Rack and Pinion

I have a 2000 grand prix gt. For about 4 monthes I have been hearing this clunking noise in the front and have been tiring to find out what is wrong with it. I was told my caliper pines are lose (sorry if spelling is bad) and that just seemed like the dealership wanted me money. I was told sway bar, but than told that was okay, and finally I was told tie rod- outer right, so I replaced that and now here I am today; told that my rack and pinion may need to be replaced. I hear the clunching when I am driving strait and turing, but mostly when I am going strait. Someone please help, this is really annoying. Lisa

I have a 2000 grand prix gt. For about 4 monthes I have been hearing this clunking noise in the front and have been tiring to find out what is wrong with it. I was told my caliper pines are lose (sorry if spelling is bad) and that just seemed like the dealership wanted me money. I was told sway bar, but than told that was okay, and finally I was told tie rod- outer right, so I replaced that and now here I am today; told that my rack and pinion may need to be replaced. I hear the clunching when I am driving strait and turing, but mostly when I am going strait. Someone please help, this is really annoying. Lisa


With only 49K miles its possible but it was probably defective in the first place. Before spending big bucks at the dealer you might want to check the steering shaft coupling to the rack & pinion assembly and make sure all the rack and pinion mounting bolts where it mounts to the sub-frame are tight. There are other suspension components that could cause the noise.

A rack & pinion is expensive if you go through the GM/Pontiac dealer. GM list is approximately $789.00. GMPartsdirect.com $384.00. Autozone has re-manufactured ones for around $150.00 and $125.00 core exchange. I wouldn't get one at a salvage yard, especially if the junked car was involved in an accident.

You might consider taking it to a shop that specializes in general automotive or steering/suspension work instead of the dealer who sounds like a rip off at $1500. A front end alignment must be performed after a rack & pinion unit is exchanged out. Good luck!


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/gtp.jpg
Thrasher CAI, DHP v1.0 PCM,
3.25 SC pulley, CAIT GMAF, Hi-Flow CAT,
u-bend delete, 160 TS, ZZP Stage 1 TB,
TB spacer, MSD 8.5mm wires, Autolite 104s,
Goodyear Gatorback Serp. & SC Belt,
Nitto NT555R Drag Radials

try this. While driving and hearing the clunking noise, let off the gas and coast. Does the noise stop then re-start when you re-apply the gas? If so, I would have the CV axles looked at. The inner CV joint will cause a clunk like you describe. The other thing I would look at is the hub bearings. Does the noise get louder as you turn one direction, and quiet down when you turn the other? If so, then you probably have a hub going bad. Hope this helps.

try this. While driving and hearing the clunking noise, let off the gas and coast. Does the noise stop then re-start when you re-apply the gas? If so, I would have the CV axles looked at. The inner CV joint will cause a clunk like you describe. The other thing I would look at is the hub bearings. Does the noise get louder as you turn one direction, and quiet down when you turn the other? If so, then you probably have a hub going bad. Hope this helps.


CV joints and bearings???? Possible but I doubt it. The cars got under 50K miles and gets the clunking noise with the wheels straight not just turning left or right.

BTW - This person posted the problem on 3 different message threads.

If the dealer that wanted to charge this person $1500 for the rack & pinion and labor thought the cv joints and bearings were bad I'm quite sure that would have been added to the list and jacked the repair cost up even more.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/gtp.jpg
Thrasher CAI, DHP v1.0 PCM,
3.25 SC pulley, CAIT GMAF, Hi-Flow CAT,
u-bend delete, 160 TS, ZZP Stage 1 TB,
TB spacer, MSD 8.5mm wires, Autolite 104s,
Goodyear Gatorback Serp. & SC Belt,
Nitto NT555R Drag Radials

true Bnaylor, but dealers have a tendency to go for the big ticket item, especially if it's a known problem, even before actually diagnosing. I was just trying to give other options.

true Bnaylor, but dealers have a tendency to go for the big ticket item, especially if it's a known problem, even before actually diagnosing. I was just trying to give other options.


I agree with your philosophy about dealers. Who wouldn't.

In this person's case, I'd bank on the clunking sound being a steering intermediate shaft problem more so than a rack n pinion unit. The u-joints on the shaft have been known to fail prematurely on various 2000 and up GM vehicles. On one fix all GM did was add grease fittings. The intermediate shaft is a lot cheaper than a rack n pinion and there's a higher probability that it may fix the problem.


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/gtp.jpg
Thrasher CAI, DHP v1.0 PCM,
3.25 SC pulley, CAIT GMAF, Hi-Flow CAT,
u-bend delete, 160 TS, ZZP Stage 1 TB,
TB spacer, MSD 8.5mm wires, Autolite 104s,
Goodyear Gatorback Serp. & SC Belt,
Nitto NT555R Drag Radials

I agree with your philosophy about dealers. Who wouldn't.

In this person's case, I'd bank on the clunking sound being a steering intermediate shaft problem more so than a rack n pinion unit. The u-joints on the shaft have been known to fail prematurely on various 2000 and up GM vehicles. On one fix all GM did was add grease fittings. The intermediate shaft is a lot cheaper than a rack n pinion and there's a higher probability that it may fix the problem.


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/gtp.jpg
Thrasher CAI, DHP v1.0 PCM,
3.25 SC pulley, CAIT GMAF, Hi-Flow CAT,
u-bend delete, 160 TS, ZZP Stage 1 TB,
TB spacer, MSD 8.5mm wires, Autolite 104s,
Goodyear Gatorback Serp. & SC Belt,
Nitto NT555R Drag Radials


OK you guys are bad mouthing dealerships agian???????? You know what that means?




























http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v425/kustomkid54/taz2170.jpg

Thanks for all the help, I am having a friend look at it tonight.

I would never bad mouth any particular service place, but it's a known fact that if you go in uneducated, you're gonna get taken. The racks on these cars had a known issue, so I agree it's more likely the problem, but....

Well I do not think it is the rack and pinion anymore because if it was the rack and pinion it would be steering bad. The steering is having no probkems. Thats why I told the shop I wanted to get a 2nd opinion. I went and test drove a firebird tonight and may just sell my prix and buy one of them......but living in minnesota and driving one of them is not fun in the winter

Well I do not think it is the rack and pinion anymore because if it was the rack and pinion it would be steering bad. The steering is having no probkems. Thats why I told the shop I wanted to get a 2nd opinion. I went and test drove a firebird tonight and may just sell my prix and buy one of them......but living in minnesota and driving one of them is not fun in the winter

Whatever you decide to do good luck in your decision. Just be sure to have a friend thats fairly knowledgeable about cars go along and run it through the mill before buying it. Otherwise, you may inherit someone elses problem. It pays to be extra cautious when geting a used car.



http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/gtp.jpg
Thrasher CAI, DHP v1.0 PCM,
3.25 SC pulley, CAIT GMAF, Hi-Flow CAT,
u-bend delete, 160 TS, ZZP Stage 1 TB,
TB spacer, MSD 8.5mm wires, Autolite 104s,
Goodyear Gatorback Serp. & SC Belt,
Nitto NT555R Drag Radials