What happens if you drive with a bad rear differential?

If left too long or if the fluid starts to run low, the differential will become noisy and can eventually fail. If that happens, the gears can seize, locking up the rear wheels and potentially causing a lot of damage or even an accident.

Can I drive my car with a bad differential?

Driving with a bad differential can also be dangerous. Besides the further damage a bad differential can cause to other components of your car, the whining noise, tire damage, hardness of the steering, vibrations, etc., can also lead to an accident.

Can rear differential cause transmission problems?

When the differential doesn’t perform well, it creates metal-on-metal friction that wears down surfaces. The resulting heat weakens gears and can cause component failure and transmission problems.

How much does it cost to fix a rear differential?

You can expect a rear differential replacement to cost up to $4,000. Now that you know what to expect for a rear differential repair you have the information to decide whether or not a replacement is worth the cost and if a new car might make the most sense for you.

How do you know if your differential is broken?

Symptoms Of A Bad Rear Differential
  1. Vibrations. A bad differential can cause vibrations that increase in intensity as you speed up and reduce as you slow down. …
  2. Grinding Gears. Grinding gears is another significant sign that your differential is failing and that the gears are wearing themselves out. …
  3. Whining Noises.

What does a broken diff sound like?

The most common sound of a failed differential is a whining noise. This is often due to poor lubrication within the differential, meaning there is a good chance that the differential fluid is leaking. If you spot a reddish fluid under the differential, there is certainly a leak.

What are the symptoms of low differential fluid?

What are the Symptoms of Bad Differential/Gear Oil?
  • Burning Smell from the Differential. When you notice a bad smell coming from your gearbox, you should take it as a sign of bad differential oil which can be contaminated hence not operating as it should be. …
  • Weird Noises. …
  • Vibrations.

What causes differential failure?

The leading cause of a differential failing is due to using the wrong lubricant type and specialty lubricants. Water can also be a culprit to a differential failing as it can enter through the vent or seals. This often happens when driving in high water.

What does a broken rear differential sound like?

Regular clunking every few feet can also be an indicator of a broken pinion gear and/or chipped and damaged ring gear. Overly worn out bearings tend to make a howling noise when they do not properly support the gears. Rumbling while turning, on the other hand, is a sign of bad wheel bearings.

Is the differential part of the transmission?

The differential is a set of gears that transmits engine power to the wheels, while allowing them to turn at different speeds on turns. With front-wheel-drive (FWD), the differential is alongside the transmission inside a housing, and the unit is called a transaxle.

How do you fix a rear differential?

How long should a differential last?

A rear differential service consists of removing the rear differential cover, cleaning any old fluid from inside the differential case, resealing the cover, and adding clean fluid. After a rear differential fluid change, most vehicles will go 20,000 to 40,000 miles before it’s due again.

What does a noisy diff sound like?

Clunking and Clicking…

Regular “clunking” or loud “clicking” every few feet may indicate a broken ring or pinion gear tooth. “Clunking or clicking” when starting to move or getting on and off the gas might be loose yokes, bad u-joints or worn transfer case or transmission parts.

How hard is it to replace a rear differential?

A complete rear differential replacement includes replacing the housing, gears, bearings, and seals. The average time it takes a certified mechanic to perform a differential rebuild at a shop is usually three to five hours. A rebuild on a commercial vehicle by someone without prior experience could take much longer.

Why does my rear end clunk?

A knocking or clicking sound may be due to the splines on the axle shafts being worn out, in which case the defective shaft has to be replaced. Another reason for this may be chipped teeth on one or more of the gears in the differential. Again, they’ll need to be replaced.

What happens if front differential goes out while driving?

If the universal joints of your differentials get too worn out, the drive shaft will start to vibrate. You will feel the vibrations even more as you step on the gas pedal to accelerate your vehicle. The vibrations will get even worse if there is a differential fluid leak.

How much does it cost to rebuild a rear end?

Depending on the make and model of your car, as well as its condition, expect to spend between $1,500 to $4,000. The other factor is if you buy a new rear-diff or a used/rebuilt one. A used or rebuilt one will help you save money, but it won’t have the same warranty as a new one.

What does it mean when your rear end is going out?

Typically, when the gears wear out – or the bearings fail – the differential will start to howl. You’ll hear something that sounds like a deep whistling sound that goes up and down in pitch as you go faster and slower. Sometimes it’ll go away when you step on the gas.

Does changing differential fluid make a difference?

In most cases, you will need to change differential fluid every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. It’s important to stay on top of changing differential fluid because metal-on-metal contact creates heat from friction. It also weakens gears and wears down surfaces. That can lead to differential failure, which is a costly problem.

Is a rear differential leak serious?

When the gasket fails, it can cause the differential to leak, which may put it at risk of running low on fluid and suffering serious damage. Usually a bad or failing differential gasket will produce a few symptoms that can alert the driver of a potential problem that should be serviced.