Joining the rear diff club

[Hunter Mike]

Same here. My car is at the dealer since late December. No ETA.

-diff. seal
-control arms
-oil leak

Do I own a lemon?

It depends on your state laws.

 

[94cruiser]

For those of you who had the leak:

What tools/process do you recommend to use/do to clean the remains of the leak from the differential and the chassis?

 

[jdoodle]

For those of you who had the leak:

What tools/process do you recommend to use/do to clean the remains of the leak from the differential and the chassis?

Don't know if it's kosher, but I use brake clean.

 

[jdoodle]

Just picked my up TourX today (Monday 1-18), it was ready Friday but worked this weekend and couldn't pick it up. Hopefully this seal will do the job.

 

[sip]

Hi all,
I'm looking into purchasing a TourX. I test drove one with about 22k on it and at about 75mph I could hear a bit of a vibration from the back. That brought me to you guys and the differential problem.
The salesman states that the 6 year 70,000 drivetrain warranty covers the differential but when I go the website it doesn't show the parts included, only states internally lubricated parts. I assume the fluid in the dif would include this, but when I engage the chat function, the operator told me difs are not included.
Do you have any idea if the dif is included in the drivetrain warranty?

 

[ChibiBlackSheep]

I assume the fluid in the dif would include this, but when I engage the chat function, the operator told me difs are not included.
Do you have any idea if the dif is included in the drivetrain warranty?

Fluid isn't going to be a part that is warrantied. It's a serviceable item, like an oil change. BUT if something was wrong with the diff, for example, the seal was bad and it was leaking and low on fluid causing the groan, then they would replace the hard part/put new fluid in/and do the work warrantied.

If you just wanted them to change diff fluid because you want it done as routine maintenance, not covered.

 

[sip]

Fluid isn't going to be a part that is warrantied. It's a serviceable item, like an oil change. BUT if something was wrong with the diff, for example, the seal was bad and it was leaking and low on fluid causing the groan, then they would replace the hard part/put new fluid in/and do the work warrantied.

If you just wanted them to change diff fluid because you want it done as routine maintenance, not covered.

Sorry. Might a been confusing. The info I could read only stated that 'internally lubricated items' are covered under the warranty. There is no direct mention of the differential on the warranty info website. But since the dif is 'internally lubricated' I presume that means the dif itself is part of the drivertrain warranty for 70,000 miles. Am i mistaken to think that? Do you as owners, see anything in your warranty info included with the car that specifically states the dif is or isn't included in the warranty?

 

[jdoodle]

Wellllll, my second seal replacement lasted a bit over 200 miles. The dealer is keeping the car and will have the "district engineer" come look at it, hopefully in a day or two. Back in a loaner. Although this car ticks all the boxes for my car needs, I'm not feeling confident about this Buick and may just dump it when they get it fixed again and buy something else. I'll have to wait and reason this out some and not make a hasty decision.

 

[94cruiser]

What would you say if you saw this hack job after a diff. seal replacement?

Is this JB Weld? Is it hiding a larger dent, puncture, or hole?


Found a small spot of gear oil in one spot on the black part. Enough to dirty up two fingers. Believe it was not fully cleaned during the repair.

 

[Kappy]

Don't know if it's kosher, but I use brake clean.

My dealer cleaned ours really good, no signs it ever leaked!

 

[jdoodle]

What would you say if you saw this hack job after a diff. seal replacement?

Is this JB Weld? Is it hiding a larger dent, puncture, or hole?


Found a small spot of gear oil in one spot on the black part. Enough to dirty up two fingers. Believe it was not fully cleaned during the repair.

94, don't know what you have there. After my first seal replacement at about 8K the rear diff was clean and looked okay. At about 12K I noticed a spot on my driveway and looking under the car saw the rear diff with a light coating of oil on the left side. They replaced the seal again and a couple of days later saw spot on my driveway reappeared and I took it back and now am awaiting a pronouncement from the "district engineer" (I don't recall his official title) and am expecting a rear diff replacement as others here have received. I bought the TourX because my 16 year old Mazda wagon was needing repairs about once a month and just got tired of it plus the worrying of an imminent breakdown. Back in the same boat.

