Is it dangerous to drive around with a broken rack and pinion?
How much would it cost for it to be repaired?
I have a 1999 Toyota Sienna.
Probably .
In what way is it broken ?
The rack and pinion is used for steering. You didn’t say how it’s broken, but if it goes out completely, it won’t be a good day for you. I had one go out one time and I was fortunate that I was doing about 30 mph and the vehicle steered itself to the right where there wasn’t a ditch. It’s easy to imagine how that could’ve been worse.
YES
More than a few hundred, less than a few thousand.
In general: YES! It’s probably dangerous.
However how exactly is it broken? A small leak? A large leak? One wheel turns but the other doesn’t? Inquiring minds want to know.
“Broken” is a useless, essentially meaningless, term in this context. If the rack and pinion were truly broken I’d expect a symptom so severe that no one would consider driving the car.
So please, what exactly is the problem? What symptom(s) are you observing? Has it been inspected and evaluated by a repair shop? If so, what did they say about it?
If the rack and pinion assembly does need to be replaced, I’d expect it to run in the 800-2000 range, depending on exactly what was needed and where it was done.
The car handles fine under all conditions. The mechanic said the rack-and-pinion was affecting the steering. The mechanic aligned the car but we kept noticing a moderate right-ward pull and after further inspection, the mechanic found that the bushings on the rack and pinion had worn out.
Is this dangerous?
That’s much better info. Worn bushings are not generally a huge deal. I say not generally because usually you notice it and have them replaced before they fail. It usually takes a little while for it to fail completely but you really don’t want to push it that far, a failed bushing at high speed will not be a good experience.
You’re probably OK limping it to the shop but I wouldn’t be driving it regularly.
I assume the bushings that connect the rack to the whatever wheel acuator is there. It’s dangerous because the joint is wearing rapidly and will eventually break.