Steering Rack on the GSi

[wisewood]

A few days after buying the GSi we took it to vauxhall to have the tracking done only to find that it needed a whole new steering rack and something else to do with the tracking.

Now - four months later we have had to be recovered from the M62 because the Steering Rack went again on the motorway and almost killed me and my missus as it swerved out into the middle lane and was very very difficult to get off the motorway.

Anyone got any ideas about this?
Why would the rack go again so soon?
Its running 195/45/15's - currently on a 40 offset but until a couple of weeks ago it was running 195/45/15's on a et49.

I get the feeling vauxhall will blame the alloys when we take it in later this week, so we are gonna put the standard gsi alloys back on it before it goes back in so we can blame their shoddy work done by the trainee (he told us he was the trainee afterwards).

Also - the man from the AA reckons it wasnt a new rack and was actually a reconditioned one!!

GGGRRRRRR!

[Alex]

Do you know what king of warranty you got? blame the whole lot on vauxhall be nice at first about it and they may just replace it for free. If they say no seek legal advice lol

[wisewood]

dunno about warranty - the missus deals with all the pieces of paper we get coz i tend to dump em somewhere and forget about it where as she will file it away neatly and tidily. :lol: Will have it sorted one way or another.

Just wondering if anyone knows of any good reason why a perfectly good steering rack would be nackered after 4 months normal use without too much thrashage and strain. CANT be down to the wheels - in all my time on this site i have never heard anyone say that!

[Ste_Nova]

rack won't be new.. they are exchange units...

why has the rack failed? what broke?..... i've never had to change a rack on any of my novas due to wear

[wisewood]

No idea whats broken - its no secret i am not very technical lol.
Have a better idea when its been back to vauxhall again sometime this week - all i know is that the AA bloke had a good look at it and blamed the rack - and it certainly seemed to be that causing the problem as when it was jacked up and we turned the wheel you could see it stressing at a certain point.

Tis strange that the old one had to be removed and now an exact same problem has occured... only this time the problem was accelerated and got much worse than before very quickly.

[wisewood]

Well vauxhall said this morning when we dropped the car off that it'll be because the missus has got alloys on it and they're wider and thus harder to steer than the standard wheels.

Was really annoyed when she told me they said that while i was waiting outside in my car for her to come back out.

Then they've had a look and deem all of their work done previously to be of a satisfactory standard but the CV boot and CV joint are both completely nackered.

So... we're having them fixed since its there anyway... but the fact they said that it needs a new drive shaft - and then when my other half questioned this and said something like "are you sure... coz you didnt mention that a minute ago!" they retracted it and said "sorry my mistake, its just the boot and joint you need".

Something fishy about that place if you ask me. See how the car is tonight when we go and collect it. If its not right i am gonna have words.

[Ste_Nova]

yup a kncakered cv would cause this prob.... couldn't u hear it knocking

[wisewood]

New CV Joint and driveshaft and problem solved - just goes to show you... the aa are good for a ride home but thats about it :lol:

[Dicko]

got a few of them spare mate. dont tell me u payed much :P

[wisewood]

dunno - missus' car - missus' bill :lol:

got another reciept from vauxhall to go with the history of it though so dont think she is too fussed about how much it cost anyway.