C5 X7 2012 steering rack leak hopefully fixed

[nocturnal]

Around 6 months ago my power steering started getting heavy, cleaned the totally hidden by dirt reservoir (I only bought the car in January 2022) and viola virtually empty.

Not happy with all in one prestone fluid types I researched and bought the exact stuff you should use... LDS hydraulic oil. I noticed this was much thicker and looked better than the little amount of coloured watery fluid that was at the bottom of the reservoir... obviously the wrong fluid had been used.

Topped it up 2-3 times over the next lot of months and sure it leaked out but slowly then got slower.

Having a lower bush replaced by mechanic for the MOT retest (only item failure) he told me the steering rack was showing signs of leaking at both sides up towards the cv joints. My mechanic said in the past he tried steering rack leak sealer on various vehicles and it never worked BUT it was gushing out on those vehicles.

Anyway since then the level hasn't dropped one bit without doing anything to it, however I bought Liqui Moly 35ml for £10 added it to reservoir anyway as it apparently reconditions the seals and does other gorgeous stuff.

Anyhow it stopped leaking after around 400ml of genuine LDS hydraulic oil was added to it through several top ups and hopefully the Liqui Moly additive will help also.

It was definitely the wrong fluid in the rack when I bought it and now the power steering feels excellent with the correct LDS hydraulic oil in it. Hopefully the leaks at the seals are fixed also, it was not leaking at the steering column.

[MattBLancs]

Glad to hear it worked for you

The steering column leak failure mode seems to be:
Pinion shaft corrosion = rough shaft
Rough shaft = ruined lip seal
Lip seal ruined = leaks LDS

So I'm not sure the liquid moly could defeat that, but might delay the inevitable with a bit of luck!
Perhaps caution for those with hydropneumatic suspension as obviously the liquid moly will be fed round that circuit due to the shared reservoir.

[nocturnal]

I've no idea on the corrosion level on the pinion shaft, I'll be changing the oil after 2 years in a few months, cannyou see it from underneath with the engine floor protector removed?

Is the lip seal you state the green ring where the steering column goes into the shaft? (I have been looking at photos from the topics) My mechanic said it was leaking from both sides near the CV boots?

BTW it stopped leaking before I added the Liqui Moly after a few top ups with LDS.

I don't think Liqui Moly would do the pneumatic suspension versions any harm, from what I read it should even help any problems in there also. It is only 35ml per tube.

I'm pretty sure there has not been any more leaks, I stopped parking it on the nicely driveway as I didn't want that marked with oil stains but the fluid in the reservoir has not dropped one bit and last top up was maybe 2 months ago.

[MattBLancs]

The green ring has been deduced as Citroen's in-depth and thoroughly comprehensive solution to the corrosion issue (not present on early racks, only obvious difference on the "modified" version)
From feedback seems to suggest throwing a thimble of water at a burning building would compare in effectiveness...

Near the CV joints is an odd description and not that helpful= near the outer CV joints would be the track rod ends (well beyond the hydraulics of the rack!)
Near the inner CV joints = one is close to the left hand rack boot, the other close to centre of the car (not aware of anything in middle of the rack itself that could leak!?!) So descriptions aren't really pinning it down for me, sorry!

Agree it's a tiny volume (35ml) in a big tank of LDS but just to flag up it's going other places in a hydropneumatic car.

Viewing the rusty pinion best done from inside, plastic cover with two M6 (10mm) nuts in the footwell = unfo nuts and lever up black plastic is as good as a view as you can get. I fed some grease "at it" rather clumsily this route when having a look at mine. Pictures on the forum about looking from this route - will try and have a dig later if get chance

[nocturnal]

Thanks for the reply, yeah his discription near the CV boots made little sense to me either and he said to clean up the leaks before MOT retest, the MOT guy never looked anywhere near them, told me to turn the wheels and he seen the lower bush was replaced and passed... about 10 seconds!

Yeah I'll have a look from inside then maybe get some spray grease or something if it is hard to apply from inside.

Yeah that green ring looks like a complete joke, why didn't they put a rubber boot or something over the entire coupling?

[GiveMeABreak]

Never put anything other than LDS in the Hydraulic reservoir or it will very likely lead to a failure of the entire system - LDS is the only fluid that should ever be used.

[GiveMeABreak]

Never put anything other than LDS in the Hydraulic reservoir or it will very likely lead to a failure of the entire system - LDS is the only fluid that should ever be used as it is is specifically designed to work in the Hydractive and power steering systems pf certain PSA vehicles.

[nocturnal]

Mine has spring suspension but whatever was in the power steering fluid reservoir was definitely not LDS.

Those supermarket Prestone "does all cars" products can do a lot of damage!