How do I know if my differential is bad in my BMW?
Table of Contents
How do I know if my differential is bad in my BMW?
Bad Differential Symptoms
- Your vehicle is quickly going through oil.
- Difficulty steering.
- A loud front differential noise, such as the grinding of gears, clunking, or a “howling” sound.
- Rear differential noises.
- Extensive and inexplicable wear and tear on your tires.
What is a diff on a BMW?
The differential on your BMW is a gear train device connected to the axle system of your car that allows your car’s wheels to turn at different intervals by splitting the engine’s output to each wheel.
What is BMW rear differential?
The rear differential is the part in your BMW that takes the torque from the engine and divides it to the left and right wheels. When the torque is split to both wheels, they will be able to spin at different speeds. Your BMW will require the rear wheels to spin at different speeds when you are turning.
How do I know if my differential is going out?
If you find sidewall or outer tire wear on the rear wheels, it’s a good indication that your differential might be failing. The differential allows the tires to spin at different rates during cornering, and when it fails, the gears grind, causing the tires to turn at the same rate, which wears out the tires.
How do you know if your differential is leaking?
When your vehicle is leaking differential fluid, you may notice traces of oil on the underside of the differential or even puddles of fluid on the ground directly beneath your differential. You may also notice a whining sounds as the gears mesh since there may not be enough fluid for the gears to operate smoothly.
Can you drive with a leaky differential?
Depending on the amount of oil seeping through the gasket, this may leave noticeable traces of oil on the undersides of the differential housing. A seeping differential will usually be okay to drive for a while, however, it will eventually progress into a full on leak as time goes on.
What happens when your differential goes out?
How do you know if your differential is going out?
A failing differential will often produce loud whirring noises or sometimes rattling. Any time you hear a strange noise coming from your vehicle, you should get it checked out by an auto repair expert. It can be any number of problems, including the differential.