Deepfreezed

I noticed my Power Steering fluid level was at the lower level so I decided to take the car in for a regular oil change. Told the guy at the dealership it was low and he said he will fill it up.

Guy comes back and tells me that the power steering rack is leaking and right side drive axle is leaking.....

Got down on my knees and looked under the axle, there is perspiration on axel seal. don't know how to check the rack for any leaks. I don't have any drops on the garage where I park. Looks like a somewhat slow leak.

My question.

I have 65,000 miles on the 04 TSX. Is this covered under Acura 70,000 drive train warranty?

I also have a 36/36,000 extended warranty that I bought at 59,000 miles.

What are my chances that one of these will cover my cost? What is the best way to approach this? Will extended warranty people cover cost without making a fuss about it?

bz268

my car has been leaking transmission oil from the same spot for years. I haven't done anything at all. (yet) I am waiting for the CV boot to go and I will take the car to the local garage to have them all replaced.

The plastic seal for the axle is $15 buck from the dealer. They want $200 dollars to replace the seal. The local garage wants only $75.

Heck... maybe I will just replace it myself... it is just a matter of pulling it out and hammer it back it.

Deepfreezed

dealer is saying $1300 + labor.

bz268

the dealer is full of it most of the time.
you can get under the car and clean it out really good.
and then drive for a while and go down there to see how bad it is.

Deepfreezed

thats what I am doing. lets see how bad the leak is.

blacktsx_05

Just bought a 2005 TSX with 70,000 KM (not miles) and noticed after a week of driving noise coming from the power steering pump when I turned my steering wheel fully CW or CCW. Noticed that the power steering fluid was very low (below Min). refilled to max and noise stopped but started up three days later... recheck and notice fluid was again below Min line. brought it to back to the car dealer. He confirm a leak and that it was from the rack and pinion unit. Since I still have warranty coverage (100KM) from ACURA I was told it was covered under warranty (dealer where I bought the car is not an ACURA dealer). I confirmed warranty coverage with an ACURA dealer and booked an appointment to have rack unit changed. Wondering how many people have had this problem.

Miamicarfan

This should not be happening at the mileage you guys have. I had a late 80's Acura Integra. The car spent 16+ years on the road. Ended with 200,000 miles. The power steerring pump was never changed. Also, it never developed any power steering fluid leaks.

HI OFECR

You probably dont get much salt on your car ether, seeing that you have miami in your screen name. lol

acuratsx228

i have the same problem starting at 120,000 miles, i cant afford to fix so i keep adding fluid every other week. If you go online you can find the PS rack for around $750, they say its about 5 hr labor, good luck with everything

bcr4977

My 2004 is having the same problem. Too bad mine is outside of the warranty. Did your car have a shake or vibration you could feel through the steering wheel? Part of the problem was the rake rotors were warped and I was wondering if the shake/shimmy contributed to the premature failure of the seals?

ck123

so many leaks? should there be a recall on this since it could be dangerous

kvan2007

There is a recall or a TSB about this, too--just not on our cars. I think it's on TLs, RLs, and some Accords.

agunther

I had the same problem after about 60k miles with my '04 TSX. I was past my warranty but complained that a steering rack shouldn't go this soon and the dealer agreed to replace it for free as customer service. My problem is that I still here the cracking noise sometimes when I turn the wheel all the way CW/CCW. I was hearing that for a few months before I experienced the leak. So I'm starting to wonder if the cracked steering rack is just a symptom. Any ideas what else could cause this? I'm at 90k now.

dmikon

Did any of you with power steering problems/leaks have steering squeaking in cold weather? I have squeaks on my '06...

DuckDodgers

Noted you have an '04...my understanding is the 6/70k powerline coverage is '06 and on...

gogozy

just found a major leak on the ps metal pipe that goes near front passenger wheel wall. the leak is so severe that i need to replace the metal pipe.. my PS unit is also leaking; although it does not make noise but the belt area is coat with the fluid. i cant believe this is happening on the metal pipe. what is going on with 04 TSX, i thought metal pipe are suppose to be stronger and last longer, and mine only have 67000km, that is not even 50,000 miles...

LuvMyTSX

^ You know about the recall, right? Just making sure.

gogozy

ya, i know about recall, but i am in Canada and it does not applied to me
i did some checking on the part diagram and the it seems the metal line is the power steering fluid cooler. which also not subject to the recall. the cooler line seems to rust out at that section. now i am not sure if i shall spend another few hundred to replace it with OE parts, or homemade from copper pipe from hardware store. it's such a shame that a sweet little car have failed on this way.

gogozy

i checked again last weekend and i was wrong about location of leak. the leak is actually on combination line. the parts alone cost around $110 plus necessary clips at local dealer (i know US dealers are charging far less for this part), what scare me is the parts guy said they have sold a few and the part is in back order; may be a good idea to check the condition of the line as regular maintenance.
i also post a reply at clubtsx where a member also have a leak at similar location.
it's very easy to check the condition of the line as it's right next to the front passenger wheel. i don't drive the car often, and i will experiment with copper tube from local hardware store when i have time.

the combo line is the #19 in parts diagram
http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.org/...s=&view=normal

miner

Just had the rack replaced on my '08 with 37500 miles. Under warranty - rack was listed @ $1100.

mshariff28

My 06 TSX has 135k miles on it and the rack&pin has to be replaced cause it's leaking real bad. I took it to Tony's here on rt 22 in NJ (private certified honda&acura mechanic) and he mentioned that the part+labor would come out to atleast $1500!! He said to not put a remanufactured part as it would just develope this leak again. I thought that I could get by for a while using the Steering fluid stop leak by Lucas..however I just learnt that it could damage the steering fluid pump which is another added expense .

