Who is knowledge about Rack and Pinion steering systems?

This is actually my mothers car so I haven't talked to the mechanics. It has Power Rack and Pinion steering and according to her, it made a noise when being turned sharply to the right. Kind of like a grinding noise. She said that they said it had a whole in a line (I am assuming fluid line) and would cost $1400 to fix. She said they "packed it" and that is holding for now but the problem will continue to get worse and worse until the whole thing (didn't elaborate on what the "thing" is) stops funcationing all together. I'll probably be heading home over the weekend, I might stop in at the dealership she's been talking to and talk to the mechanics there myself.