The steering rack on a Honda Civic has a pair of rubber boots that protect the ends of the rack from any dirt and debris kicked up from the road. If the boot tears, then the steering rack could get damaged from that debris, which could cause it to fail. To fix the issue, the steering rack boot needs to be replaced with a new one. This process should take you about an hour to do.
Put on the parking brake on the Civic and lift the front of the car using the jack. Put jack stands under the car and take off the front wheels with the tire iron.
Mark the intersection between the threaded rod on the steering rack and the lock nut on the tie rod end with the paint marker so that you can keep the tie rod in the same approximate location as it was originally. Remove the cotter pin from the ball joint on the tie rod end using the needle-nose pliers. Unbolt the tie rod from the steering knuckle using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket, then take it out of the knuckle.
Remove the lock nut on the tie rod end with an open-end wrench, then remove the lock nut and the tie rod end from the steering rack with an open-end wrench. Remove the clamps holding the boot to the steering rack with the pliers, then pull the boot off of the steering rack.
Install the replacement boot onto the steering rack with the factory clamps and the pliers. Reinstall the tie rod end lock nut and tie rod end onto the steering rack, aligning the lock nut and the tie rod end with the line you made with the paint marker in step 2. Reinstall the tie rod end into the steering knuckle with the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket and install a new cotter pin with the needle-nose pliers.
Reinstall the Civic's wheels with a tire iron and lower the vehicle off the stands with the jack.
