Another REAR END ready to fail

*flyguy* · 11-22-2005, 05:16 AM

So I went to the dealer after work tonight because my drivers door was freezing up last week. About a block before I get there my "DIFF LOCK" light starts flashing and the SLIP and ABS lights come on and I am in 2wd at the time. Once I get there I tell the service manager. The technician plugs my truck into the computer but there are no error codes returned. He then tells me that my differential is about to fail. He says they have changed 5 already, and they all had the same symptons as mine with the flashing lights on the dash. So now they are going to order me a whole new rear end and a new latch for my freezing shut drivers door.

I have an August '04 build crew cab with Big Tow and Off-Road package. It now has 28,000 miles on it.

One thing that I thought might be worth mentioning is that I got new BFG AT KO tires at 23,000 miles and when the snow hit this year my slip light didn't come on like it did when I had the crappy Ragged Trail tires on. I wonder if the stickiness of the tires put additional stress on the differential gears?

The truck is drivable now with lots of pretty lights on the dash, but who knows for how long. Seems I jinxed myself in the consumer reports thread when I predicted my rear end would fail after numerous other issues I have had.

bestatchess · 11-22-2005, 05:22 AM

"I have an August '04 build crew cab with Big Tow and Off-Road package. It now has 28,000 miles on it."

Have them check your shocks. I had 2 out of 4 Ranchos blown at 28,000 miles. Didn't even notice until I was putting on DRs & Bilsteins.

*flyguy* · 11-22-2005, 05:30 AM

One other thing to add. I did pull a 2000lb pop up camper with it a few times last year. No problems with the shocks to my knowledge, but I will take a look.

KTMNealio · 11-22-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyguy

One thing that I thought might be worth mentioning is that I got new BFG AT KO tires at 23,000 miles and when the snow hit this year my slip light didn't come on like it did when I had the crappy Ragged Trail tires on. I wonder if the stickiness of the tires put additional stress on the differential gears?

If that was true then everyone would have blown their diff up by now. Its Nissan/Dana's fault, not yours.
- Nealio

PHOEBISIS · 11-22-2005, 10:21 AM

flyguy,sorry to hear about another one.You are entered as number 30 in the rear diff failure survey.I need a couple of more items-
ELOCK?
BRAKE PROBLEM ALSO?
LIVE IN HILLY AREA?
HAVE VDC?
Thanks.Charlie

*flyguy* · 11-22-2005, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHOEBISIS

flyguy,sorry to hear about another one.You are entered as number 30 in the rear diff failure survey.I need a couple of more items-
ELOCK?
BRAKE PROBLEM ALSO?
LIVE IN HILLY AREA?
HAVE VDC?
Thanks.Charlie

Yes, I have the E-lock

Yes, I had the brake problem. It was fixed with the new rotors and pads at 19,000 miles.

No, I don't live in a hilly area, but I did spend a week in Montana this year traversing up and down mountains. I put on about 3,000 miles on that trip. I live in Northern WI and the SW part of the state is hilly and I made 3 trips to that area also pulling my pop up camper around and doing some fishing.

No VDC.

*flyguy* · 11-22-2005, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KTMNealio

If that was true then everyone would have blown their diff up by now. Its Nissan/Dana's fault, not yours.
- Nealio

I understand that. I was just trying to make the correlation that since my tires now stick to the pavement more than the crappy Ragged Trails, that it may have caused more stress on the differential gears. Last year in the winter my slip light would come on almost all of the time with those crappy tires.

I honestly think that every '04 that exists will eventually have a failed differential. Some sooner and some later depending on driving habits, local terrain and how much/how big & how often one might tow. If you make the things the same old way, you get the same old results.

As far as I know the only thing Nissan has done is change the rear diff cover and the use of synthetic fluid. Hopefully that is the permanent fix and I won't have to worry about it again.

I also noticed that the paint was peeling off of my diff cover when I changed it over to synthetic fluid back in September. So I figured this problem was coming.

got_titan · 11-22-2005, 09:23 PM

the e-lock is the rear end problem!

*flyguy* · 11-23-2005, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by got_titan

the e-lock is the rear end problem!

And you know this for sure how?

