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The steering gears are safely housed in a box, which we call the steering gearbox. The gears inside the box enable the driver to turn the wheels swiftly without any fuss. Without this crucial component, your car won’t function normally. It will even begin to leak power steering fluid. Of course, this won’t physically stop you from driving the car.
What Are The Symptoms Of a Faulty Steering Gearbox?
That said, you will still have to be extra careful during extreme turns, both left or right. Basically, you can drive with caution until you get the issue fixed. Keep in mind that some fluid leak won’t cause catastrophic damage to the car. However, the small leak wouldn’t remain small for too long. Look at it as the beginning of a problem.
At some point, the problem will magnify. Therefore, it’s important that you don’t ignore the leak for too long as it can cause further damage, leading to an expensive repair. Basically, a few drops of fluid leak on the ground should not be a cause of concern.
However, it’s important to know that if the leak is caused due to a crack, you will lose all the fluid quickly.If you notice that it’s taking increased efforts to move the steering wheel, the chances are that your steering gearbox is failing. Even uneven car movement is a sign of a faulty steering gearbox.
How Much Does Steering Gearbox Replacement Cost?
The kind of vehicle you own will influence the cost of steering gearbox replacement to a great extent. Of course, the cost will also vary based on the shop you visit for the repair work. Depending on the factors mentioned above, the cost will vary from $500 to $1000. With the taxes and other fees, expect the cost to shoot up a bit.
| Auto Center | Price |
|---|---|
| Walmart | $300 - $650 |
| Jiffy Lube | $440 - $950 |
| Your Mechanic | $500 - $980 |
| NAPA | $550 - $1000 |
As expected, you might find it helpful to know the cost split. So, here we go: the labor fees will run between $125 to $350. The rest will go towards the part, somewhere between $350 to $650.
How Long Does it Take for Steering Gearbox Replacement?
Keep in mind that not all cars are built equal, which will cause variation in the amount of time taken to replace the steering gearbox. Basically, the time taken will vary from one car to another. Frankly speaking, it’s a cumbersome affair. Even an expert car technician will easily take around 2-3 hours for a replacement job of this nature.
Right from draining the fluid to getting other parts removed to access the gearbox and more, a lot of prep work is needed to fix the issue. Seriously, it’s a lot of work. Not to mention that if you have allowed the problem to worsen before a steering gearbox fix, you can expect the process to be more time consuming.
How to Save Money on Steering Gearbox Replacement?
Only if you know what you are doing, should you attempt to change the steering gearbox on your own. Ideally, you should leave this extensive job to the experts.
To save money, you can source the parts yourself. You can also compare prices from different auto shops to get the best possible deal for yourself.
On the CarServiceLand, you can also find estimates of car repair or maintenance service costs: