Citroen Athena track rod end replacement, made easy

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Our expert insights into track rod end replacement

What does a track rod end do?

A track rod end is a small, flexible ball joint which sits on the end of the tie rods, connecting them to the steering rack and front wheel steering knuckle. Together these components perform an essential role in a car’s steering function.

What are the signs of a bad track rod end?

Below are the top three symptoms that could indicate you need to replace your track rod end:

  • Vibrations in the steering wheel

  • If your steering is not as precise as usual

  • Knocking when you drive over bumps or when changing direction

What happens during a track rod end replacement?

Our certified mechanics will:

  • Safely raise the vehicle and remove the road wheel

  • They will then undo the component from the steering knuckle and tie rod

  • A new track rod end will be fitted

  • The wheel will be put back on and the mechanic will test drive your car to ensure the parts are working and fitted correctly

Daniel, from LondonDaniel, from London

Hey Fixter, how often does a track rod end need to be replaced?

There's no set time frame for track rod end replacement. They will wear like all parts, but their lifespan is affected by how well you drive. The smoother you drive, the better!

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How Fixter works

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Upfront, fair pricing, with free collection & return and no hidden costs. Our in-house experts will then choose the ideal garage to work on your car.

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A fully-insured Fixter driver will pick up your car, whenever and wherever works for you. (If you’d prefer to drive your car to the garage yourself, that’s not a problem!).

Accordion item 3 imageWe return your car the same day

Our in-house experts will keep you updated, and your card is only charged once all work has been satisfactorily completed and approved by our team. Your driver will then drop the car back when it’s convenient for you.

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Takes a lot of stress away

I would definitely recommend this company: knowing someone was keeping an eye on everything to make sure I wasn't being overcharged for parts and labour takes a lot of stress out of having the work done. I felt really well looked after. Thank you Fixter.

Kathleen Hodge, West Yorkshire

Excellent service

Excellent service. On time to pick up my car & drop it back. Full service cost £179, main dealer quoted me £700-lots different!

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Just had my MOT done through Fixter for the first time. It took about 5 minutes of my time in total to book, hand over the key, and get it back when the car was returned. So I was able to carry on looking after my 2 year old. Total game-changer!

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Can't get more convenient than someone turning up, taking the car from the house for its MOT and returning it a few hours later. No having to drive to a garage (often miles from anywhere or in the middle of an industrial estate) or hanging around waiting.

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Want to learn more about Citroen Athena track rod end replacement?

What does a track rod end do?

A track rod is made up of two rods – an inner and an outer track rod. The inner rod is attached to the steering rack and pinion, while the outer rod is attached to the steering knuckle.

A track rod end is a small, flexible ball joint which sits on the end of the tie rods, connecting them to the steering rack and front wheel steering knuckle. They swivel and allow the steering system to move efficiently and keep the rack and pinion system in good condition.

Even though a track rod end is a very small piece of the car, it is an essential part of the steering system and could cause major issues if broken.

Citroën

Citroën is a French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group since 1976, established over 100 years ago in March 1919.

Citroën produced the world’s first mass-produced front-wheel drive car and one of the first to feature a unitary type body, with no chassis supporting its mechanical components.

Citroën is probably better known for its quirky design and fun fashion styled brand of cars. Offering something different from more traditional sporty looks, they are a brand that provides value without being cheap.

There were 1.3m Citroën cars on the roads at the close of 2018; a figure that peaked in the early part of 2015 and has maintained a very similar number ever since.

Good value vehicles for family driving

Citroën offers a range of fun-looking smaller city cars and family cars for every ilk. The smallest starts with their C1 city model, growing into the C3 mini-MPV and SUV models, then the C4 subcompact and compact featuring crossover and SUV styles, up to the C5 family saloon, that is also available as an SUV sporting Citroën’s Aircross moniker. With models featuring up to 7 seats, Citroën doesn’t just create cars for everyday family motoring—they supply cars for the biggest of families.

How often should a track rod end need replacing?

There's no set time frame for track rod end replacement. They will wear like all parts, but their lifespan is affected by how well you drive. Like most car parts, the smoother you drive, the better - this is particularly true for track rod ends!

Even though there's no replacement interval, your track rod ends are checked as part of your MOT test. And watch out because bad track rod ends are a common MOT failure!

What happens when we do a track rod end replacement on your car?

Our certified mechanics will:

  • Safely raise the vehicle and remove the road wheel

  • They will then undo the component from the steering knuckle and tie rod

  • A new track rod end will be fitted

  • The wheel will be put back on and the mechanic will test drive your car to ensure the parts are working and fitted correctly

What causes a track rod end to break?

Like any part in constant use, track rod ends can break due to wear over time. They can also wear out due to impact, such as constant use on bumpy roads or a nasty speed bump.

When should a track rod end be replaced?

There's no set time frame for track rod end replacement. They will wear like all parts, but their lifespan is affected by how well you drive. Like most car parts, the smoother you drive, the better - this is particularly true for track rod ends!

Even though there's no replacement interval, your track rod ends are checked as part of your MOT test. And watch out because bad track rod ends are a common MOT failure!

