fluid leak
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fluid leak
My 2010 2.5L FWD Escape has oil on the steering boot and has run down on crossmember (?) It is equipped with Electric Power Steering. This appears to be coming from the rack and pinion but does it have fluid in it? How can you add if it does. Has anyone had this problem. I have 96,000 miles on the vehicle and except for a drivers door actuator and scratched drivers glass, this is only problem.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2003
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I replied to your post last night, but I don't see the response here now. Don't know what happened. Anyway...
Our 2010 has had seepage out of the input shaft area, which has spread out.
I checked the shop manual, other than the inner tie rods being field-replaceable, anything else is replacement of the whole rack as a unit. So no info on what weight/type/amount of oil. Maybe they fill it through the input shaft area before a bearing is pressed in, don't really know.
From my experience, an oil film can spread out and make quite a bit of a mess, without actually using much oil to do it. Dirt sticks into it, and makes it look a lot worse. If something was dripping, that would be a different story.
None-the-less, I was surprised to see seepage from the manual rack even back at 15k or so miles. Maybe I should have had that replaced under warranty... I think I let it go thinking that someone messing with it might create bigger problems. The "is it really worth the hassle" kind of thinking.
Our 2010 has had seepage out of the input shaft area, which has spread out.
I checked the shop manual, other than the inner tie rods being field-replaceable, anything else is replacement of the whole rack as a unit. So no info on what weight/type/amount of oil. Maybe they fill it through the input shaft area before a bearing is pressed in, don't really know.
From my experience, an oil film can spread out and make quite a bit of a mess, without actually using much oil to do it. Dirt sticks into it, and makes it look a lot worse. If something was dripping, that would be a different story.
None-the-less, I was surprised to see seepage from the manual rack even back at 15k or so miles. Maybe I should have had that replaced under warranty... I think I let it go thinking that someone messing with it might create bigger problems. The "is it really worth the hassle" kind of thinking.
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Thanks for reponding
Thank both of you for your comments. It has never leaked or had any "wet" boots at all until this past week when I find oil on the garage floor. I wiped it up and was there again/ That's when I crawled up under it and saw the steering boot. The shaft seal off the transmission is bone dry. I hate to order rebuilt rack and pinion if there is nothing in there to leak. Thanks again.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2013
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Thank both of you for your comments. It has never leaked or had any "wet" boots at all until this past week when I find oil on the garage floor. I wiped it up and was there again/ That's when I crawled up under it and saw the steering boot. The shaft seal off the transmission is bone dry. I hate to order rebuilt rack and pinion if there is nothing in there to leak. Thanks again.
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Thanks
I was thinking it had to have fluid sealed in manufacture. Just couldn't find anyone who knew for sure. I haven't taken it to the dealer as this seems like a fairly simple replacement job with a remanufactured rack and pinion.
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