Usually bad or failing differential oil will produce a few symptoms that can alert the driver of a potential problem that should be serviced. If your car makes a rumbling or whirring noise when traveling faster than 20 mph, worn carrier bearings could be the culprit. The two things that the car will exhibit if it is failing, is a tendency to hop or bind when the steering is at full lock (think low speed, parking maneuvers) The other is a whining, space ship-like noise on accelerating indicating the bearings in the transfer case (specifically the coupler, most of the time) are bad. basically, pay attention for leaks. Either of these symptoms suggest that the internal clutch components need to be inspected for wear. With a clutch's lifespan averaging 90,000 miles, problems are relatively rare. if it is from the upper drivers side of the diff, it is probably the vent. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 14 of 14 Posts ... like parking and engaging the clutch. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 7 of 7 Posts. A traditional clutch-type differential will lose its ability to transfer power to the slower spinning wheel, essentially turning it back into a standard "open" differential. Here is a list of what can cause a rear differential to go bad: Not driving adequately in the break-in period: When a vehicle is brand new, there’s a period of 3,000-5,000 miles where certain thresholds should not be crossed if the user does not want to shorten the life of the differential. You may also be able to notice a vague feel at the clutch lever. I'm guessing this is a 5spd, so it has a viscous coupler. Causes: When a clutch is performing optimally, the drive plates and friction plates are pushed together during clutch engagement (i.e. Vehicle … Serving as the connection between the engine and the transmission, the clutch assembly in a manual transmission withstands extreme pressures and stress on a continual basis. see where it is leaking from. Symptoms of a Damaged Differential . ---Problem Fixed, center differential was bad, replaced with new unit and everything works fine----2002 subaru wrx wagon. HamToast ... clutch packs in the diff, pinion gear and any number of rear end differential problems. There ARE ways the system can fail even when you do all that correctly - Duty Solenoid C can be bad, wiring can be bad, the wet clutch pack can hang-up and not function correctly, etc. when the clutch lever is let out). Other components may show signs of damage when your vehicle has differential problems. All unusual or strange noises produced by the driveline while driving have a root cause and should be thoroughly investigated to prevent serious damage to the vehicle or the operator. 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