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The rear differential on a Toyota vehicle performs the same function as the differential on any other make of car in that it allows the wheels to turn at different speeds when turning. The wheel on the outer side of the car has a larger radius to travel, so if the differential didn’t allow the wheels to turn independently of each other one or the other would slide or skid across the road. Because there are moving gears inside the differential, those gears require oil to lubricate them and prevent friction to cause overheating. Like any other oil, differential fluid breaks down at the molecular level over time. In some cases, it can become contaminated with condensation or outside debris, causing it to function ineffectively.
When a contaminant gets into the differential fluid, it does more than just speed up the breakdown of the oil, but can also cause damage to the very gears the oil is supposed to protect. The gears are made of heavy gauge steel, and they turn against each other. Not having the proper oil to lubricate those parts is bad enough, but water from condensation, a speck of debris might flake off the inside portion of a gasket, or even a bit of smog pollution from other vehicles on the road can potentially jam up the gears and cause them to break. At that point, repairs are going to be quite expensive, but if a problem is detected before the damage is done, flushing out the differential tank can prevent such harm before it actually happens.
There are a few symptoms which occur when older differentials are starting to go bad, or if a newer one has become damaged. Often the driver might see damage to the wheel rim which seems inexplicable. There might be a whining sound coming from the rear of the vehicle, or the sound of gears grinding against each other. The car itself will likely become shaky when turning, and the tires may begin to show signs of uneven tread wear. Once such problems begin, they’re only going to get worse, if the car is continued to be driven the likelihood of repairs instead of a full differential replacement becomes less.
Our full-service shop at Pappas Toyota in St. Peters, MO is the place to go for Toyota maintenance and service in the areas of O’Fallon, St. Charles, Chesterfield, and Florissant. Our technicians are trained and certified to assure your car is back on the road quickly and safely.
