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Smoke and burnt electric smell

The power steering is electric. There is no fluid.

Peter
What is it leaking from? There's no fluid inside the rack and pinion? The power steering mechanism is electric, but the rack and pinion has fluid, right?
 



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The 5th generation Explorer uses a system referred to as EPAS. Electric Power Assisted Steering. As far as I know, there is no fluid involved.
The only way to find the leak is to try and trace its beginning.
BTW, the motor mounts are hydraulic.

Peter
 






I can't really see where the fluid is coming from. I was hoping someone here might have had a similar leak, but I might have to take it to the dealership. I will try jacking it up tomorrow and see I can get in there. I thought it could be the water pump, but it's on the opposite side and can't see coolant leaking only on the driver side, plus coolant level is not going down. I noticed a little bit of green color tone on the fluid.

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Do you know if these lines underneath are HVAC lines? I know drove a long trip and I run over some truck tire debris that hit under the explorer. Maybe it moved those lines and caused a leak of the refrigerant and oil. That would explain the green color.

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Took it to the Ford dealership and they say it the evaporator that failed. I guess I was right about the fluid being refrigerant. They want to charge an arm, a leg and two fingers for the repair. The $2,908.79 is just to replace the condenser. Recharge is a separate fee of $162.99. If I want them to check to make sure the system is working properly like vent temp and verify Freon levels is another $159. 95. Then on top of that the diagnostic fee of $159.99. I think it's way overpriced. That's way too much. The whole OEM EVAP assembly is $280 online. The labor should be between $1,200 on the lower end and $1,700 in the higher end according to the online search. I have removed the dashboard from my Ford Fusion to replace a temp sensor.... But this dashboard is a two man job to move. Sucks really bad.... Alot of money.

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