There is a leak on the power steering rack. The seal where the rubber boot meets the metal shaft is where it looks like it's leaking. On average, how much would a typical garage charge for such a repair? Is the repair simple? If I could reach it I would try to tighten the clasp. Or install one of those claps rings that need a screwdriver to make it as tight as one would want.
You have a seal inside your rack leaking. Those boots are there to keep the dirt out, not to keep the oil in
Need a new rack/pinion
What causes these seals to go bad on someones car with 75,000 miles that was meticulously maintained?
Can cold weather start ups/driving cause something like this? i.e. Minnesota @ -5 degrees...
Poor design, inferior materials, uncaring UAW workers.
Get a Toyota!
You are so full of shit. Toyota is hardly strong in that area. A friend of mine with a camry in Minnesota had the steering rack fail once the boot tore away as she was parking it. If you read the book "Lemon Aid" there are other models of Toy's on there that have that same problem of steering racks leaking prematurely far before 75,000 miles.
Not to mention all the other glitches like the infamous V6 oil sludge problem on all V6 Toys. The newer V6 5speed auto set up even used in Toys Lexus line "drive by wire" has a serious flaw that toyota still can not correct with any software update in the world.
For those of us living on the sun belt. Toyota hardly offers an A/C pump that works sufficiently enough. And so said owners have to suffer or readapt to inadequate A/C each summer. GM takes all the credit in using the best most powerful/efficient A/C compressors.
Toyotas are hardly the brand to turn to for reliability. Plus the only jap car I would ever consider driving is a Subaru. Only the best all wheel drive system on earth with the horizontaly opposed 4 banger.
As for now, Ford makes the most reliable American cars out there.
Not to mention the problem toyota has been having with it's Prius. The smaller battery would rapidly loose it's charge when parked and said owners would be stranded.
The newer Celica is also reported to have problems with its 4 cylinder engine blowing it's head gasket when new. There's a reason why people stoped buying the celica. The interior is butt ugly with the GT front seats with mismatching colors. The back seat also never improved in it's austere type of look. Only existing to lower the insurance rates.
Probably just bad luck. I've never had a rack fail in 30 years of driving vehicles with power assisted rack and pinion steering gear (includes VW, Honda, Ford, Nissan, and Mazda products). I suppose if you added the wrong fluid you could be responsible, but that seems unlikely. Operating in very cold climates might be a factor, but I doubt it (should have been part of the design). You can damage power steering system by continually holding the steering wheel again the travel locks at either extreme. When you do this the pressure applied to the rack is maximized and all of the pumps fluid output is directed through the relief valve (that is the squealing noise you hear). This does two bad things - 1) it applies maximum pressure to the seals (which should have been considered in the design) and 2) it heats up the fluid. The second one can be very bad it you often hold the steering against the locks. The hot fluid and high pressure can damage a seal. My 16 year old Son is terrible about doing this. I won't be surprised if he will have power steering problems when he is on his own.
Ed
To answer one of your questions:
The repair is not simple: you need to replace the rack and that involves a lot of under vehicle including partially dropping the subframe. However, if you've got the space and tools and a good helper, I figure you can comfortably do it in a day. Step by step instructions are available.
Good luck.
Jimbo
Yes thank you Jimbo. I googled this and found the step by step directions and found it to be most complex. Since it's such a small needle size leak that takes months to notice the difference in fluid I decided to use a turkey baser to remove some fluid and to replace it with Lucas Power steering sealant. It's the only product that was proven to be most effective.
Immediately I noticed the difference that it doesn't take as much steering effort anymore. Something in there lubricates the steering rack that much more somehow.
East-
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