Bearing in Differential

[Larry Weil]

I have a 2008 Impreza 2.5i 5 door, automatic, 61500 miles.

I took it in to a tranny shop last week to have the fluid changed. When
they took the car out for a drive, they heard a sound that they
identified as being the pinion bearing in the front differential going
bad. They suggested that I take the car to the dealer to see if Subaru
would cover this, even though I am slightly past the warranty in miles.
I took it to the dealer today and after two hours they said that
something is definitely going on in that area, and they would call
Subaru to see what they would do.

What I¹m wondering is if this is a common problem for this model, and if
there are any related service bulletins? This is my sixth Subaru and I
have never had any transmission or differential problems on any of them.

Thanks for your help.

Larry

 

[johninky]

This is very rare if indeed the problem is a failing pinion bearing.
I have never heard of one failing.

Did this problem appear immediately after the transmission was worked
on? Wondering because if by chance the shop drained the front
differential, forgot to refill and then drove the car a few miles, the
ring and pinion gears are now in bad shape.

Once as a teenager a friend and I replaced the differential in his
Ford. Friend forgot to bring any gear lube to finish the job. Gas
station 4 miles down the road and I suggested he just drive the 4
miles, thinking running the differential dry only those 4 miles would
not damage the differential. Wrong. The next week we replaced it
again.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I have a 2008 Impreza 2.5i 5 door, automatic, 61500 miles.

I took it in to a tranny shop last week to have the fluid changed.  When
they took the car out for a drive, they heard a sound that they
identified as being the pinion bearing in the front differential going
bad.  They suggested that I take the car to the dealer to see if Subaru
would cover this, even though I am slightly past the warranty in miles.  
I took it to the dealer today and after two hours they said that
something is definitely going on in that area, and they would call
Subaru to see what they would do.

What I¹m wondering is if this is a common problem for this model, and if
there are any related service bulletins?  This is my sixth Subaru and I
have never had any transmission or differential problems on any of them.

Thanks for your help.

Larry

I can't help wondering if they confused the diff with the tranny,
messed it up on a test drive, and now are playing CYA.

Have YOU heard this noise yourself before?

 

[Larry Weil]

I can't help wondering if they confused the diff with the tranny,
messed it up on a test drive, and now are playing CYA.

These people are not stupid. They also put the car on a lift to confirm
where the sound is coming from. And how could they mess it up by doing
a test drive? Note that once they noticed the sound they did not change
the fluids so as to not waste my money.

Have YOU heard this noise yourself before?

It¹s a rubbing sound, kinda like the snow tires are still on. It¹s
subtle but noticeable once it was pointed out to me.

 

[Gilbert Smith]

These people are not stupid. They also put the car on a lift to confirm
where the sound is coming from. And how could they mess it up by doing
a test drive? Note that once they noticed the sound they did not change
the fluids so as to not waste my money.


It¹s a rubbing sound, kinda like the snow tires are still on. It¹s
subtle but noticeable once it was pointed out to me.

I have just fixed the front diff on my Forester, due to
scrubbing/juddering on lock.

Two "Main Dealers" were useless - the first said it was a rear axle
problem, the second got it right but wrecked both front drive shafts
(outer CV joints) in the process.

Subaru UK were no help technically, and the dealer washed his hands of
it saying they don't do gearboxes, so find a gearbox specialist.

The front diff is buried inside the box and is "the most expensive
part" according to an overhaul specialist. I swapped it all out with
box and shafts from a breaker - cheaper than one driveshaft from
Subaru - and used a non-Subaru shop to do it.

This problem was starting when I bought the vehicle at 12 months old,
and was not resolved (by me) until 5 yrs old.

The box specialist is going to open it up later, so I hope to have
some photos one day.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I have just fixed the front diff on my Forester, due to
scrubbing/juddering on lock.

Two "Main Dealers" were useless - the first said it was a rear axle
problem, the second got it right but wrecked both front drive shafts
(outer CV joints) in the process.

Subaru UK were no help technically, and the dealer washed his hands of
it saying they don't do gearboxes, so find a gearbox specialist.

The front diff is buried inside the box and is "the most expensive
part" according to an overhaul specialist. I swapped it all out with
box and shafts from a breaker - cheaper than one driveshaft from
Subaru - and used a non-Subaru shop to do it.

