Volvo S60 '03 D5 - Power Steering Fluid Leak after Lower Control Arms replacement...

primitive_man · Post by **primitive_man** » 10 Sep 2017, 07:25

Recently, I had both Lower Control Arms replaced on my Volvo S60 ('03) - the two larger bolts were so seized that they had to be torched out - in fact, they'd actually bowed in the middle - so their was no way I could have got them out anyway - if I'd been up to the job.

Problem is - I've now got a power steering leak.

The mechanic claims that the power steering fluid leak was already there but I have no signs of a leak prior to this work on my garage floor and I'm having to top-up the reservoir every day.

Could the mechanics have damaged the steering rack or one of the power steering fluid feed pipes?

Georgeandkira · Post by **Georgeandkira** » 10 Sep 2017, 08:31

Post by **abscate** » 10 Sep 2017, 08:55

Look for crunched pipes to see if the squished them in the rack. Heat can also melt seals.

Ugly

Post by **oragex** » 10 Sep 2017, 10:21

Is it leaking from one of the tie rod dust boots? (either side) Maybe the guy leveraged on the tie rod and damaged/cracked a seal at the rack. The pipes are far away, don't think the heat touched them.

If that's true, that would still not be possible to prove and go against them. Ugly indeed. A used steering rack is not much, replacing it needs lowering the rear of the subframe.

Post by **abscate** » 16 Mar 2019, 09:23

You won’t win a “ mechanic caused damages “ case for two reasons

..very hard to have definitive proof

...it’s actually reasonable that in removing parts, old parts fail, even with good practices

If your lines are munched by a jack size indentation, sure, you can argue that.

When I take my car in for work I can’t/won’t/ shouldn’t do myself, I brace myself for 2x the estimate on an old car. That’s sometimes enough to convince me to DIY