Could be the pump too, if the reservoir doesn't do the job. Mine was stiff, but intermittently so. I replaced the pump with a rebuilt one from Rock Auto and its been great since.

Normally I don't go as low as Rock Auto, but it was super cheap and I wasn't sure it wasn't the rack. It also was rebuilt by Cardone, which I've generally had good luck with. So far so good.

Probably worth throwing parts at this system in the hopes that it isn't the rack. which is expensive and hard to change out.

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Current
Original owner 2002 E53 X5 4.4i to 4.6i swap
2026 G80 M3 6 spd
2025 G06 X5 50e
Former
1972 Audi Fox
1986 Saab 900S
1996 BMW Z3
1998 BMW E36 M3 Sedan
2004 BMW E46 M3
2006 Audi A3 Quatro
1993 Mopar 318 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2015 V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee