Nissan Navara d40 power steering cooler leak

Vehicle is a 2006 Nissan Navara d40 with the YD25 diesel. The power steering cooler makes a small puddle underneath the left front corner of the vehicle, just inside the driver's side wheel well.

Vehicle is in a fairly good condition overall, despite being a work truck with substantial mileage.

It is not uncommon for power steering hoses to perish over time. Most rubber hoses have a limited life span, for that matter. The picture below shows the leak inside the left front wheel well. The culprit is the power steering line that runs just over the frame rail (both of which are quite wet). To get to the hoses, removing the wheel and wheel well liner is necessary. In the picture, vehicle front is to the left.

The leak is almost in the center of the image where the metal tube from the power steering cooler (from left) meets the power steering hose (going right). The extra harness that is ziptied to the hose on the right side is the wiring for an external engine block heater.

Looking at the leaking connection, it is apparent that the leak has caused issues before. There are two corroded worm clamps on the connection, neither of which is original. The problem is not with the clamps, though. As is usual, rubber wears out in time and it is actually the end of the hose that leaks.

A cheap & quick, although probably not a permanent solution is to cut off 3-4 centimeters off the hose and connect it with a new clamp. Note that pulling the hose off the power steering cooler leads to some loss of power steering fluid so have a catch pan ready underneath. The loss of fluid is not extensive, for me, I had to use about half of a one liter bottle of the appropriate Nissan power steering fluid to top the system.

Leak fixed, cost about 20 euros for the new fluid.