steering rack has failed, 3 years after being replaced...help me problem solve?

[ol' smokey]

Hi Folks,

So my steering rack has failed again, this happened approx 3 yrs ago so the refurbed rack has not lasted long.

It appears to be leaking from the drivers side of the steering rack, same place as last time I believe.

So my question is, why has this happened in the first place, and why in the same place as last time- is this a common fail area of the rack?

Points to consider:

• Pump was not replaced last time
• Reservoir was potentially topped up too high by the garage and then given a test run- could this have blown the seals as the fluid expanded? I removed some of the fluid so that it was back down to the max level indicated on the dipstick the day after I got it home
  
• The oil they replaced it with was comma MVCHF designed for audis however not necessarily the one specified by audi- what do other people use?
• The oil in the reservoir appears pretty clean, there was a slight grey tinge to the fluid on the end of the dipstick when I first removed it but everything else was clean green

Part of me even wonders whetehr they replaced the rack at all!

Cheers all

Jon

 

[ol' smokey]

anyone got any thoughts on this?

 

[norad97]

Did the garage supply and fit the rack,
I would only use Audi power steering fluid and it's very important that you use the right one
for your car model. If it's not the right fluid it will cause leaks or damage the rack.
I had my rack changed on my B5, I purchase the rack myself and had it fitted by my local garage, the owner is an Audi master tech, it's the rubber boots that usually leak.
I never had a problem after it was fitted, the fluid was topped up above the full mark but did not cause a problem, but as I'm fussy I took
some out.