with steering racks usually occur in higher-mileage vehicles.
For almost every car, replacing the power steering rack can cost around $800 to $2,000. Oftentimes, it even costs more. This depends on the make and model of your vehicle.
Vehicles that mainly drive in the city might experience more issues due to higher steering use.
5 Do You Need to Replace Your Steering Rack?
It does not matter when or where you drive your car. It is extremely vital to make sure that you can reliably steer your car properly.
If you’ve got a faulty steering rack, it’s important to hire a mechanic for a steering rack repair. This will offer you peace of mind knowing that you can safely drive each time you are on the road.
Driving your vehicle with a steering issue is a safety concern. Aside from endangering yourself and your passengers, you’ll also be a risk to people around you.
6 How Long Does It Take to Replace a Broken Steering Rack?
Most mechanics will usually recommend that you allocate at least 1 day for replacing your steering rack. Keep in mind that removing the broken steering rack and installing a new one can be extremely labor-intensive.
Furthermore, a couple of car models take more time compared to others since the configuration of each vehicle is set up differently. Everything depends on the brand of your car and its model.
Aside from that, you will also have to think about the availability of the mechanic. As much as possible, you should only hire a mechanic that specializes in steering racks. This will help you guarantee that they’re doing the job properly.
Also, your mechanic will have to look for the steering rack components that are compatible with your car’s make and model.
Replacing your broken steering rack can be extremely frustrating. Even if you call yourself a DIY expert, most professionals would recommend you avoid doing it on your own.
The reason for this is that it requires precise skills and unique tools. If you don’t have any of these things, a lot can go wrong with your car. Thus, you might end up making the problem worse.
7 What Should You Check After the Replacement?
Just because the mechanic is done replacing your rack and pinion does not mean you should drive your car right away. There are a couple of things you need to check first.
First of all, examine the steering fluid level of your car. You have to ensure they’re between the recommended level of the car manufacturer.
Most of the time, steering fluid leaks during the replacement process. Of course, your steering rack won’t function properly without the right fluid level.
Aside from that, you also have to ensure that you get a car alignment after replacing your steering rack. Else, you might notice that your car isn’t driving straight.
Most of the time, the alignment of your car will be affected during the replacement process. If you hire a professional mechanic, they will automatically align your car after the replacement process.
However, it’s best to ensure by asking the mechanic whether your car is aligned or not after the steering rack repair process.
8 Conclusion
The steering system of your vehicle is one of the most crucial parts. Without it, you won’t be able to turn your car in the right direction.
When you’re having issues with your steering rack, it’s best to have them fixed right away. Driving a car with a bad steering rack endangers the safety of yourself, your passengers, and other people around you.
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