Since your car is equipped with rack and pinion steering, it’ll come as no surprise that one of the components in that system is called a steering rack. The BMW Steering Rack is a long, flat gear encased in a tubular housing and connected on either end to your front wheels. The pinion, which is attached to the steering column (and to your steering wheel), pushes the steering rack to one side or the other, and the motion turns your front wheels, changing the direction of the car.

Since most BMW steering racks are power-assisted, the inner workings are a little more complex than the above description. But for the most part, rack and pinion steering provides better, more precise steering control than the alternative steering types. Leaks and slop in the gears are the most common causes of BMW steering rack replacement, and rebuilt units are readily available if you’ve got a steering rack problem in your vehicle.