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Originally Posted by poboy
Hello all, I am new to the forum.
I have a 98 Ml-320 that has developed a bad fluid leak in one of the boots on the end of the steering rack. When I called the dealer, they said I would have to replace the whole rack ($1,250). I have seen Boot repair kits ($75)on the net, and I am wondering if I can just replace the boots.
How can I tell if there is something broken inside of the rack, or if there is just a seal broken that is letting the fluid freely pour out of the boot? (I have never seen inside the rack, so I have no idea what is in there.)
Other than the whining when my fluid is too low, the steering system sounds normal.
Thanks for any information,
Po
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I had a whirring noise that came from the power steering system, and one day when I started her up, there was NO power steering at all, and a pool of power steering fluid on the ground.
Opened the hood, and couldn't find any hoses popped off anywhere from the top visual inspection....(I already had the clamps replaced per campaign)
So I had my ML towed to the dealer.
The mechanic let me stand by the car while he diagnosed the leak.
I thought it was baffles, reservoir, etc...
But first he thought it was the power steering hose where it clamps to the power steering pump. But further, more careful diagnosis revealed that it was the steel pipe that connects the power steering pump that feeds the power steering RACK.
He really was great because he didn't just do the first thing that came to mind - he took the time to carefully diagnose and go over with a fine tooth comb to determine the right source.
So what he did was to disconnect the steel pipe from the steering rack (which took enormous strength because of how tight it had been connected) and there were rubber O-rings that had detoriated.
So instead of replacing the entire steering rack which would have been a $2,000 job, he traced it to those little O-rings and replaced them with Neoprene O-rings, put everything back together, and then refilled the fluid, and now everything's great.
WHAT A GUY. I think ownership of these cars/trucks is so dependent on the people working on it....
Always insist that your mechanic do careful diagnosis instead of just swapping out parts!
All in all it was an hour and a half affair...