What are the signs of a failing track rod end?

Usually, there a few signs you can look for:

  • Vibrations in the steering wheel

  • If your steering is not as precise as usual

  • Knocking when you drive over bumps or when changing direction

  • Uneven or premature tyre wear

What happens when we do a track rod end replacement on your car?

Our certified mechanics will:

  • Safely raise the vehicle and remove the road wheel

  • They will then undo the component from the steering knuckle and tie rod

  • A new track rod end will be fitted

  • The wheel will be put back on and the mechanic will test drive your car to ensure the parts are working and fitted correctly

Can you drive with a broken track rod end?

Usually if the track rod end is worn you can continue driving. However, if it is completely broken you should avoid driving your car as the steering will be seriously compromised. If you experience any of the above symptoms you should have your steering system looked at to ensure your car remains safe and roadworthy.

What happens if you don't change a bad track rod end?

Failing to change a broken or faulty track rod will result in unreliable and inaccurate steering. This can obviously be very dangerous especially when changing direction and when driving at high speeds. We recommend having your track rod ends replaced as soon as you suspect an issue.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

Your track rod ends are checked as part of your MOT test. That way, you’ll have an annual update on their condition. It’s important that you don’t ignore any advice given in your MOT advisory notes. Worn or broken track rod ends count as an MOT failure, so make sure you keep them in good condition!

It goes without saying that keeping your whole steering system in tip-top condition is essential. If you’re not in control of where the car is going, you could end up in a dangerous situation on the roads.

Common questions about booking at Fixter

Common questions about booking at Fixter

Who is going to drive my car?

All of our drivers are fully insured and your vehicle is always protected.

We put our drivers through rigorous vetting and training before they are able to drive your vehicle. All of our drivers must have at least 3 years of driving experience, hold a clean driver's licence, be over the age of 21, capable of driving both manual and automatic vehicles and pass a criminal background check.

Your vehicle will be assigned to a driver who is responsible for collecting it from your home, delivering it to the garage and returning your vehicle once all work is completed.

Sometimes we might coordinate with a garage for them to send their own driver to collect your vehicle. In this instance, you are protected as you would be if it was a Fixter driver. 

What garage will my car go to?

One of our in-house mechanics will factor in the make and model of your car, as well as the work that needs doing. They will then allocate your booking to the most appropriate Fixter garage in your area, and we’ll email you to confirm.

Here’s why only 1 in 20 garages pass our selection criteria:

  • We only choose garages registered as a Limited Company, with a minimum of 3 years of trading.

  • We assess each garage's various established affiliations (e.g. Bosch / Unipart / Garage).

  • We perform an online audit: Fixter only selects garages with at least a 4 star customer rating.

  • We make sure to visit each garage in person. Our in-house mechanics evaluate the quality of equipment, staff qualifications, capacity, and technical capabilities of selected servicing centres. Fixter only works with garages which strictly use manufacturer-equivalent parts.

  • After all requirements are fulfilled, we negotiate preferential terms with each selected (including parts, labour, oil, and MOT test rates), so we can pass it along to our customers.

What parts will be used?

All parts used in repairs and services carried out by Fixter are either manufacturer parts or equivalent. This guarantees that only the best quality parts are used in your vehicle. We offer a 12-month warranty, meaning that should anything should go wrong with the parts or labour we’ll take care of it, free of charge. 

How and when do I pay?

We take your card details when you book online, but nothing is charged to your card until all the work has been approved by our in-house experts, and satisfactorily completed.

No extra work will be carried out without your consent. If additional work is required, one of our in-house experts will call you to walk through any diagnostic reports, recommendations or additional quotes from the mechanic working on your car. We check every quote to make sure the work is required and has been fairly priced.

Note: If you need to update your payment details to pay for your booking, the team will send you a secure link to add the new card details.

How does the money back guarantee work?

If your car fails its MOT at one of our garages, but you believe that your car should have passed, you'll have the option to take your car to another garage to do a new MOT test. If your vehicle passes the MOT at another garage, we’ll refund you for the original MOT test that you carried out with us. Collection and delivery fees are non-refundable.

How does the Fixter 12-month warranty work?

All Fixter bookings are covered by a 12-month warranty on parts and labour.

If there’s a problem (with either parts or labour) up to 12 months after your booking date, we’ll sort it out for you, completely free of charge.

Just email support@fixter.co.uk or call our team on 0330 808 9527 and we’ll take care of it.

Note: this doesn't apply to an air con regas as leaks can occur at any time.

Can I cancel my booking?

We understand that things change.

If you need to cancel or change your booking, please let us know asap. Our agents spend time finding you a top-rated garage, which is then booked to take care of your vehicle. In many cases, parts are ordered in advance. As a result, we operate a 72-hour cancellation policy. If you have a confirmed booking with us and need to cancel within 72 hours of the appointment, a cancellation fee of £20 may be applied.

We want to avoid that so our agents will work with you to try and find a new appointment instead. To discuss changing or cancelling a booking, please email or phone on 0330 808 9527.

Our team works Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.

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