Although often underrated, your car's differential is actually a very fundamental auto part. When you are navigating a turn, you may be unaware that the outer wheels of your vehicle tend to rotate at a faster rate than those on the inner side of the turn. All automobiles have a differential system to ensure that there is adequate compensation when this occurs. Thus, your vehicle is capable of manoeuvring the corner because the differential makes up the difference in rotation! When this system is compromised, you can find it quite challenging to control your car as your drive. But since the differential is exposed to a considerable amount of stress when it is in use, repairs are inevitable. The trick is to catch any problems before they get a chance to become exacerbated. So what are the signs of trouble with your differential that you should be on the lookout for?
Your vehicle has developed unusual noises
One notable aspect of your car's differential system is that it is entirely mechanical. Therefore, the first signs of trouble to be wary of are strange noises coming from your vehicle. These weird sounds can be especially pronounced when you are trying to navigate a turn. What to keep an ear out for is sounds such as whirring or even high-pitched squealing every time to take a corner.
The good news is in some cases, the onset of strange noises may be caused by low diff fluid. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, have a mechanic inspect your differential system to establish if indeed any gears may have acquired some damage and require replacing.
Your vehicle is leaking oil
When it comes to oil leaks, motorists usually will be wary of their engine and transmission oil levels and do not pay much attention to other systems of the vehicle. But just as your transmission and engine rely on oil to function at optimum performance, so does your differential. The moment the differential systems develops an oil leak, there is an increased likelihood of friction in the system. The friction gradually causes a spike in temperature levels, which will impede on the diff's operations.
If this problem is not fixed, your entire differential system can become irreparably damaged. Oil leaks in the diff tend to stem from seals that are no longer functional, either due to breakage or gradual corrosion. By taking note of this early on, you get the chance to replace these seals before extreme differential damage occurs.
Share10 April 2018
I rely a lot of my car as I am a paraplegic. I can only drive a car that has specially modified with wheel controls, so it's very important that I get my car serviced by a company that knows what it is doing. I also need my car to be serviced quickly as I am very limited in how much I can get around without it. This blog has some tips on how to find a car servicing company that will suit you if driving a disability-modified car. I hope it will be useful to other people with disabilities who rely on their cars as much as me.
