Steering Rack - Replace or Repair

[Timja]

Power Steering Rack repaired in September 06. Leaking again April 07 and overhauled again. Now gone again.

Company that did work will overhaul again under warranty, but have said the following: They have done lots of racks and had no problems, but mine has gone wrong 2 times in 9 months since they 1st sorted it.

They said it is a design problem of Aluminium going into aluminium in the ends, and thats where they tend to go wrong.

They can give me no assurance, other than making sure it tests ok before returning it, that it will be ok in the future.

Dealer who removed and replaced said that they guarantee their work but cant guarantee the parts they fit. i.e. if it breaks again I will still have to pay for labour again.

My dilema is...

I can get rack overhauled again For free under warranty, but have to pay for 4/5hrs labour. - Risk is that it's a 'bad rack' and could have the same expense in another few months.

OR

I can find a replacement rack now and pay for that and hope it is a better one and will last longer. More expense now, but if lucky wont go wrong again.

Anyone been in a similar situation or had similar issues?

Thanks,

Tim.

[peebee]

I'd speak to trading standards. Your contract is with the mechanic/garage. If he subcontracts refurb of the rack to someone else that's at his risk - unless you nominated that you wanted XYZ Refurbishers to undertake the refurb.

I can't see how you can be required to pick up the tab because the garage has chosen a poor refurbisher.

If you accept this line (or more to the point if the garage accept it, or can be persuaded to accept it)they may choose to go to another subcontractor to prevent them incurring more work in the future if it packs up again.

I'm no lawyer but that's how I see it.

Edited by peebee on Wednesday 13th June 17:09

[Timja]

A bit of a difficulty, that i didn't explain in my previous post is that I have owned the car for 5 weeks.

After the work in september, it went wrong in April this year. The previous owner, understandably, was pretty annoyed about this and after some shouting the garage agreed that they would not charge labour for the work.

However, the garage are now saying that they cannot pick up the bill for a 2nd time. I have tried speaking to both the garage and the refurbisher and no luck.

[peebee]

Crumbs! Are you sure that there's nothing causing the rack to fail?

If it just appears to be a poor rack I think I'd go for an alternative rack and cut my losses.

[That Daddy]

Shoddy rack rebuild to me,the garage will have to do it for free they used the supplier their problem they will have to get the supplier to rehemburse that garage for it time but thats not your problem,the fact the rack is TVR as nothing to do with it,it could just as well be a ford unit,if it is fluid contamination causing the failure then thats something the garage should have dealt with the 1st time(be it faulty pump etc)good luck

Edited by That Daddy on Wednesday 13th June 17:39