This started out as a small whine, then progressively got worse. I thought it would go away, then noticed a puddle of something under my car so I took it in. After an hour and a half of diagnostic work, they determined that I had a bad steering gear and had to be replaced. I don't think a steering gear should go bad after 39,000 miles. Ya I drive my car a little rough but not bad enough to make to steering gear go bad.