Buyers/New owners BEWARE! Preventable diff issue
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Buyers/New owners BEWARE! Preventable diff issue
Just thought I'd post this as a cautionary tale to help you guys avoid unnecessary problems.
Took my car in to the dealer today because there's a whining noise coming from the diff at highway speeds under light load. The diff is now going to be replaced and the car only has 1200 miles on it. I'm very disappointed that something went wrong 3 weeks into ownership and this kind of makes me worry about what this car will be like further down the line.
Apparently this problem was avoidable if fluid levels were checked upon receiving the car (I'm clueless about these things but this is what I was told by another very helpful Z06 owner). The reason I'm posting this is to recommend that anyone who is taking delivery soon find a way to check their fluid levels to avoid this problem. I'm also feeling a little jaded since, as a person who does not know his way around an engine, I get the sense there's a whole load of other stuff I might be missing that'll manifest later on. I purchased a finished product and shouldn't have to have a service jack at home to find out what else is wrong with my $100,000 car.
Took my car in to the dealer today because there's a whining noise coming from the diff at highway speeds under light load. The diff is now going to be replaced and the car only has 1200 miles on it. I'm very disappointed that something went wrong 3 weeks into ownership and this kind of makes me worry about what this car will be like further down the line.
Apparently this problem was avoidable if fluid levels were checked upon receiving the car (I'm clueless about these things but this is what I was told by another very helpful Z06 owner). The reason I'm posting this is to recommend that anyone who is taking delivery soon find a way to check their fluid levels to avoid this problem. I'm also feeling a little jaded since, as a person who does not know his way around an engine, I get the sense there's a whole load of other stuff I might be missing that'll manifest later on. I purchased a finished product and shouldn't have to have a service jack at home to find out what else is wrong with my $100,000 car.
Last edited by ramyk; 10-05-2015 at 03:30 PM.
#2
Yup,
Mine was low, checked it the day I got it. Took 3/4 qt.
Don't get me wrong I love this car and I have not had any issues with 8 track days on it so far (m7) but that's just embarrassing for GM. Just crap QC
Mine was low, checked it the day I got it. Took 3/4 qt.
Don't get me wrong I love this car and I have not had any issues with 8 track days on it so far (m7) but that's just embarrassing for GM. Just crap QC
#3
Drifting
There are actually instructions in the manual to check it. I will try to find a page reference later.
Sorry for your bad luck. Fortunately a differential isn't a big deal. I do find it odd that your fluid was missing. It very probably had a leak. So you may be better off anyways.
Sorry for your bad luck. Fortunately a differential isn't a big deal. I do find it odd that your fluid was missing. It very probably had a leak. So you may be better off anyways.
#4
Safety Car
It's not just the level that's the problem. The original fluid was chock full of debris. There seems to be a significant amount of break in particles with this eLSD. Flush it right away, and early the first few times.
#7
Instructor
Thread Starter
There are actually instructions in the manual to check it. I will try to find a page reference later.
Sorry for your bad luck. Fortunately a differential isn't a big deal. I do find it odd that your fluid was missing. It very probably had a leak. So you may be better off anyways.
Sorry for your bad luck. Fortunately a differential isn't a big deal. I do find it odd that your fluid was missing. It very probably had a leak. So you may be better off anyways.
Only thing I was aware I needed to do was the oil change at 500mi. Anyway at least whoever reads this will benefit in knowing they need to check diff fluid levels.
#8
Melting Slicks
[QUOTE=ramyk;1590634038]It's beyond me how they allow delivery with low diff fluid. If they're too busy at GM to check it themselves they should at least include it in the PDI.
It is part of the PDI!!!! Very **** poor service at the delivering dealer
It is part of the PDI!!!! Very **** poor service at the delivering dealer
#9
Drifting
I'm thinking Bowling Green gets the diffs from an outside supplier and doesn't check them during the assembly process as part of a quality check. They must be assuming the supplier is doing their job.
#10
With new vehicles I always check the diff level, give it a reasonable break-in for the first 150 miles (sustained high speed driving is definitely not good) and then I change the fluid between 500 and 700 miles. The fluid change has been a warranty requirement on the last few HD diesel pickups I have purchased and it is a very good idea to get the manufacturing and break-in debris out of any differential.
Most differentials may provide a long life without excessive noise even without this maintenance but if having a lot of metallic and friction materials in the lube was a good idea then it would be added as part of the lube production process
Most differentials may provide a long life without excessive noise even without this maintenance but if having a lot of metallic and friction materials in the lube was a good idea then it would be added as part of the lube production process
#11
Le Mans Master
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It's a shame that suppliers negatively reflect on the OEM, but no manufacturer is perfect, not even Apple.
The manufacturer also counts on its dealers to do a check as well....obviously that never happened either.
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ramyk (10-05-2015)
#15
Instructor
Thread Starter
Mine's a 16, delivered in the beginning of September.
Last edited by ramyk; 10-05-2015 at 11:25 PM.
#17
Instructor
Had my rearend replaced at 1500 miles.
Fluid full of metal and ****
Was originally told at 1100 miles it was normal and it needed to be broken in. Same dealer also never even drove the car to diagnose the problem.
Scan tool said its fine. Freaking parts changers.
Drove town the street to the GMC truck center and the diagnosed and had it replaced in three days.
Fluid full of metal and ****
Was originally told at 1100 miles it was normal and it needed to be broken in. Same dealer also never even drove the car to diagnose the problem.
Scan tool said its fine. Freaking parts changers.
Drove town the street to the GMC truck center and the diagnosed and had it replaced in three days.
#18
Instructor
Thread Starter
Had my rearend replaced at 1500 miles.
Fluid full of metal and ****
Was originally told at 1100 miles it was normal and it needed to be broken in. Same dealer also never even drove the car to diagnose the problem.
Scan tool said its fine. Freaking parts changers.
Drove town the street to the GMC truck center and the diagnosed and had it replaced in three days.
Fluid full of metal and ****
Was originally told at 1100 miles it was normal and it needed to be broken in. Same dealer also never even drove the car to diagnose the problem.
Scan tool said its fine. Freaking parts changers.
Drove town the street to the GMC truck center and the diagnosed and had it replaced in three days.
#20
Melting Slicks
Delivering dealership needs better PDI process! That is one of the items that the tech checks as part of FLUIDS and obviously did NOT! GM pays the dealership for the PDI. I would really be talking with your dealership about EVERY service going forward.