1998 Taurus Wagon steering question

[JGKC9AYC]

Didn't wish to mix this in with my audio questions.
I recently took the wagon in to get the tie rod ends checked at a tire store. They put it up on the racks & said the drivers side tie rod end needed replaced. I had them replace it, but after they got into it, they said it wasn't the tie rod end but the steering unit. They stated they cannot change out the steering unit because it's too involved.
Has anyone had issues with their steering unit?
Thanks.

[brokenantimatter]

Steering Problems are know with 3rd & 4th gen Taurii but it isn't that hard to work on replace but it is not cheap.

[JGKC9AYC]

I took it into the Ford garage today & had them look at it since the local tire shop can't/won't deal with it.
The mechanic drove it & said it needed axle bearings...that's why i'm getting a noise from the front end that sounds like a single-engine airplane.
I asked about the rack & pinion unit & he said the axle bearings would tighten up the steering & eliminate that noise.
The guy at the tire shop said something about a shaft that the tie rod is hooked to that goes into the steering unit...is that an axle he's talking about?
Also, the mechanic seems to think that's it's possible that the car has been wrecked bad enough to do frame damage since he saw evidence of repairs. I did a CarFax before I bought it & it said no evidence of that. What's the buyback guarantee from Carfax when they're wrong?
Thanks again.