The most important part of every vehicle is the wheels, but above that steering is something that controls them. Vehicles are very good, very helpful when they remain in control, otherwise, an uncontrollable vehicle is the most dangerous one. There is a part called a power steering rack that actually controls the movement of wheels. If it gets damaged you won’t be able to control the wheels properly, and it is something that you should not ignore. Here is the complete information about power steering rack replacement and repair costs.
Importance of Power Steering Rack Replacement And Repair
It doesn’t matter where you go, if you are fully reliant on your car, and have complete faith in it. Then only you can enjoy your journey. Suppose you haven’t replaced the power steering rack in recent times, and all of a sudden, your car’s rack fails. That is something you don’t want. That is why it is very important to check if the power steering rack has faults or not. If you visit an auto body repair shop at the regular time interval then the mechanic will let you know whether a replacement or repair needs to be done or not.
Also, it is very important to check for safety issues. Because power steering racks also perform a very big role in your safety. If the power steering racks start functioning in improper ways, then it might happen that you can’t turn your vehicle in a proper way. That can lead to an accident or road rage also.
Symptoms of faulty Power Steering Rack
If the power steering rack becomes faulty, it would be very hard to control the vehicle properly. Therefore, try not to ignore the symptoms and signs of faulty power steering racks. Some common symptoms of faulty steering racks are:
When the power steering racks get damaged you’ll notice that it’ll be very hard to turn the vehicle. And while turning you may hear some grumpy sound from the hood of the car. Your car’s steering will feel harder to turn and you’ll notice that even if you’re giving adequate turns to your steering. You will notice that still after proper steering your car’s wheels are not turning that much. It is a sign of a faulty power steering rack.
The next symptom is that you will notice fluids coming out from the hood of the car. This can happen because of the valve failure of the power steering racks. Because of the continuous working process of the fluids inside the power steering racks, the fluids become old, or the containers and pipes in which the fluid runs while the engine is running. Sometimes they become loose and start sputtering fluid outside. Well,’ you have to check properly whether the fluid is coming out of the power steering rack or not. Because there are several parts inside the hood that actually works on the fluid system.
Most of the cars are now come fitted with sensors and indicators. That helps in recognizing the faults and also what part of the car is not working properly. The happens with the power steering racks fluid indicators. Most modern cars have this indicator in which you can see the level of power steering fluids. If you see that the indicator shows a low fluid level, then it’s time to replace the power steering rack’s fluid.
Power Steering Racks Repair Cost
Mostly it happens that lots of power steering racks issues need replacement. But if you are lucky, and the damage in the power steering rack is repairable. Then, the repairing cost of the damaged power steering rack will come around between $50- $250.
In some cases like, your power steering’s fluid is leaking because of the faulty valves and pipes, then you can easily replace your steering’s valves and pipes and then again fill it with the new fluids. Generally, it is not very much costly, but if you choose some high-quality valves and pipes, which are recommended, then the price might go high.
Also, the labor cost of repairing the damaged parts can affect the total cost of the power steering rack repair cost. However, the repair labor cost is much higher than the replacement cost. Because in repair, the labor has to fix the damaged part, but in replacement, the labor only has to take out the entire damaged part and replace it with the new parts.
The repairing cost also depends upon the make and type of car you own.
Power Steering Rack Replacement Cost
The replacement cost of the power steering rack is dependent on many factors. But the most important fact that fluctuates the total cost of replacing the power steering rack, is the model and type of the car. The time that is consumed by the labor while changing the old parts of a steering rack depends on the make of the car. Because some cars have complex designs and some have the easiest ones.
The average cost of replacing the power steering rack comes around $600-$1300. The labor itself will cost you around $250-$500 and the rest is the cost of the parts which has to be replaced.
If you own some high-end cars or some supercars, then probably you’ll have to pay some extra cash for it. Because the high-end cars and supercars have high material used and high-quality products used in it. Therefore you can’t just replace the damaged rack with just any cheap and unauthorized product.
Conclusion
It is very important to keep a check on every part of the vehicle, whether it plays an important whether not. Every part should be checked properly and at a certain period of time which is recommended, especially, the brakes, steering, wheels, and their parts too. Power steering racks are one of the most important parts of the vehicle because it helps you to keep your car in control. That is why keeping this item in check is a must-do.
