Honda Civic EG (1992-1995) Power Steering Rack Replacement
- Use only Honda power steering fluid or a fluid labelled for Honda; generic fluid can damage the pump and seals.
- Never work under a car supported only by a jack.
- Use flare-nut wrenches on the hydraulic fittings to avoid rounding them.
- The car must be aligned after the swap.
- Make sure the steering U-joint bolt is fitted and tightened before the car is driven; a loose joint can mean loss of steering.
Introduction
Leaking power steering racks are a common fault on 1992-1995 Civics. You can replace the rack without dropping the subframe by turning it through a specific sequence and pulling it out of the driver's side. The steps below follow that method. The most important parts detail is the fluid: use only Honda power steering fluid or one labelled for Honda, because generic fluids can damage the pump and seals. Toe will be off after the swap, so plan an alignment. Adapted from a community writeup by EconoBox on Civic-EG Forum (https://www.forum.civic-eg.com/viewtopic.php?p=354757).
Procedure
12 steps-
Step 1: Drain the system
Lift the power steering reservoir and pull off the hose that runs to the power steering cooler. Push a short length of tubing onto that hose and run it into a bucket. Start the engine, let it idle and turn the steering lock to lock until fluid stops coming out, then shut off the engine. Do not run the pump dry for long.
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Step 2: Disconnect the steering shaft
Under the dash, remove the plastic cover over the steering column and remove the bolt at the bottom universal joint where the column meets the rack pinion. Do this while your hands are still clean.
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Step 3: Lift and support
Loosen the front lugs, lift the front of the car, support it on jack stands and remove the front wheels.
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Step 4: Drop the shift linkage
On manual cars, remove the spring clip and pin from the shift rod and unbolt the shift extension (stabilizer) rod so the linkage can hang down out of the way.
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Step 5: Remove the exhaust section
Remove the factory catalytic converter, or whatever aftermarket exhaust section blocks access to the rack.
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Step 6: Disconnect the hydraulic lines
Undo the three lines at the rack with flare-nut wrenches: 12mm for the reservoir (return) line, 14mm for the pressure line from the pump and 17mm for the cooler line. Catch the fluid and cap the openings.
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Step 7: Separate the tie rod ends
Remove the tie rod end nuts and pop the tie rod ends out of the steering knuckles with the separator.
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Step 8: Unbolt the rack
Remove the bolts holding the rack to the subframe, including the bracket on the passenger side.
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Step 9: Manoeuvre the rack out
Turn the rack to full right (passenger) lock. Pull the driver's side of the rack down to clear the U-joint and firewall, and rotate the pinion shaft forward until it points down. Push the rack toward the passenger side until the driver's tie rod clears the subframe, drop the driver's side below the subframe, then pull the rack out through the driver's side, turning it to full left lock as you go.
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Step 10: Install the new rack
Reverse the removal path. Before connecting the column, set the rack to full passenger-side lock, with the steering wheel also at full right lock, so the U-joint lines up as it came apart. Refit the rack and bracket bolts, the hydraulic lines, the tie rod ends (with new cotter pins if fitted) and the U-joint bolt, tightening each to the factory service manual torque; the source gives no figures. Then refit the shift linkage and the exhaust with new gaskets.
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Step 11: Refill and bleed
Fill the reservoir with Honda power steering fluid only. The source thread does not give a bleeding procedure, so follow the factory service manual for bleeding air from the system, and keep checking the level and topping up until it stays steady.
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Step 12: Check and align
Check every line for leaks, refit the wheels, torque the lug nuts and lower the car. With the engine running, turn the wheel lock to lock and confirm it moves smoothly and returns to centre. Test the steering at walking pace before driving on the road, then get a front alignment: toe will be off after a rack swap.
- Remanufactured racks with a core exchange are available from the big parts store chains.
- Owners mention that an Integra rack is a possible upgrade; check specific part numbers before buying.
- Clean the fittings before you open them so dirt does not enter the new rack.
Related procedures
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