Steering Rack gone at 56K miles?
MyTundra
11-12-2004, 08:50 AM
Morning All,
I just found this forum and decided to see if anyone else has run into this problem. First, some background info on my Tundra dn how I use it.
I have a 2001 Toyota Tundra SR5 AccessCab V8 2WD that I bought in August 2001. Its currently been with me for 39-months and I got 56K miles on it. This vehicle was bought when I became a first-time homeowner and needed a means to bring newhomer items home (lawn-mower, grill, some new furniture, etc.), and also a comfortable daily driver. I put about 375-miles/week on this Tundra, of which 360 of those weekly miles are highway, and against the flow of traffic (I work second shift, thankfully). I do no off-roading and you could say I am a desk-jockey (geek/nerd) if anything else.
I bought this Tundra after test-driving the Dodge 1500, Ford F-150, and Chevy Silverado in the same equipment class, but the Tundra won me over for the level of driving comfrt and the sense of reliability. But, that sense of reliability has waned over the past three years, and is all but completely gone--which is depressing.
I let my nearest Toyota dealership service department do all routine and period maintenance (both oil changes and interval maintenance) so as not to be called into question for warranty service, which has had to be applied on a couple of occasions. Twice the oxygen sensor has gone out, and the second time it was fused into the exhaust manifold needing it to be replaced, too.
Then, the serpentine belt went at before 50K miles (took dealership three visits over two weeks to solve this one), and a dash rattle where they kept my Tundra for two-weeks, and I still have the dash problem in several locations. Oil maintenance is via Mobile 1 Oil & Filter. I suuply these materials and the dealership does the labor. Changes every 6-7.5K miles.
Recently, about a month ago, I got to work and noticed a loud squealing noise. Being right near a Pep Boys I pulled in. I checked the fluids, found the power steering fluid low, and checked the owner's manual for type. I then went into Pep Boys, bought a quart of Dextron III ATF and drove the last quarter-mile to work. This was all in new nippy-weather (low 52ºF). After work, I filled the power steering fluid tank according to the tank's markings and the noise went away immediately. Cool beans, or so I thought.
Last Saturday morning I start the Tundra to go grocery shopping and its nippy weather again and the squealing noise is back. Shut off the Tundra immediately and sure enough the tank is considerably low again. Fill appropriate and noise went bye-bye. Then, on Sunday I returned home from Home Depot (needed a can of stain) and noticed something leaking onto my otherwise normally-clean driveway.
I get up underneath my Tundra and notice a fluid substance on the steering-rack's driver-side boot. Its dripping off this boot, but I cannot see how its getting onto the boot in the first place. I pop the hood, take a look around, note the location of the pump, tank, lines, etc. from from the hood position everything looks dry (no PS fluid).
Ok, so I take it into the dealership on Wednesday and they tell me the leaking power-steering fluid is coming from the steering rack itself. They also state they've never seen a failed rack before without some sort of other evidence like a major front-end collision, off-roading, the body being severely raised, etc., yet the service manager knows me well enough to rule all of those out.
The repair using a remanufactured rack is $825 not including the required front-end alignment. For a new component, it goes up to about $1150. The remanufactured rack part costs $539 and a new on $829. Hmm, this is rather expensive considering my driving behavior and vehicle usage, the age and mileage on the vehicle, etc. In my +20 years of driving I have owned 15-20 vehicles of all makes/models and conditions (including $50 cars) and never have I run across a failed or leaking steering rack. Has anyone else?
My sense of reliability with Toyota (this is my first) is completely gone at this point. I accepted what others said I should be getting out of a Toyota before major repairs come into play. I looked forward to 150K-250K miles, not 56K.
I just found this forum and decided to see if anyone else has run into this problem. First, some background info on my Tundra dn how I use it.
I have a 2001 Toyota Tundra SR5 AccessCab V8 2WD that I bought in August 2001. Its currently been with me for 39-months and I got 56K miles on it. This vehicle was bought when I became a first-time homeowner and needed a means to bring newhomer items home (lawn-mower, grill, some new furniture, etc.), and also a comfortable daily driver. I put about 375-miles/week on this Tundra, of which 360 of those weekly miles are highway, and against the flow of traffic (I work second shift, thankfully). I do no off-roading and you could say I am a desk-jockey (geek/nerd) if anything else.
