mechanic told me that my rack and pinion has begun to leak

Hello,

Have you been losing power steering fluid that you have to keep adding to the reservoir?
Do you see any fluid under the vehicle when left overnight or when the vehicle is running?

Keep in mind that if any component starts to leak it will progressively get worse.
Depending on the leak it can be labor intensive to fix or replace.
Also, it is possible for any shop to misdiagnose the issue. So, it might be a good idea to get a second opinion. If possible, try to look at the rack and pinion to see is there any leak.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/power-steering-problems

I have attached diagrams for your reference.

Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you.