Rear Differential Breather Scam?

Hi, new to the forum. I own a 2015 Tacoma TRD that I've owned since new that has 32,000 miles. I took it in the other day for the last service of a 4 year extended service. Service advisor says technician says my rear differential breather is plugged and I need a new one before my rear seals start leaking, $15 part and $70 labor, I say hold off for now. I don't offroad, how would the tech know it was plugged and is that normal for the years and mileage? For me to test it wouldn't I have to remove it and at that point I might as well just replace it. This Toyota dealer is known for recommending services you don't need, especially alignments.

 

Tell him you can tell by looking his asshole is plugged and he better get it fixed before he blows a gasket.. ha ha

 

The rear diff vent on these trucks is a 1 way check valve. It lets air pressure out but it doesn't let air back in. I'm sure when he removed the fill plug to check the gear oil, he heard a woooosh of air rushing in and decided the vent was plugged. (He's an idiot) The problem with this design is that you get the rear end good and hot and then you ford a river, the rear end cools down creating a vacuum in it and it sucks water past the axle seals into the rear end. There is a writeup in here on how to relocate a 2 way breather up high behind the taillight.

Besides all that, $70 is RIDICULOUS to screw out a vent and screw another back in.

 

Take it off, 14mm I think, soak it in some kerosene or other product and then blow it out with compressed air. Re-install

They get plugged with road grime. Easy to clean. I just installed a remote breather. For $22 I got 6’ of fuel line, adapter and small K&N filter and remoted to the storage box on the left side of the bed.

$70 labor. Screw them

 

They're scamming you, it's so easy to remove and replace, or relocate. Most I've seen are relocated up behind the left tail light.

 

If you can twist the lid it’s not plugged. If it doesn’t twist easily it’s plugged. That’s the way they check it.

 

Thanks, I've owned the 1987, 1994, 2001, 2008 pickups/tacoma's and now this 2015 (every 7 years), and this is the first one that had a supposed "breather" problem. Figured he was full of crap.

 

Some people mount it in the bed cubbie. Some people mount it in the gas filler neck pocket. Most people mount it behind the left tail light. Behind the left tail light is the easiest to do since it doesn't require drilling any holes and also it puts the breather at the highest location possible.

 

Good time too just the remote breather fix,the kit is only $20 bucks.

 

What is the Toyota part number? 2012

 

I used this kit. Easy mod and now I have a two way breather!

https://www.yotashop.com/toyota-of-road-vehicle-differential-breather-extension-kit-1012/

 

I just ordered this kit last week. Hoping we don’t have another bad hurricane in Texas but this year I will be more prepared

 

Awesome, Thanks! I was just putting a boat in the water the other day and with water levels low, I needed to back much further into the water than usual, and was thinking I'd feel better about that if the breather were up high. Ordered the kit.

 

If you don't like the price then fix it yourself, but you should thank them for bringing it to your attention.

If it is is in fact plugged then it could force gear oil into the rear drums and soak the brake shoes, then you're paying for new brakes

 

I did a hybrid. Zip tied to the fuel port, still inside the bed wall. No drilling, literally cant get any higher