W203 Power Steering Rack Reliability ....

[SimonS]

Hi All,

Just a quick question to the more mechanically minded on this forum. How long would you expect the Power Steering Rack on a W203 C220 CDI to last before it needs replacing ?

Or to put it another way - when would you expect this to fail on a car that has a full MB service history & has only ever been touched by MB dealer technicians ? 100k miles ? More ? Less ?

Thanks in advance for any responses from those in the know. I will give more details behind why I am asking once I have received a few "informed" views....

 

[Uncle Fester]

My 220 CDi has 153k on the clock (partial MB & indie service history) and steering is fine.

I guess it will depend on how it's been driven, how many times you "bump" up kerbs to park, how fast/slow you go over speed ramps etc. how often do you turn the steering wheel when stationary?

It's like asking "how long should my brakes last?" it will depend entirly on how it's been driven.

I hope this helps.

 

[jonm]

100k on mine, rack is fine, both track rod ends replaced at 80 K though.

 

[SimonS]

Thanks for the reply.

Heres the more information - my C220 CDi is 4 and a half years old, its only got 65,000 miles on the clock and I have owned this since March 2009. She had 45,000 miles on the odo when I bought her.

The driving conditions are the "steering unfriendly conditions" known as travlling up the A3, M25 & M4 regularly (I live in Portsmouth and work mostly in West London, have to go there 2 or 3 times a week). I know that speed ramps are best not taken at speed and tend to avoid kerbing the car as the alloys cost a bomb to replace ! Ten days ago I started to notice a slight "oooh" noise when I turned the steering a quarter lock in either direction; no oil leaks or anything to indicate power steering failure. But I had already booked the car in for its service so was happy that this would be looked at "before it became a problem" (but got the tracking looked at just in case anyway).

Just had the shock of being told that the power steering rack needs to be replaced (3 hours after being told that nothing wrong could be found with it) "...and that will cost £1600 sir".

Hence the question about what people expect as "reasonable" (and why I didn't give full details to begin with) as I personally think I am in "Sale of Goods Act" territory here. Mercedes UK have offered to pay 50% .....

 

[Palmbay]

C220 CDI COUPE 203.706 2002

Mine has 115,000 miles and today I got the dreaded grumbling sound from the steering. It was quite funny because as I pulled away at a junction with the steering hard over, I though some boy racer was coming from my left, never heard this sound from my car before, so a bit worried. Traced to the steering within a few minutes of driving. Tried topping up, but still making noise, and needed more fluid after a few miles. I pulled the gaitor from the left side, and rusty water, with steering fluid came rushing out. Must have had a pin ***** hole in the gaitor.
Now need a new power rack. It has the part number 2034602500 on a plate, along with some other numbers.
Any advice on fitting a replacement appreciated.