New Diff on the way...

God Bless us all...bigger problems down the road....

 

Redline synthetic

 

I have the OR Manual version and my 1st differential started whining bad at 500 miles. My 2nd differential whined worse than the 1st immediately with zero miles. I was driving it off of the lot after getting it replaced, heard it, turned around and had the dealer document that it wasn't fixed.

For the record, I broke both of them in carefully and the fluid looked fine on each when I changed it. Both were filled with the right stuff to the right level.

Same sound as Smitty. I don't take it as a sign that the differential is about to fail. I'm sure it'll roll on as-is for many miles, but it's really embarrassing. People get in the truck and start saying how nice it is, how much the like the interior, etc. etc. and within a few miles they get a puzzled look on their face and ask me what that sound is.

 

..."I was driving it off of the lot after getting it replaced, heard it, turned around and had the dealer document that it wasn't fixed."...

smitty claims the sound (prob the tires/road combo) come at 50+ mph, and yet yours happened off the repair bay in the parking lot ??
Talk to smitty, you guys need to get your stories straight lmaoo!

Hope that helps
Cheers!

 

You think that you know everything, but you don't. My dealership is on a road with a 55mph speed limit and no stop lights. Since the differential noise happens between 50 and 55, it was immediately apparent after pulling off the lot. You'll see that I said off the lot, not out of the bay.

Before you call somebody out, make sure you're right so that you don't sound like a tool.

 

I have the same sound and I am waiting for a solution from Toyota, so I am not attacking you for claiming it. But you must be an amazing driver/mechanic to have broken your 2nd differential in properly and changed the fluid before driving it off the lot with zero miles on it.

 

He broke in after he heard the noise

Hope that helps
Cheers!

 

I just talked to ECGS. No gear options available yet for the 2016 with e locker

 

Well then what does breaking it in properly or changing the fluid have to do with anything?

 

I didn't say I broke it in while I was driving it off the lot. I said it was obvious when driving it off the lot that the new one had problems.

I drove it home slowly which took about 15 minutes and then let it cool all the way down and checked to make sure it was full of fluid. It was. I proceeded to drive another 500 miles while not maintaining any one speed for very long, not going very fast, not accelerating fast, etc. and not driving more than 50 miles without stopping and letting it cool all the way down. After that 500 miles, I changed the fluid.

That's breaking it in right and that's what I've done to both of my diffs. One developed the problem after 500 miles and one had it from the very beginning. The dealer and the regional service manager agreed that both were making an abnormal noise.

Don't believe me if you don't want. I really don't care. I didn't start the post and I'm not looking for attention so it doesn't matter to me either way.

 

There was a post earlier in the thread blaming those of us that have the problem because we didn't break the diffs in properly. I was merely pointing out that that couldn't be the case if the sound was heard immediately on one and both were broken in properly.

 

It's puzzling only a few ppl are having this issues and out of those, some are repeat issue after the 2nd. I'm thinking they/Toyota should just replace the entire rear a end housing/axle assembly, as at this point its the only thing that makes sense as the culprit and that hasn't been replaced.

Toyota, please do these for these folks!

Hope that helps!
Cheers!

 

At this point, I'm not pushing them to replace anything. I do think they're working on a fix and I'll wait it out. They've already fixed the other couple of issues I had with the truck so I'll give them some time.

Differentials can be hard to set up. I replaced one in my 2004 4Runner last year with a complete 3rd from ECGS. The first one that I got from them had the same problem as I'm having now with my Tacoma; howling on deceleration/very slight load although it wasn't nearly as loud as my Tacoma. They sent me another and it has been silent ever since. If even a respected shop like ECGS can make a mistake and get one to howl then it must be really difficult for a factory somewhere to get every one of them set up right.

 

Diffs are really not that hard to set up, I've done so many I got to the point I didn't really need a gauge for the backlash or a torque wrench for the pinion preload, just make sure gear contact is right on and you're all set. No come-backs, no problems not something mysterious or hard.
This is why this is so puzzling to me, and I've seen housing defects and axle shaft defects and those are harder to diagnose at first, and is the reason I think Toyota should just replace the entire assembly, take the old one to the lab proving grounds and see what if anything is wrong and come out with definitive statement if need be.

Hope that helps
Cheers!

 

That's an interesting point of view. There's another thread where we've been talking about this issue and possibly causes and that theory hasn't been mentioned yet, but you might have a point. My expertise with differentials is limited to swapping out pre-assembled 3rds so admittedly, I'm handy but no expert.

The work order from the dealership when they replaced mine said they found unusual wear on the pinion bearing. That could either be true or it could just be a BS reason that they had to list to get corporate to reimburse them for the job. I really don't know.

 

The pinion bearing maybe the most difficult part of the job depending on the set up, and now we may have a clue from your RO as to the issue. Axle and housing defects are very rare but they do exits and after a comeback it needs to be included in the troubleshooting procedure, and its the only reason I mention them.

Cheers!

 

I like the new features of the 3rd gen and maybe in a few years when problems are solved I would get one for sure.

What doesn't make sense is why people keep buying them knowing there issues, even trading in their reliable 2nd gen for an unreliable 3rd gen then complaining. I mean there is even a "who's buying a 2017" thread. If your posting in that thread and buying one you KNOW of the issues! Zero logic... just wait till everything's fixed and sorted out. That will make Toyota fix the issues.

PS. this doesn't apply to those who where the first buyers before this was all known.

 

Mine started howling around 4000 miles but I thought it was exhaust droning coming through the rear vents. Now I know it's the diff and I have over 10k on it