This problem was starting when I bought the vehicle at 12 months old,
and was not resolved (by me) until 5 yrs old.

The box specialist is going to open it up later, so I hope to have
some photos one day.

I can't dispute what you're reporting. But this makes no sense. I
still suspect the problem was the 'wet clutch pack'/center diff.

w'ever

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

These people are not stupid.  They also put the car on a lift to confirm
where the sound is coming from.  And how could they mess it up by doing
a test drive?  Note that once they noticed the sound they did not change
the fluids so as to not waste my money.




It¹s a rubbing sound, kinda like the snow tires are still on.  It¹s
subtle but noticeable once it was pointed out to me.

Not trying to insult anyone, just trying to brainstorm this problem. I
HAVE read of people, unfamiliar with Subarus, that confused the front
diff dipstick and the tranny dipsticks and/or drained incorrect fluids
and/or refilled incorrect fluids.

maybe Subaru will repair/replace it. good luck

Carl

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

I swapped it all out with box and
shafts from a breaker

Darn...you Brits...took me 30 seconds to remember a "breaker" is a
Junkyard....

 

[Dave__67]

Darn...you Brits...took me 30 seconds to remember a "breaker" is a
Junkyard....

I would have expected 'knackers'.

Dave

 

[Gilbert Smith]

Not trying to insult anyone, just trying to brainstorm this problem. I
HAVE read of people, unfamiliar with Subarus, that confused the front
diff dipstick and the tranny dipsticks and/or drained incorrect fluids
and/or refilled incorrect fluids.

maybe Subaru will repair/replace it. good luck

Carl

Thanks Carl, and also for your earlier posts.
I forgot to say, at least in this thread, that the vehicle is a 2005
Forester 2.0 XT (turbo) Automatic.

If you do turn out to be right about it being the central wet clutch,
I am going to be even more upset with Subaru because this is quite
easy to swap out. However, the dealer has a 'cure' for central clutch
problems - 360 degree turns on full lock 6 times one way then 6 times
the other - and this is what wrote off two driveshafts.

Gilbert

 

[John]

Darn...you Brits...took me 30 seconds to remember a "breaker" is a
Junkyard....

You need to watch Wheeler Dealers more often...

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

Thanks Carl, and also for your earlier posts.
I forgot to say, at least in this thread, that the vehicle is a 2005
Forester 2.0 XT (turbo)  Automatic.

If you do turn out to be right about it being the central wet clutch,
I am going to be even more upset with Subaru because this is quite
easy to swap out. However, the dealer has a 'cure' for central clutch
problems - 360 degree turns on full lock 6 times one way then 6 times
the other - and this is what wrote off two driveshafts.

Gilbert

If use of the FWD fuse under the hood eliminates the 'jerkiness' felt
during tight maneuvering(at low speed on dry pavement), that is
diagnostic for the CD/wet-clutch-pack because it effectively sends all
engine power to front wheels only. If jerkiness is still felt when
using the FWD fuse, then I suppose the front diff, fron half-axles or
hubs COULD be the problem.

StephenH may chime in, I hope, and could explain better. Supposedly,
there is a Ford additive that helps with clutch-pack 'torque bind'.

Carl

 

[Gilbert Smith]

If use of the FWD fuse under the hood eliminates the 'jerkiness' felt
during tight maneuvering(at low speed on dry pavement), that is
diagnostic for the CD/wet-clutch-pack because it effectively sends all
engine power to front wheels only. If jerkiness is still felt when
using the FWD fuse, then I suppose the front diff, fron half-axles or
hubs COULD be the problem.

Fuse tried, fault unchanged.
Both drive shafts replaced because the fault wrecked them, (with help
from the dealer - I was more careful because it felt horrid).

You cannot replace just the inner or outer CV joints on a Subaru
because they will only supply driveshafts complete with both ends,
doubling the cost.

 

[StephenH]

the additive, Motorcraft Additive Friction Modifier, was a fix for
older subies, int he early 2000. pour it in with the atf and drive
some circles. the chatter should go away. While not "authorized" for
the newer years, like 2005 it does work. Suspiciously, the newer
Subaru Transmissions need a special type fluid that was told to me to
have friction modifiers in it.

