It's related and the tech simply forgot to check the column as that usually happens when the steering rack is moved as it has to be. You can either take the car back or simply fix it yourself as it's easy. Look inside the car where the steering column meets the bushing at the firewall, you'll see a metal collar that has slipped out of place as it belongs under the rubber, not outside of it. I take a small screwdriver, sometimes spray it with a little silicon spray to make it easier and work the seal around the collar as I slide the collar back down under that seal where it belongs. It was just an oversight by the tech as I've seen that happen many times and it's something that a guy might not think about during the process, especially if he doesn't hear the noise during a test drive afterwords.