X7 Power Steering Failure!

[twoseefives]

Not the rack this time but the ps pipe into the rack .Citroen part no 4014LP price an unbelieveable 550.00 plus vat.Only available as a complete assembly when it is made up of 13 pieces.The failure is a pinhole where the pipe enters the rack.This looks to me  like a classic case of electrolysis.Dissimilar metals in close proximity joined by a bracket in a  wet enviroment.The new part will be suitably protected.Another design fault Mr Citroen!Oh and also the input shaft is very rusty  with no protection  surely a simple grease when assembled  at the factory would cure this.

[paul.h]

Both common problems, this is from the Common Problems topic:

25. New C5 (mark 3/X7) steering rack oil leaks - at least 8 cases so far.

We have 2 members jefflad and Howiec with steering rack leaks that are proving difficult to fix. Where the supply and return pipes join the rack, the seals are leaking fluid. It seems Citroen want to replace the pipes to fix this and that just replacing the O-ring seals does not work. Citroen also do not sell the seals separately. An additional 2 members, Parkesie and johnfing, have found a leak from the steering column shaft input seal on top of the steering rack, which initially was thought to be the pipe seals. This seal also is not available so replacement racks have been fitted. The column shaft has badly rusted so may be the cause of the leak - applying grease could possibly prevent this. See http://www.citroen-o...uid/#entry75684 . See also this topic for info on replacing the rack

http://www.citroen-o...ent/#entry81594

 

There are 2 more cases here and one being caused by corrosion of the rack where the alloy oil pipes connect http://www.citroen-o...-leaking-fluid/

 

Have a look at this topic from C5greener for another leak point in the piping near the rack http://www.citroen-o...-steering-leak/

 

This topic from taximan61 for his 2011 C5 (X7) had the leaking rack and pipes repaired in Wakefield. This is the youngest C5 with a leaking rack so it is not just the early ones that leak. http://www.citroen-o...-steering-leak/

The company in Wakefield also recommend replacing the low pressure pipe since it is alloy at the end but is held by a steel clamp which causes corrosion.