A failing steering rack can leave your Vauxhall feeling unsafe, but the early signs of failure can be easily missed.
Fluid Leaks Along the Rack Body
A leak from the steering rack is rarely a neat leak from a single hole. More commonly the fluid will leak out along the length of the rack body as a greasy smear. This leak can get worse as the power steering fluid level in the reservoir continues to drop, although the leak itself is likely to be from a split gaiter or worn seal on the rack itself.
Clunking Noise on Full Lock
A failing steering rack can cause a lot of problems for your Vauxhall, but some of the symptoms can be misdiagnosed at first. For example, a clunking or knocking sound when turning the wheel to full lock could be caused by wear in the rack tie rods. The sound will often be worse on one side than the other and will get worse as the play in the rack increases. Eventually the play will increase so much that the steering will become loose and feel vague.
Steering Wheel Sits Off-Centre
Also on some occasions the steering wheel can be off centre whilst driving straight on the road. This can be caused by the rack having moved out of centre. At first this can be thought to be a problem with the cars tracking but if new tracking settings are set to the front wheels the problem will not be cured and the problem will lie with the steering rack. See also vauxhall steering racks.
Heavy or Inconsistent Steering Feel
Steering heavy on one side, then suddenly becoming light and stiff on another can be a sign of wear to the internal seals within the steering rack. This problem can develop very slowly and many drivers will have become accustomed to the increasing difficulty of steering before realising the full extent of the problem.
Visible Play at the Rack
If the car is stationary on the level and the front wheels are on the ground, turn the steering wheel through a small angle and check that there is immediate movement at the ends of the rack. Any lag or slack in the rack ends may indicate worn bushes or worn ends on the tie rod(s).
These are early warning signs and avoid a potentially serious MOT failure as well as avoiding a potentially dangerous situation when driving a faulty steering rack on a Vauxhall car.
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