good day all, have any of you heard of or experienced multiple and repeated rear differential failure at around 80000 miles for any subaru models from years 2000 and up. The input of mecanics working for subaru dealers would also be appreciated.Regards.:-\

repeated? the same vehicle having multiple differential failures? never heard of that. more information would be helpful - such as "my car did this, then this and why is it doing it again?" why type of failure? broken gear teeth? have the rear wheel bearings and tires been properly checked?

repeated? the same vehicle having multiple differential failures? never heard of that. more information would be helpful - such as "my car did this, then this and why is it doing it again?" why type of failure? broken gear teeth? have the rear wheel bearings and tires been properly checked?

"Marty" is a lawyer, or works for one. I've seen these posts before on MANY boards.

 

He is fishing for information for a Class Action suit against Subaru.

 

Not to start a flame war, but that's my take on this post.

 

YMMV.

I am no lawyer. I am just a guy who was told by someone I know that his boss, who had 3 subarus in the familly and on the three of them the rear dif went at around that mileage so that is why I am asking

"Marty" is a lawyer, or works for one. I've seen these posts before on MANY boards.

 

He is fishing for information for a Class Action suit against Subaru.

 

Not to start a flame war, but that's my take on this post.

 

YMMV.

As I mentionned in my other post,I just had this guy that I know who`s boss`s family had 3 subaru and on the three of them, the rear dif went at about 80000 miles so I am starting to worry. This guy`s car is a 2003 legacy outback

repeated? the same vehicle having multiple differential failures? never heard of that. more information would be helpful - such as "my car did this, then this and why is it doing it again?" why type of failure? broken gear teeth? have the rear wheel bearings and tires been properly checked?

Can't really say much about 2000 model year or newer, but the older ones are bullet proof, I have seen people break axles 4wheeling, but I have never heard of any of them breaking. Do you know if they are R80 or R60 (I think those are the correct numbers, maybe R180 and R160)?

don`t have a clue

Can't really say much about 2000 model year or newer, but the older ones are bullet proof, I have seen people break axles 4wheeling, but I have never heard of any of them breaking. Do you know if they are R80 or R60 (I think those are the correct numbers, maybe R180 and R160)?

i dont believe one family could own 3 subarus and have the same failure on all 3,maybe they have bad driving habits? ed

It could be but that is why I am interested to know if the problem is more common then it looks. 80000 miles does not seem high mileage for a subaru that to my knoeledge still has a good reputation. Any subaru macanics out there

i dont believe one family could own 3 subarus and have the same failure on all 3,maybe they have bad driving habits? ed

i dont think that dog is going to hunt,why dont you do a search on that subject and see what you find. ed

in the diff. I have only heard of a couple of diff failures on Subarus and that with high mileage or abuse. The odds of three under 80,000 in one family are huge.

Could it be these are related to incorrect tire sizes (ie replacing one or two tires instead of four, etc)?

 

Steve

My guess would be not changing the rear diff. fluid every 30k.

My guess would be not changing the rear diff. fluid every 30k.

 

Hmmmm, I don't think I've ever changed my rear diff fluid. Maybe I should:D 202k miles on it now.

 

Another option, what if its an unreputable shop, who always tells people they need a new rear differential when the rear brakes start making noise at around 80,000 miles, and sees which suckers fall for it? I've never heard of a dealer doing this, but there is a specialty shop around here that specializes in replacing brake master cylinders.... no matter what you originally took it in there for, they seem to notice the master cylinder is leaking....

My 1999 service manual recommends inspection of the differential and transmission gear oil every 30,000 miles. They recommend replacement every 15,000 miles under severe duty conditions (whatever that is).

 

My guess would be not changing the rear diff. fluid every 30k.

Yep severe at 15k, soooo REPLACEMENT for normal use every 30k just like all other fluids!

IIt can`t be a shop that would try to screw him. on one occasion, apparently the car stalled on the side of the road

Hmmmm, I don't think I've ever changed my rear diff fluid. Maybe I should:D 202k miles on it now.

 

Another option, what if its an unreputable shop, who always tells people they need a new rear differential when the rear brakes start making noise at around 80,000 miles, and sees which suckers fall for it? I've never heard of a dealer doing this, but there is a specialty shop around here that specializes in replacing brake master cylinders.... no matter what you originally took it in there for, they seem to notice the master cylinder is leaking....

handbreak induced slides? or does that just hurt the center diff?

Yep severe at 15k, soooo REPLACEMENT for normal use every 30k just like all other fluids!

Uhhh.... whoops! I thought the interval was like 60k. But I figure if I strip out the diff. cover or break the plugs trying to get them out, I'm fairly well screwed anyway. I'm sure the diff. cover is just as inseperable from the differential housing as the drain plugs are from the cover. Not that I've tried to break anything loose, mind you.

I think the rear cover can be un bolted on my Mom'03 GT sedan with Limited Slip Diff. Can't rememeber on the '98 L wagon we had. I just used a 1/2" drive breaker bar they are preety robust bould be hard to do that much damage??

They can be fried when one uses uneven tires.

So, it that clown has mismatched tires on all his subarus, yes they can all brake. That happens when the center dif is frozen solid from the abuse (infamous torque) and the rear goes next.

How does one know If a rear diff is bad? What are the symptoms? Do these 3 cars have rear LSD's?