REAR DIFF FAILURE! - Not impressed.

I just had the exact same problem with my 2010 TRD Off Road with Locking rear differential. I'm from California and was hunting in Eastern Montana. I got stuck, pulled it out forward with a winch. Seemed to be no problem the rest of the day driving about 50 miles in and out of four wheel drive. The next morning I headed out hunting again. Started out in the morning with a light tapping sound on each tire rotation. Sounded like it was coming from the left rear wheel. Continued to drive it on and off road in and out of 4 wheel drive the rest of the day with no problem except the noise was getting louder and louder. By the afternoon and driving back to town on 40 miles of gravel road, it kept getting louder and louder. By the time I got back to town it was sounding like someone was beating on the rear axle with a hammer. It increased in sound on acceleration and lessened on decelloration. The next morning we put it up on the lift and accelerated the engine and spun the rear wheels and discovered it was coming from the rear differential. This was on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I had it towed that morning 170 miles to the Toyota Dealer in Billings, Montana. The dealer said it needs a whole new differential gear assembly. They said they have never seen this failure in any Tacomas but have had a few in FJ Cruisers. They said it was probably a manufacturing defect. Its covered under the 60,000 mile powertrain warranty. The problem is, because it's not a common problem, they had to order the parts and it was a Holiday weekend (Thanksgiving). It's now Monday and I'm still waiting for parts so I can go home. The bottom line is, I still have faith in my Tacoma and it still runs circles around other 4X4 pickups when it comes to serious off-roading. This is not a common problem. Since 2010 was the last year Tacomas were made in the California Factory and mine was one of the last ones produced there. I suspect there may have been some quality control issues from workers who were loosing their jobs.

 

Dennis, how many miles on your 2010 when this happened? My 2010 was made in Baja so I hope to be safe. I have 46,000 miles on mine and perfect so far.

 

Mine occurred in soft mud and melting ice, no rocks. While climbing a hill my left rear wheel slid into a rut and high centered. I did not have the locking rear differential engaged. I probably would not have gotten stuck if I had. My mistake. I pulled it forward with the winch and got out. About 50 miles later the rear differential started making a tapping noise.

 

I have about 46,000 miles on my Tacoma as well. Other than being stuck far from home. I feel fortunate that I stressed it enough to cause this failure before the 60,000 mile warranty was up.

 

You were in Low Range if you considered using the locker, correct? Was the A-Trac on? A-Trac would likely have prevented the stuck... The traction control makes so much imorovement over open diffs. Of course this doesn't help now but could for others reading this.

 

I personally think there is a weakness in the design that allows too much deflection (increasing and decreasing backlash when loaded/unloaded). I've cured it by installing an 8.4 with an ARB. My steady diet of a new r&p every 9 months has now been cured!

They also talk of a 8.2 e-locker but I know nothing about it.