Anyone have advise on non-OEM parts? Should I just bite the bullet on this one and shell out the cash?

Simba91102

Wow that sucks. I wouldn't fool around with rebuilt parts, I'd go with new Honda stuff. And if you've got a guy you trust, maybe you could save a few bucks on labor (I'd go to a dealer though).

vianca808

I have a 04 TSX with 60000 miles. The powersteering hose was replaced bec of the recall. 3 months later there was a leak which the dealer sealed a month later there was no power steering. When I took it back to the dealership they said I had to replace my rack! Is this normal! I'm thinking they screwed things up eversince the hose was replaced.

Tripnox

I had a power steering problem when I got my car in '06. I realized it when I started hearing clunking sounds when I turned the steering wheel. Checked the PS fluid well and it was low. Took it to the dealer and they said rack and pinion was leaking and got it replaced under the warranty. This was probably 1 year after owning the car.

Not too long ago, I brought it in for the recall service. So far no problems...knock on wood

TSXGuy42

I just had to replace my power steering pump at 107,000 miles. Dealership wanted $800! I bought a remanufacture for $87 at Auto Zone and dealer put it in for me.

kvan2007

This is a little late, I'm sure, but since I spent the last two days dealing with this, I figured I'd share my experience. As I mentioned in another thread, I replaced my PS high-pessure feed hose about a year ago—BEFORE Acura extend the recall to our cars (there was a recall on RLs and TLs prior to the TSXes). I haven't yet taken the car in to have the repair "blessed" or redone by Acura. Anyway...

Recently, a full turn CW or CCW of the wheel elicited a buzzing sound—but only when the car was cold. I chalked it up to the unusually low temps for our area. But, while changing my HID bulbs over the weekend (a ridiculously easy job that I managed to stretch out to two damned hours), I noticed evidence of a small leak at the flange bolt, where the high-pressure feed hose screws into the gearbox. I figured it might be a little loose, and darn it if I didn't get a good half-turn more tightening. But the noise was still there during full wheel turns when cold.

Next day, finacee takes my car for errands, and right after she left, I saw a small amount of oil on the garage floor. She brought the car right back, and I began examining it. Drops were coming from the suspension subframe, just about where the two low pressure lines are attached to the driveshaft. New leak? Existing problem masked by loose feed hose flare nut? Whatever it was, it was spraying onto the cat. conv. and smoking a little bit—not good.

After two days of investigation and lots of cleaning, I tried tightening the little screw-bolt clamps that connect the rubber hoses to the metal lines (I think there are about four total; I tightened three). Noise was still there, but no leak. Burning smell and small amount of smoke still present but lessened. Grrr. More investigation and cleaning. Epiphany about the noise: Maybe the hose bracket (the gold metal thing that holds the feed hose above the engine) is loose. DUH! It was. Tightened it, and noise all gone!

Took it out for a 10-mile drive, with lots of turning and medium engine temp. Arrived home and smelled the burning and saw a small amount of smoke but still no leak. I am cautiously optimistic. I think perhaps there was some remaining fluid in the subframe, since I can't easily get in there to get it out. I figure I will know for sure after 25 or 50 miles or so.

It all boiled down to me having two screws loose (story of my life, LOL): the one on the hose bracket and the screw-bolt clamp on the hose that is near the driveshaft/axle (almost straight down below the aforementioned mounting bracket). Thus far, no leaky. Hope this helps!

cl9plaza813

^^ I just ran into same problem and diagnosed the same way and also got about have of a turn on same nut it's been about a day or two now and leak is slowing down a bit I wonder why this car has this same common problem I understand of the recall but for us out of warranty it's a headache!!! Any available solutions would be great thanks fellas ��

qdeon52

I have a serious leak on the front passenger side underneath close to the wheel well. Can anyone tell me what's causing this? 00 acura tl is the car.

TexasHonda

Likely leak sites are HP hose connection to PS pump, PS Pressure switch, PS HP hose crimp.

No substitute for opening the hood and inspecting carefully.

good luck

Lameboymike

My power steering was leaking back last month, my uncle, a mechanic fixed it by taking the pump out, and changed the O'rings and my power steering was fixed,
He WAS gonna buy a new motor, but buying the O'rings were cheaper

Lameboymike

Cracked O'rings in the PS pump was my problem. An O'rings that's the size of my palm.

elppin

my motto is if they can do it so can i assuming is not complicated

elppin

remember acura price is one honda is another

pj ontario

hi i dont know if this is the same issue but i have a 08 acura tsx and its leaking power steering fluid i dont know if this is the steering rack or the high pressure line