I’ve been considering picking up a late 2017, limited trim 3rd gen, with 34k miles. Frame is pretty clean, interior is mint, and drive is smooth, though maybe a little play in the steering wheel. So then when looking under the truck, I noticed the steering rack boot looks pretty wet (surprising to me, probably not to many in this group).
The CARMAX GM and his technician are of the opinion, naturally, that this is not an active leak and everything is functioning as intended.
I’m definitely interested in closing out the sale, but not thrilled by the prospect of a steering rack failure or replacement early in my ownership, even with a good extended warranty.
Seems like a common issue for 3rd Gen Tacomas that some folks monitor and live with, so long as fluid levels are maintained and not dropping.
For those that know these well, how bad does this look? Should I request a test to pull back the boot and look for pooling fluid? Or move on?