Rack-and-pinion steering mechanism

A rack-and-pinion steering system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a housing;
• a rack displaceably mounted in said housing, having a longitudinal axis, an upper side having a symmetrically configured contact face defined thereon, and a lower side opposite said upper side;
• a pressure piece disposed in a bore in said housing adjacent to said upper side of said rack and having an at least partially asymmetrical contact face defined thereon, said pressure piece being elastically biased toward said rack such that said asymmetrical contact face is forced into contact with said symmetrical contact face on said upper side of said rack, said pressure piece further configured to be slidingly moveable in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of said rack;
• and
• a pinion mounted in said housing and engaged with said rack on said lower side thereof.