Pinion Bearings do fail occasionally. usually will growl at you as
they die. Havent seen a rash of them, but a few. One was a elderly
lady who just completed her 60k service, all maintenance was good. we
did a 33% split with her for the repair

 

[Dave__67]

Fuse tried, fault unchanged.
Both drive shafts replaced because the fault wrecked them, (with help
from the dealer - I was more careful because it felt horrid).

You cannot replace just the inner or outer CV joints on a Subaru
because they will only supply driveshafts complete with both ends,
doubling the cost.

If the problem is the 'duty c solenoid', or if the clutch basket has
sufficient grooving the fuse will not help the problem.

The duty c failure is not rare, and is even easier to fix than the
clutch itself (but still involves removing the rear of the trans).

Dave

 

[Big Jim]

On an AWD car with complicated workings it amazes me people dont buy
the extended warranty! For $1k or so you can get 100k miles of
protection. I wish I bought the 7 year one and It'd have paid for
itself !

 

[Larry Weil]

I have a 2008 Impreza 2.5i 5 door, automatic, 61500 miles.

I took it in to a tranny shop last week to have the fluid changed. When
they took the car out for a drive, they heard a sound that they
identified as being the pinion bearing in the front differential going
bad. They suggested that I take the car to the dealer to see if Subaru
would cover this, even though I am slightly past the warranty in miles.
I took it to the dealer today and after two hours they said that
something is definitely going on in that area, and they would call
Subaru to see what they would do.

What I¹m wondering is if this is a common problem for this model, and if
there are any related service bulletins? This is my sixth Subaru and I
have never had any transmission or differential problems on any of them.

Thanks for your help.

Larry

Pinion Bearings do fail occasionally. usually will growl at you as
they die. Havent seen a rash of them, but a few. One was a elderly
lady who just completed her 60k service, all maintenance was good. we
did a 33% split with her for the repair

OK, well after about three weeks of negotiations they had me bring the
car in this week. Three days at the dealer, they replaced both front
wheel bearings but did noting to the differential. So I took the car
back to the transmission shop where they confirmed that the problem was
still there and that if I didn¹t have it fixed I would eventually get
stranded. They even put it on the lift with someone in the car to put
it in gear so they could make sure of where the sound was coming from.

So back to the dealer, I spoke to the owner. After he had finished
lecturing me about how I should have had more of my servicing done at
the dealership, he said he would see what he could do. But I think the
problem is that the service people have no idea what they are looking
for.

All this seems a bit unusual for a car with only 62,000 miles. I¹ve
also had to replace the brake rotors at 15,000 due to pulsation, and the
air conditioning evaporator failed when the car was only six months old.
Yet the owner of the dealership does not think this car is a lemon, I
disagree. I¹ve owned six Subarus and have never had problems like this.

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

OK, well after about three weeks of negotiations they had me bring the
car in this week. Three days at the dealer, they replaced both front
wheel bearings but did noting to the differential. So I took the car
back to the transmission shop where they confirmed that the problem was
still there and that if I didn¹t have it fixed I would eventually get
stranded. They even put it on the lift with someone in the car to put
it in gear so they could make sure of where the sound was coming from.

So back to the dealer, I spoke to the owner. After he had finished
lecturing me about how I should have had more of my servicing done at
the dealership, he said he would see what he could do. But I think the
problem is that the service people have no idea what they are looking
for.

All this seems a bit unusual for a car with only 62,000 miles. I¹ve
also had to replace the brake rotors at 15,000 due to pulsation, and the
air conditioning evaporator failed when the car was only six months old.
Yet the owner of the dealership does not think this car is a lemon, I
disagree. I¹ve owned six Subarus and have never had problems like this.

1. Is it a US made model?
2. Where the hell is Lake Wobegone, NH?

 

[Larry Weil]

1. Is it a US made model?
2. Where the hell is Lake Wobegone, NH?

No, Japanese made. VIN starts with ��.
Lake Wobegone, NH is in a state of mind.

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

No, Japanese made. VIN starts with ��.

Ah so.

Lake Wobegone, NH is in a state of mind.

How far from Keene?