Vivaro van problem

[pvcpro]

Hi all this is my first post and I'm not clued up on vehicle mechanics at all so please excuse me if my post is vague!
I recently took my vivaro for an MOT and the garage said it needed new wishbones, had them replaced but ever since the van hasn't been right.
I noticed the next day that when turning a corner the steering wheel sort of knocked or jolted as I was driving and it has gradually got worse.
I know I should have contacted the garage straight away but I didn't as I have been really busy and taking it there means being without my work van which isn't ideal.
Anyway I have noticed the last few days the van has been making strange noises, loud fan noise from under the bonnet, whirring noises, grinding noises etc. I thought I must get it checked out and planned to call the garage today, This morning I drove up the local expressway and on the way back the steering went really bad, I was having to turn the steering wheel right round just to take a slight bend. Even when driving straight the steering wheel was pointing to the side (9 0 clock)
I drove very cautiously and slowly to my home and parked it up, by which time the steering was totally out of control and really whining and grinding.
When I got out of the van I saw a liquid dripping from underneath the front end, I got down and looked to see it was dripping a dark liquid from everywhere! Don't know if it was oil or something else.
I rang the garage and they are sending a truck to tow it back to their garage.
Sorry for the long winded story but I just wanted to explain thoroughly what has happened and was also hoping to get some advice or opinions from here.
I'm not saying the garage is at fault or not but it just seems strange that the problem started straight after it was at their place.
They have it now and I am waiting for them to call me to let me know what the problem is, I fear the worst as it looked and sounded really bad which usually means expensive!
I will update this thread after I get the dreaded call!
Thanks in advance

 

[Mursal]

You should have gone back, if unhappy.

Sounds like the steering box has failed. I think they have a Rack and Pinion type fitted. Hopefully it wont be to expensive

 

[pvcpro]

Yes I should have gone back, I'm gutted I never!

Just got the dreaded call from the garage, they said the pipes connected to the steering rack have gone and you can't get new ones so I need a complete steering rack!
She said Vauxhall want £750 for a new one or they (garage) could fit a reconditioned one for £410

Really pi**ed off about this as it's a lot of money to part with, especially so because I can't shake off the paranoid feeling that the problem only started after they had the van in for new wishbones! (coincidence????)

Anyone have any clue as to whether or not the wishbone fitting could have interfered with the steering rack pipes to make them leak fluid?

 

[Burnerman]

Fitting new wishbones should have no interference with the steering rack - but ham handed work with tools could have easily split a steering rack gaiter or supply pipes and allowed the fluid to leak out.......
I smell a small rat here, but proving things will be nigh on impossible.
John

 

[pvcpro]

Fitting new wishbones should have no interference with the steering rack - but ham handed work with tools could have easily split a steering rack gaiter or supply pipes and allowed the fluid to leak out.......
I smell a small rat here, but proving things will be nigh on impossible.
John

I also smell the rat, it stinks!
I don't even know what wishbones are on a van, are they anywhere near the steering fluid pipes?

 

[Burnerman]

The wishbone is the mechanism that fixes to the bottom of the vans wheel hub......effectively it allows the wheel to swivel when turning, and also allows for suspension movement as the vehicle traverses bumps. The wishbone contains a ball joint that allows this movement in all directions.
The wishbone also has two bushes that connect to the van chassis, which allow a sort of hinge movement up and down.
The steering gear is not connected to the wishbone - but it is in the area just above so any heaving or hammer swinging could have caused damage...but naturally I'm not automatically saying it has!
I would certainly mention to the garage that the problem started immediately after the wishbones were fitted, and listen to what they have to say.
(I've actually had driveshafts mashed by an exhaust fitter, so no wonder I can be sceptical!)
John

 

[pvcpro]

Just seems too much of a coincidence to me that the minute it leaves the garage the van develops a new fault, I was already pi**ed off as I'd only took it for an MOT and all of a sudden I get a call saying " The wishbones have gone" so I get new wishbones then 4 weeks later I get "The steering fluid pipes have gone" I mean seriously do these things just go like that? And shouldn't they have noticed the pipes were "going" when they were sorting the wishbones?
All I know is the van isn't really that old (06 plate) it has less than 60k miles on it, I've had it since first reg and never abused it. I take it for an MOT then all of a sudden it's falling apart!
And it's also worth mentioning that I took my vectra to the same garage a couple of months ago for an MOT and got a call saying "tracking rods gone and you need new tyre" had that done then guess what? Had to take it back a week later because when driving straight the steering wheel was point to 10 o'clock!!!!
So it's not unreasonable for me to assume they might have messed up this time too!

 

[Burnerman]

To be fair, the wishbone rubber bushes or the ball joint do wear....its largely due to design whether they last for many years or seem to fail rather sooner.
As for the power steering pipes they can and do rust through but I wouldn't have expected that on an 06 plate - but what do I know?
These pipes don't need to be disturbed during a wishbone change - I'm fairly certain of that.
John

 

[pvcpro]

To be fair, the wishbone rubber bushes or the ball joint do wear....its largely due to design whether they last for many years or seem to fail rather sooner.
As for the power steering pipes they can and do rust through but I wouldn't have expected that on an 06 plate - but what do I know?
These pipes don't need to be disturbed during a wishbone change - I'm fairly certain of that.
John

Sorry to bang on about this but I'm just trying to get my head around it, so basically if the pipes are worn to the extent that they're about to brake, snap, pop, burst or whatever the garage means when they say they're "gone"
Doesn't that mean they would be seen to be worn at the time of the MOT or at least when they were replacing the wishbones?

 

[Burnerman]

Its merely a corrosion problem, and its really up to the MOT tester to decide how bad the rust is - or whether he should fail the vehicle or not.
Brake pipes come under particular scrutiny - testers aren't allowed to twist or move them but they can give them a scrape to see how deep the rust is (whats the difference, at the end of the day?)
All the testers bible says is 'power steering systems are checked with the engine running' so if the pipes are leaking, thats it. Vague, I know!
The tester examines the vehicle as he finds it...how the problem actually occurred is of no consequence to him.
At the end of the day, that steering rack has to be replaced....maybe you can agree a 'discounted' labour rate.
John

 

[pvcpro]

True the rack does need replacing but do I want to pay a garage to replace it that may have caused damage in the first place?

And is there price of £410 for a reconditioned rack a fair one?

 

[Burnerman]

Regarding the price of the steering rack, the only thing you can do is to ask around the local motor factors really....I have my own favourites, but the likes of TMS, Eurocarparts etc should be competitive.....you also have the option of buying a rack from a wrecked vehicle - thats up to you.
As for the fitting - I have my own independant guys who I use if I don't want the work myself. What I never do is to entrust the job to the local tyre outlets.....no way.
John

 

[Mursal]

You mentioned the steering wheel was not in the correct position going down the road? Failed pipes would not cause this problem

 

[Burnerman]

You mentioned the steering wheel was not in the correct position going down the road? Failed pipes would not cause this problem

I think that happenned after the tracking was done......don't people know to lock the steering wheel before they faff with things seriously, if thats not done, what are the tracking settings going to be like? Bloomin' guesswork, I imagine
John