Leaking 3rd Member replaced due to "Deformed Differential"?

I follow the forums, and know about the recall and numerous leaking 3rds under our, well, 3rd gens. But don't recall (search did not show anything) seeing where someone had their 3rd replaced due to the leaking diff.

Took truck in and to notify them of the leaking diff. Four days later I get the truck back with a new 3rd, with notes on the service report:

And...

Pretty sure this is the first I've heard of a deformed differential being the cause? Have I missed something, or is this just possibly a case of a tech taking this thing out for a road test, engaging the locker, not knowing how to get the binded up diff unlocked?

Rear diff lock was working just fine a month or so ago, and I've not yet in a dozen engagements / disengagements or so had any issue with it.

My truck (2017 TRDOR) not part of the recall last I checked, and the service advisor (I thought) also said it wasn't under recall for that. Blower motor, yes....leaking diff, no.

 

It’s the diff cover that has been deformed or not machined properly. A lot of owners have had the gasket replaced and bolts retorqued and it still leaked (seaped).

 

That's what I'm wondering...if this is a new development where they realize it just wasn't a torque / gasket issue as previously thought, but rather poor machining / deformed issue. I know I've seen a few guys here complain that they had the work done under recall only to have the seepage return.

If this has already been covered, we can let this slide down into obscurity or have a mod delete. I just couldn't find anything on them replacing "deformed" 3rds due to this.

 

It’s all valid. Haven’t seen a lot of owners get new rear ends, but maybe yours was leaking a lot.

 

The “Leaking 3rd member” headline had me thinking about something else completely.

 

It’s, it’s Toyota Man to the rescue!

 

So, bringing this back up.

Haven't had the truck back in yet, but need to stop by and at least have notation made in the truck's file, and have an alignment done.

I seem to have a definite pull to the right on my truck now. Slight, but it's there. At first I thought it was just the crown of the road, but it may not be so. It just wants to pull to the right slightly. Now that I've had it back about a week, I'm convinced it's there, and it's annoying as hell.

Tires? I don't know. I went about 7k miles on these since the last rotation, (they were rotated again on this service) and the tires seem in good shape. Tires don't have but 15k miles on them.

In my mind I keep coming back to my "WTF moment" when I read the service report that said "While on test drive found rear tires locking, rear diff was not releasing". I mean, this is Santa Monica. There isn't a dirt track around here for many miles. I'm not so concerned the diff was locked on pavement (for a short, straight line distance), as I am the fact clearly some yahoo mechanic didn't understand the workings of the locker and were unable to get it to release due to binding, where a simple S turn maneuvering and some forward and back would have released it. So at that moment, did they tow the damn thing? Or drive it back to the shop with in 4lo with diff engaged, binding the shit out of my drivetrain? Guess I'll have to inquire about that.

I mean I'd expect a possible snapped u-joint or axle shaft possibly depending on how much abuse was dished out on the pavement, but can't figure what would cause an alignment / pulling issue in such a scenario.

Also have a new squeak in the back when hitting bumps. I've just got to get time to get under there now and locate that.

Whole thing just ticks me off a bit and now has me wondering. Can't imagine the need for them to engage the locker because I complained of the rear diff leaking.

Anything else to suspect other than just being knocked out of alignment possibly? I just can't imagine the rear diff being locked and driveline binding causing front end alignment issues?

 

Sounds kinda like what I’m currently experiencing!
I have an ‘18 with the dreaded “leaking” rear end.
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I took my truck into the dealership on Friday and Toyota instructed them to pull the third member out and reseal/replace gasket (which they did). Low and behold, they went to test drive it and it “locked up”! They are now waiting until Monday for instructions from Toyota. I’m not really sure if they were testing the e-locker and it’s stuck or something else.

 

Agreed. It seems this issue plagues certain trims/models with that type of differential.

 

When i brought my '16 in for a regular service i got a call from the dealer telling me that i would not be able to pick it up that day. There was a service bulletin instructing dealerships to inspect the rear differentials of any 3rd gen Tacomas that came in the shop for leaking or seeping and that if they found any that were then the truck was to be immediately 'grounded'!
Sure enough they had a loaner ready for me when i arrived and the tech showed me the problem. There was a miniscule amount of seeping around 3 or 4 of the bolts and this was enough to replace the entire differential. I was told that since the lubricant was technically leaking out of the sealed unit there was theoretically a danger of the diff going dry and the gears seizing potentially causing an accident and Toyota Canada being held liable.
I was leaving on vacation the following day so i had the loaner for more than a week and my truck was ready for me when i returned.