Bhudda454 · 11-23-2005, 01:04 PM

I second the above. I mentioned to the SM last time I went in that the diff cover was missing paint and rusty looking. Most likely from heat. I did this right at 25k miles. They pulled the plug and said it was full and look ok. I took it and had Mobil 1 75W 140 put in it anyway. I do have a copy of the work order that I had to sign. Says' "Customer complaining of noise at rear end." Checked off as No Problem. I have a 2WD so I hope I don't have any problems, but I will nail a sorry soul to the wall if I have to miss another day of work. They are beginning to hate me there. LOL I show them TSB's they don't even have yet. I love this forum. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving by the way.

**HudsonValleyTitan** · 11-23-2005, 01:08 PM

Sorry Flyguy...I'm not buyin' the dealers diagnosis. Does the rear whine? does it grind?...slip?...then I don't believe the whole light theory. My guess is there's nothing physically wrong with the rear end at all. The electronics in the rear end have no idea what those gears are doingor if they're in fact "ready to fail".. My guess is that it's simply easier to replace the rear end than track down the apparent electrical problem.

bestatchess · 11-23-2005, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HudsonValleyTitan

Sorry Flyguy...I'm not buyin' the dealers diagnosis. Does the rear whine? does it grind?...slip?...then I don't believe the whole light theory. My guess is there's nothing physically wrong with the rear end at all. The electronics in the rear end have no idea what those gears are doingor if they're in fact "ready to fail".. My guess is that it's simply easier to replace the rear end than track down the apparent electrical problem.

I was wondering about that also. The only thing I could think of is that there might be a solenoid for the elocker or something that does not fully engage that might trigger the lights. Otherwise, I can't think of how the lights would indicate impending differential failure. It might have something to do with the Nissan - Dana relationship where if there is anything wrong with the diff, Dana foots the bill for a full replacement rather than have Nissan pay for warranty work to troubleshoot & repair and then have Dana argue that the dealer messed something up.

Yomama · 11-23-2005, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bestatchess

I was wondering about that also. The only thing I could think of is that there might be a solenoid for the elocker or something that does not fully engage that might trigger the lights. Otherwise, I can't think of how the lights would indicate impending differential failure. It might have something to do with the Nissan - Dana relationship where if there is anything wrong with the diff, Dana foots the bill for a full replacement rather than have Nissan pay for warranty work to troubleshoot & repair and then have Dana argue that the dealer messed something up.

I'll disagree with both of you.

Because, the diff light comes on ONLY when it is locked, not just because you pushed the button, there is feed back coming from something to do with the locker. The Slip and ABS is telling you that the rear tires are not turning at the same speed (slip), the slop in the gears (spider, pinion, all who knows) is telling the system that it is slipping, ABS is trying to correct for the spin. What I am trying to say is I believe it is the slop in the gears, nothing to do with electrical. Com'on guys, Nissan is NOT replacing rear ends at $2500+ just for the part, not labor because of an electrical problem. If that was the case, they would have replaced my receiver rather then the BCM harness. LOL.....

I have the exact same symptoms and mine started whinning just prior to the lights starting to come on. Mine gets replaced this Monday.

*flyguy* · 11-23-2005, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HudsonValleyTitan

Sorry Flyguy...I'm not buyin' the dealers diagnosis. Does the rear whine? does it grind?...slip?...then I don't believe the whole light theory. My guess is there's nothing physically wrong with the rear end at all. The electronics in the rear end have no idea what those gears are doingor if they're in fact "ready to fail".. My guess is that it's simply easier to replace the rear end than track down the apparent electrical problem.

Sounds like a pretty costly fix as opposed to actually trying to track down an electrical problem don't you think? The dealer already replaced 5 that weren't driveable because they blew. All of the owners informed him that the lights had come on before it happened, which is why he didn't even mess around and just ordered me a new rear end right away.

I do have a whining sound now. No grinding or slipping at this time. I also noticed the paint peeling off of the pumpkin in September which indicates a heat problem.

bestatchess · 11-23-2005, 04:49 PM

If there were sufficient "slop in the gears" when the e-locker were locked to indicate a spin condition and activate ABLS, wouldn't that mean that the spiders were already fragged and would make a ton of noise? Also, when you hit the E-lock lock button, isn't that supposed to deactivate the ABLS?