 

[Jmlo96]

What would you say if you saw this hack job after a diff. seal replacement?

Is this JB Weld? Is it hiding a larger dent, puncture, or hole?


Found a small spot of gear oil in one spot on the black part. Enough to dirty up two fingers. Believe it was not fully cleaned during the repair.

That looks like factory undercoating overspray to me.

 

[94cruiser]

You don't think that's JB weld or something similar on the driveshaft?

 

[ChibiBlackSheep]

Wellllll, my second seal replacement lasted a bit over 200 miles. The dealer is keeping the car and will have the "district engineer" come look at it, hopefully in a day or two. Back in a loaner. Although this car ticks all the boxes for my car needs, I'm not feeling confident about this Buick and may just dump it when they get it fixed again and buy something else. I'll have to wait and reason this out some and not make a hasty decision.

My dealership said that the seal was NOT serviceable, and the whole diff needed to be replaced in order to do the repair properly. Maybe it didn't last because it's actually not supposed to just be a seal change?

 

[jdoodle]

My dealership said that the seal was NOT serviceable, and the whole diff needed to be replaced in order to do the repair properly. Maybe it didn't last because it's actually not supposed to just be a seal change?

Who knows what the dealerships are told by GM or just left to figure out on their own? It seems remarkable to me that they (the manufacturers or the dealerships) don't monitor the various forums to see situations like this develop and instead just wait till their customers are po'd enough to forsake the brand instead of trying to "head 'em off at the pass." The mantra seems to be, denial, denial, denial. How many members here with TourXs check their rear diffs for leaking on a regular basis (hint, all of us) and yet if you mention it to your service dept. it's, "I never heard of that before."

 

[94cruiser]

I’ll be dropping off the car for an oil change soon (at a different dealer).

can anyone tell me what’s that crap on the driveshaft I have?

Should I be concerned with the way it was handled?

 

[Jack GS]

The mantra seems to be, denial, denial, denial.

Is, not seems to be. GM has frustrated a lot of owners who have vehicles with the in house designed and built 8-speeds in many up-level cars, SUVs, and trucks. There is a class action lawsuit regarding this transmission. GM is denying responsibility by claiming it is an inherent design flaw that exists in all transmissions and is therefore not covered under the implied warranty. Ford was literally advising dealerships to tell customers, "we've never seen this before" when they were having issues with their dual clutch transmissions.

At least the TourX diffs are being replaced...

Details on that particular transmission lawsuit:
GM Continues Silly 'Design' Defect Fight - Ep. 7.248
Article: General Motors Looks To Have Lawsuit Over Eight-Speed Transmission Defects Dismissed

 

[Jack GS]

I’ll be dropping off the car for an oil change soon (at a different dealer).
Can anyone tell me what’s that crap on the driveshaft I have?
Should I be concerned with the way it was handled?

Looks a lot like JB weld (or some other epoxy) to me. I personally wouldn't be impressed, but I do know JB weld holds up really well if that's what it is. Ask how the repair was done and express your concern about the longevity of the "fix". If/when it fails, you documented your concern.

If they damaged something and did this instead of replacing the damaged part, I would sure as heck want a new diff put in. Not whatever that is in your photos.

 

[94cruiser]

Should I take it back to the dealer that performed the work?
I really don’t want to go there.

the JB weld like stuff is on the driveshaft piece.

Are your drive shaft “couplers” marked with a color marker? Mine are. They do t exactly line up but it’s close.

If I go to a new dealer for oil change it will be hard to tell them to put it up on a lift now while I’m there...

 

[Jack GS]

I would take it back to the first dealership since they know the history. If there's actually anything out of the ordinary, I'd at least give them the opportunity to correct it out of courtesy. Since it's on the driveshaft piece, it's possible the extra material in causing the driveshaft to be out of balance. Notice any vibrations?

But, since you're already taking it to a second dealership for the oil change, just ask if they'll take a look at it. Can't hurt anything. There's no way to tell until you take it in and get a dealer's opinion.