2004 xc90 leaking steering rack. Press fit lines.

mikkowus · Post by **mikkowus** » 25 Aug 2022, 18:44

I have a 2004 x90 and the lines that go into the rack are press fit. I recently had the rack replaced due to the old one leaking around the bellows. The guy who installed it has tried 3 times to get the line going into the rack to stop leaking. The first time, when he installed the rack it mostly wasn't leaking for about 3 weeks then it became a flood. He replaced the O ring and it maybe worked for a few days. A few days ago he replaced the O ring a 2nd time and he aid that it is still leaking slowly. That slow leak is now a flood and I can't even get 3 miles.

The mechanic told me that he was hoping that I could find some Volvo specific O ring that would seal the thing because every size he has tried doesn't work. Does anybody know where there would maybe be a special O ring I could order for a press fit rack? There are 2 versions of the rack. One where the lines are press fit in, and one where they screw in. I have the press fit version and I have read they have problems sometimes and they only installed them for a few years.

Another thought I had was maybe the pump has some kind of stuck pressure relief valve that is not working and blowing the line out of the rack. I have been running the thing with low fluid and the wrong fluid for a while. Maybe a valve in the pump is damaged?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

mikkowus · Post by **mikkowus** » 26 Aug 2022, 08:46

I looked at things a little more and it looks like the leak is actually from a line that goes from one side of the rack to the other. I attached an image.

mikkowus · Post by **mikkowus** » 26 Aug 2022, 09:39

and a video https://youtube.com/shorts/PT-5Scraqd8?feature=share

mikkowus · Post by **mikkowus** » 14 Sep 2022, 22:19

I ended up having to replace the lines. I tried to install the new lines myself but I ended up bringing the car to a shop. They pretty much had to remove the whole rack to install the new lines. Next time I'm going to buy a rebuilt rack instead of a direct from junkyard rack. Good thing I have a decent job. The whole ordeal costed over a grand. My first Volvo was only $1400 and I probably only put like $300 into it for parts(which I installed myself) vs this thing which is nuts