Front diff vibrates at highway speeds

[rovernut]

My mother just had the same done for her RRS...took it in for service (extended warranty) and was handed keys to an Evoque for three days while the put a new compressor, two new diffs and transfer case in....her 2008 is like brand new again!

 

[Houm_WA]

I'm glad you got taken care of.

 

[C4SumLR4]

My mother just had the same done for her RRS...took it in for service (extended warranty) and was handed keys to an Evoque for three days while the put a new compressor, two new diffs and transfer case in....her 2008 is like brand new again!

That's awesome Land Rover took care of it... (not that it happened in the first place)! I always had phenomenal support experiences at Land Rover (as well as BMW), but not so much the case with Nissan & Toyota. Always treated with respect, didn't "feel" like I was being lied to, the dealerships (all but one) provided a desirable environment; premium treatment basically. Unfortunately LR got to see our LR3 relatively frequently hence got much experience refining their skills working with the customer.

 

[samcarloso]

I just got back my Lr4 from the dealership. And I also had a slight vibration around 50 mph. They Replaced the Hydro Bushings on lower control arm. You might want to get these replaced, it made all the difference in the world.

 

[toddjb122]

...The failure mode of the differentials is a lot different than the air suspension; not that I'm recommending waiting, but I drove on whiny diffs for a long time. I'm not even sure that it would've resulted in any kind of functional failure; just noise. I've heard it depends on its nature....

Thanks for this feedback Houm.

I am going to have mine into the mechanic for scheduled service and tire install this week, and am having him change the front diff fluid. If he sees anything scary in there (or excessive noise on his test drive) that may drive my decision.

 

[Houm_WA]

...new fluid can't hurt.

 

[tlt]

The fluid should be changed every 30k miles. Several issues are often misdiagnosed as diff problems, while you cannot fully discount the diffs either, as they do fail. If you think you have diff problems, it's good to have the wheel bearings checked, all the way around, the suspension bushes, drive line, etc. You know where to find me if you need me.

 

[toddjb122]

Had the fluids changed and there was nothing out of the ordinary.

The reason this looked like diff (to the knowledgeable) is that the vibration only comes up when I let off the gas. If it were wheels or front suspension related, it would be there all the time, right?

This is very regular...you get up to highway speeds and let off the gas- vibration. You step on the gas, it immediately goes away. I also probably notice it more in the drivers seat since it is right underneath me.

As always, thanks for the tips. Haven't pulled the trigger on a diff replacement yet.

 

[toddjb122]

FYI - I finally got around to replacing this front diff about 10 months after I first had someone look at it. The vibration got very slowly more pronounced...to me. My wife still didn't notice it. (really?)

Anyway, last week a new noise started. It was a sound I'd describe as "winding down of gears" whenever the vehicle was slowing down for a stop from about 40mph or so. It seemed related and to be coming from the same area, so I bit the bullet and had my mechanic take care of it.

Man does this LRE drive smooth again! 2005 @170K

I milked it as long as I could because I didn't know if I'd be trading in the vehicle or not, but also didn't want to put myself or family at risk of a breakdown at an inopportune time. The new noise and an upcoming summer vacation roadtrip seemed like the right time to get it done.

It was definitely the front diff causing the vibration!

 

[Houm_WA]

170k miles!?!?! Wow. Anything (besides the diff) to report as far as issues to be aware of?