I bought this Tundra after test-driving the Dodge 1500, Ford F-150, and Chevy Silverado in the same equipment class, but the Tundra won me over for the level of driving comfrt and the sense of reliability. But, that sense of reliability has waned over the past three years, and is all but completely gone--which is depressing.
I let my nearest Toyota dealership service department do all routine and period maintenance (both oil changes and interval maintenance) so as not to be called into question for warranty service, which has had to be applied on a couple of occasions. Twice the oxygen sensor has gone out, and the second time it was fused into the exhaust manifold needing it to be replaced, too.
Then, the serpentine belt went at before 50K miles (took dealership three visits over two weeks to solve this one), and a dash rattle where they kept my Tundra for two-weeks, and I still have the dash problem in several locations. Oil maintenance is via Mobile 1 Oil & Filter. I suuply these materials and the dealership does the labor. Changes every 6-7.5K miles.
Recently, about a month ago, I got to work and noticed a loud squealing noise. Being right near a Pep Boys I pulled in. I checked the fluids, found the power steering fluid low, and checked the owner's manual for type. I then went into Pep Boys, bought a quart of Dextron III ATF and drove the last quarter-mile to work. This was all in new nippy-weather (low 52ºF). After work, I filled the power steering fluid tank according to the tank's markings and the noise went away immediately. Cool beans, or so I thought.
Last Saturday morning I start the Tundra to go grocery shopping and its nippy weather again and the squealing noise is back. Shut off the Tundra immediately and sure enough the tank is considerably low again. Fill appropriate and noise went bye-bye. Then, on Sunday I returned home from Home Depot (needed a can of stain) and noticed something leaking onto my otherwise normally-clean driveway.
I get up underneath my Tundra and notice a fluid substance on the steering-rack's driver-side boot. Its dripping off this boot, but I cannot see how its getting onto the boot in the first place. I pop the hood, take a look around, note the location of the pump, tank, lines, etc. from from the hood position everything looks dry (no PS fluid).
Ok, so I take it into the dealership on Wednesday and they tell me the leaking power-steering fluid is coming from the steering rack itself. They also state they've never seen a failed rack before without some sort of other evidence like a major front-end collision, off-roading, the body being severely raised, etc., yet the service manager knows me well enough to rule all of those out.
The repair using a remanufactured rack is $825 not including the required front-end alignment. For a new component, it goes up to about $1150. The remanufactured rack part costs $539 and a new on $829. Hmm, this is rather expensive considering my driving behavior and vehicle usage, the age and mileage on the vehicle, etc. In my +20 years of driving I have owned 15-20 vehicles of all makes/models and conditions (including $50 cars) and never have I run across a failed or leaking steering rack. Has anyone else?
My sense of reliability with Toyota (this is my first) is completely gone at this point. I accepted what others said I should be getting out of a Toyota before major repairs come into play. I looked forward to 150K-250K miles, not 56K.
ToyotaTech
11-12-2004, 09:11 AM
Racks can fail at anytime Sorry but do u live up north? salt and snow area? Salt can kill rack seals but I hav not replace one on a tundra yet.
MyTundra
11-12-2004, 01:11 PM
No, I live in an Atlanta, Georgia suburb.
MyTundra
11-14-2004, 08:29 AM
The repair bill (not including alignment) was $578 since Toyota picked up half the expense (P&L). Alignment cost me another $60. And since I am about 3K from the end of the drivetrain warranty, I wonder what my next 'fluke' faulure will be. I'm seriously thinking of trading in my Tundra before I can have another major failure OOW.
twowheelfun
04-12-2005, 12:56 AM
I just had the rack on my 2001 Tundra 4x4 (72K mi) start leaking on the drivers side also. I can't really tell exactly where the leak is coming from but it definitely loses a few ounces of fluid per week. I balked at the dealer's $900+ repair bill so I'm right now in the process of taking the rack out myself and will have it rebuilt at a local 4x4 shop for $200.00 My truck has had some light to medium offroading so that might be the culprit. A bit disappointing to see it fail so soon though.
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