PSF leak - Pump Replaced $800 - leak persisted - Now Mechanic says Rack and Pinion Replacement

Hi everyone, need some help here:

My PS pump cost me $800 a year and a half ago for 2016 Infiniti QX70S. It had been making grinding noises when I turned the wheel and leaking/spotting in my driveway. I brought it back to this mechanic ~four times over the last year and a half (I know dumb but was pissed since I paid $800). Recently went back for the fifth time when I randomly popped the hood and noticed that the PSF reservoir was suddenly not just a centimeter below, but ~3.5" down . Weirdly no whinig/grinding noise.

Just took my mother in, she's been diagnosed with cancer for the second time in her life, and I have 7 appointments to take her to over the next 2 weeks. But desperate here.

I brought my SUV back to the same mechanic (feeling an idiot at this point I should have gone to a freaking Infiniti dealership - I also have water leaking into the can floor since replacing the battery years ago now, that they also failed to fix/remedy), and he calls me back and says "bad news it's the rack and pinion..." implying I now need to replace that, that it has nothing to do with the PSF pump he replaced and never stopped the leakage and that it will be ~$3000+.

This is the most expensive vehicle I've ever purchased, granted in 2017 (now 2023), but it only has 38,800 miles on it. WTF.

Any help/thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

No one out there/here with opinions or any kind of help?


UOTE="QX70SBret, post: 1387260, member: 12691"]Hi everyone, need some help here:

My PS pump cost me $800 a year and a half ago for 2016 Infiniti QX70S. It had been making grinding noises when I turned the wheel and leaking/spotting in my driveway. I brought it back to this mechanic ~four times over the last year and a half (I know dumb but was pissed since I paid $800). Recently went back for the fifth time when I randomly popped the hood and noticed that the PSF reservoir was suddenly not just a centimeter below, but ~3.5" down . Weirdly no whinig/grinding noise.

Just took my mother in, she's been diagnosed with cancer for the second time in her life, and I have 7 appointments to take her to over the next 2 weeks. But desperate here.

I brought my SUV back to the same mechanic (feeling an idiot at this point I should have gone to a freaking Infiniti dealership - I also have water leaking into the can floor since replacing the battery years ago now, that they also failed to fix/remedy), and he calls me back and says "bad news it's the rack and pinion..." implying I now need to replace that, that it has nothing to do with the PSF pump he replaced and never stopped the leakage and that it will be ~$3000+.

This is the most expensive vehicle I've ever purchased, granted in 2017 (now 2023), but it only has 38,800 miles on it. WTF.

Any help/thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thank you![/QUOTE]

QX70SBret said:

No one out there/here with opinions or any kind of help?


UOTE="QX70SBret, post: 1387260, member: 12691"]Hi everyone, need some help here:

My PS pump cost me $800 a year and a half ago for 2016 Infiniti QX70S. It had been making grinding noises when I turned the wheel and leaking/spotting in my driveway. I brought it back to this mechanic ~four times over the last year and a half (I know dumb but was pissed since I paid $800). Recently went back for the fifth time when I randomly popped the hood and noticed that the PSF reservoir was suddenly not just a centimeter below, but ~3.5" down . Weirdly no whinig/grinding noise.

Just took my mother in, she's been diagnosed with cancer for the second time in her life, and I have 7 appointments to take her to over the next 2 weeks. But desperate here.

I brought my SUV back to the same mechanic (feeling an idiot at this point I should have gone to a freaking Infiniti dealership - I also have water leaking into the can floor since replacing the battery years ago now, that they also failed to fix/remedy), and he calls me back and says "bad news it's the rack and pinion..." implying I now need to replace that, that it has nothing to do with the PSF pump he replaced and never stopped the leakage and that it will be ~$3000+.

This is the most expensive vehicle I've ever purchased, granted in 2017 (now 2023), but it only has 38,800 miles on it. WTF.

Any help/thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Click to expand...

[/QUOTE]
As far as the water on the floor is concerned, that is the drain from the sunroof probably clogged from leaves or debris, very common.
Take care of that before it ruins electronics or keep it parked out of the rain.
Keep the power steering fluid topped off, if you hear those noises its usually low power steering fluid, these pumps rarely fail.
Best of luck to your mother.

Given that you took it to this mechanic four times without a resolution, you might want to get a second opinion on the diagnosis. But that does sound like a pretty substantial PS fluid leak. If it does turn out to be the rack, just know that you can buy a LOT of PSF for the cost of a rack replacement, if you don't mind the garage stains