Ford focus 02 1.6 Zetec - Loosing power steering fluid after MOT

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Wed 16 Jun 2010 00:22
Ford focus 02 1.6 Zetec - Loosing power steering fluid after MOT - danw1979

Hi All,

My 2002 ford focus went in for it's MOT on friday. It had a new off side tie rod end, a pollen filter, and gas in the A/C. It's a good runner, well serviced and I look after it well. I'm especially diligent with the levels...

I nipped out to the shops on saturday and all seemed ok, on a very short journey. My mum took it out for a ~40 mile drive on Sunday and brought it back sounding like a old BANGER. Cheers mum.

Anyhow, I traced the funny whirring/grinding noise to the drivers side under the bonnet, near the belts. A quick glance at the levels (when cold) showed the power steering reservoir severely depleted. A quick glace at the road underneath the car revealed a rapidly growing pink puddle of power steering fluid.

Having paid the MOT garage for some ford P/S fluid, (MC2 195-A, £20 a bottle, if you're wondering) I've filled it up and run it for a few minutes and the poorly sounding pump sounds a lot happier.

However, when the engine is running, the fluid leaks with 1 drip every second or so from underneath the engine on the drivers side somewhere. I haven't been under it, so I don't really know where the leak is coming from.

I'm drawing no conclusions and I'm certainly not blaming the garage, but is it in any way possible that the work done on the MOT might have taken a mechanic near the power steering systems ? Surely the MOT covers the power steering systems and a leak of this severity should have been spotted ?

It's back in the garage tomorrow morning. I'd like a few opinions please before I take it down there...

Cheers,


Dan

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Wed 16 Jun 2010 08:57
Ford focus 02 1.6 Zetec - Loosing power steering fluid after MOT - danw1979

After getting my hands dirty this morning, I am reasonably certain that the leak is coming from the sensor on the back of the power steering pump (side of the pump facing the driver). It's soaked in pink fluid.

Does anyone know what exactly is involved, and where the mechanic would be working, to re-gas the air conditioning ? It all seems in very close proximity to me...

Cheers,


Dan

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Wed 16 Jun 2010 16:00
Ford focus 02 1.6 Zetec - Loosing power steering fluid after MOT - danw1979

Another update: I got a call from the garage and they are claiming the leak is coming from the steering rack. I definitely found fluid leaking from the pressure sensor this morning, which is a good 14 inches above the rack. Sadly the boss is away and I'm trying to reason with the stand in manager, who is claiming I need to buy a new steering rack and pay for it to be fitted.

63k miles on the clock. Is the focus steering rack known to go POP overnight and suddenly start leaking fluid rapidly like this ?

What do people think - am I being taken for a ride ?

Cheers,

Dan

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Thu 17 Jun 2010 17:17
Ford focus 02 1.6 Zetec - Loosing power steering fluid after MOT - kithmo

The rack must have started leaking after the MOT otherwise they would have failed it. Seals can start to leak at any time.

You could take it to another garage for a second opinion.

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Sat 10 Jul 2010 15:47
Ford focus 02 1.6 Zetec - Loosing power steering fluid after MOT - M155RKS

I have a focus zetec 1.6 52plate. Started it up on thursday, makin a very strange whirring noise, thought it was the fanbelt at first, noticed a leak under my car. then took it for a drive and the steering was extremly stiff, so i figured it was the power steering. Dad checked over the car and has found its the "sender unit" in the power steering where the leak is, he thought he'd managed to fix it, topped up the fluid, took it for a quick test run, got home and all the fluids gone again! not fixed!! trying to call up sc***pers now to find the part.

o, its done 66K miles

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