Rear diff seepage - roadtrip?

We're headed out - nothing has dripped in my garage and the seeping didn't start until recently. At least in the last month b/c about then I retorqued my u-bolts and greased my front zerks and always look to make sure it's not seeping. I'll take it in next week... rear diff whine TSB, chirping fuel pump TSB, and seeping diff time. until then, off to some fun!

 

Looks like the the rear differential assembly for the 3rd Gen Tacoma is manufactured by Hino Motors in Thailand.


http://www.hinomanufacturing.co.th/en/Part.aspx

 

I made a 4,000 mile round trip to Colorado and back with a seeping diff, have fun!

 

I'll give you my 2 cents. I had some diff seepage for about 6-8 months. I snugged it up and it went away. But even after 6-8 months I really didn't lose much fluid. I just did my rear diff and drained out 4.2 quarts.

 

I drove around a few thousand miles waiting for my weeping diff hardware to arrive for repair. No issues for me at all.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/20k-mile-check-one-little-issue.507100/

As long as you don't see drops of oil in the driveway you'll be fine.

 

Overreacting you're fine. Almost every one of my tractors at work has some sort of seepage. They get beat to shit every season to.

 

Not according to this, American made in the Hino plant in Arkansas.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...oduction-start-of-tacoma-axles-300456820.html

 

Nice find. Sometime in 2017 they moved manufacturing from Thailand to Arkansas. I would assume most of the 3RD Gen trucks driving around today still have the Thailand made axle since the move is recent.

It would be interesting to know the actual cut off date of the last installed Thai made differential on the Tacoma line.

 

Wow that is pretty cool to see! I would guess those should start getting into the new Tacoma's soon or may have already.

 

Production in Arkansas started Jan 2017 according to the article so it's been awhile. Based on that I'd imagine the 16s and mid year 17s would have the previous production diffs, basically the recalled lot.

 

Read the link I posted and you'll see the service write up including replacement parts installed.

Mine wasn't a simple tightening of the hardware.

Point being if it's a tiny weep, no need to pull the chicken switches and park the truck until you get it fixed.

 

I always carry spare fluids. An extra qt of gear oil is cheap insurance.

 

Road trip fine - even stopped and hauled ~700 lbs of dirt/plants/mulch back the last hour of our drive home yesterday. Weeped slightly wider over the ~500miles of the weekend but no dripping. Will be interested to see what my dealer says this week... they changed the fluid, gaskets, etc., at 10k so I won't be satisfied with a simple tighten and on my way. fine to drive it that way while they get parts but...

 

well i took my heavily seeping truck in yesterday and toyota approved it on the spot. the replaced the gasket, swapped out with new fluid. i will still monitor it and see if it happens again. and yes i did leave my diff breather reloaction mod on for the service.

 

US made truck in May 2019. TRD OR locker differential still manufactured by Hino in Thailand. No leaks, no noise, no engagement problems. Was a little low in fluid from factory which I topped off. Switching over to the heavy duty Lucas gear oil soon.

 

took my 2017 to dealer and it looked like yours, they fixed it ,,

Safety Recall H0G – Remedy Notice
Certain 2016-2017 Model Year Tacoma
Rear Differential Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
Original Publication Date April 27, 2017
Q1: What is the condition?
A1: The involved vehicles have rear differentials that may leak oil. If the vehicle is continuously operated in this condition, the rear differential could become damaged, which can result in noise and reduced propulsion. In some cases the rear differential could seize, resulting in a loss of control of the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Q1a: Are there any warnings that this condition exists?
A1a: Yes. If the rear differential is leaking, oil leaks can be observed. Unusual noise and reduced propulsion can also occur.
Q2: What is Toyota going to do?
A2: Starting in mid-June 2017, Toyota will send an owner notification by first class mail advising owners to make an appointment with their authorized Toyota dealer. Toyota dealers will check the rear differential for any oil leakage. If no leaks are found, all fasteners will be re-tightened. If leakage is found, the rear differential carrier gasket will be replaced with a new one, and new fasteners will be installed. If rear differential components are damaged, the rear differential carrier assembly will be replaced with a new one. This remedy will be at no cost to customers.
Q3: Which and how many vehicles are covered by this Safety Recall?
A3: There are approximately 228,000 vehicles covered by this Safety Recall. Approximately 5,700 vehicles involved in this Safety Recall were distributed to Puerto Rico.
Model Name
Model Year
Production Period
Tacoma
2016 - 2017
Mid-August 2015 – late March 2017
Q3a: Are there any other Lexus/Toyota/Scion vehicles covered by this Safety Recall in the U.S.?
A3a: No, there are no other Lexus/Toyota/Scion vehicles covered by this Safety Recall.
Q4: How long will the repair take?
A4: If the vehicle does not have a leak present the repair will take approximately 45 minutes. If the leak condition is present the repair will take approximately three and a half hours. However, depending upon the dealer’s work schedule, it may be necessary to make the vehicle available for a longer period of time.
Q5: How does Toyota obtain my mailing information?
A5: Toyota uses an industry provider who works with each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to receive registration or title information, based upon the DMV records. Please make sure your registration or title information is correct.
Q6: What if I have additional questions or concerns?
A6: If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371 Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Saturday 7:00 am to 4:30 pm Central Time.