Death knell? "Power steering pipes corroded."

[Distendo]

'98 V70 T5

Just been told by main Volvo dealer* that they noticed "the power steering pipes are corroded".

The only post on this forum which related at all to this seemed to indicate that replacements aren't easy to come by.

Does anyone happen to know whether - and how 'easily' - these pipes can be replaced?

Or do I just carry on driving it until one day I can't steer it away from a brick wall?

[*Took it in to see if they could trace air-con leak. Apparently the aircon pipes are corroded too, and the evaporator has a small leak. Both arms and both legs to repair, oc. Observations welcome.]

[volvo again]

Have you checked them yourself?
Might just be surface corrosion that you can wire brush and treat, much the same as brake pipes, which are often MOT advisories.
Failing that, s/h from a breaker?

[Bob Meadows]

An alternative is to visit your local Hydraulics Shop:~
Always found a solution for me.
Bob.

[Luxobarge]

As above. Also, recommend that you find a decent independant garage or better still an independant Volvo specialist. By taking it to Volvo you're paying absolute top dollar hourly rates, and probably for a mechanic who has rarely if ever worked on a car this old. A decent indy will probably be more used to working on older cars, will have his reputation to protect in terms of quality of work, and will be a fraction of the hourly cost. They usually source parts at more competitive prices too, and are not scared of using aftermarket parts so long as they're decent quality.

I do most of my own work, but obviously can't do aircon work, so I had my local indy replace the evaporator, compressor and dryer all of which didn't break the bank by any means. I got the parts myself from a local motor factor (Camberley auto spares, although they've been taken over now) and they weren't excessively expensive either. Aircon now works reliably and has done for years, so not much wrong with what they did or the quality of the parts.

It's your money, but that's what I'd do. Seconded on the comments about making your own assessment of any pipe corrosion, and if they do need replacing then having a chat with a local hydraulic pipe company, I know Pirtek are a big name in this and I've heard lots of good things about how helpful they can be.

[CNGBiFuel]

By taking it to Volvo you're paying absolute top dollar hourly rates, and probably for a mechanic who has rarely if ever worked on a car this old. A decent indy will probably be more used to working on older cars, will have his reputation to protect in terms of quality of work, and will be a fraction of the hourly cost. They usually source parts at more competitive prices too, and are not scared of using aftermarket parts so long as they're decent quality.

+1 to that. A place that hasn't seen a car like ours has to be the worst place. If that is the problem, and i doubt it... and you're doing your own work - the local hydraulics outfit will have it. Fork-lifts and process-plant need that kind of stuff all day long.

I've just swapped-out a whole rack, which is why I doubt the rusty hose twonk.. My parts from a breakers, no cheaper motoring exists if you can do this sort of thing? £60 + a tenner in fluid. And a day of my time. Done. Suspect that'd be £14-1500+ at a dealer; ie: it'd never get done, and see the scrap-pile.

[Familyman 90]

It theyre not leaking then clean them up and paint them.