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2011 Silverado 2500HD Differential failure

Keelay

By Keelay
in Ask A GM Technician

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Keelay Enthusiast

Keelay

Posted
Posted

I have a 2011 Silverado 2500HD. I just had the front differential rebuilt due to what was stated as internal failure. Apparently it was quite a mess inside and had been the cause of most of the noise I heard in 4WD. I took the truck back 3 days ago and noticed that the noise was almost completely gone. About 5 miles down the road I started to feel a pulling as if my emergency break was on (it wasnt). There was a very loud grinding sound and it became almost impossible to even make a routine turn onto a road, even at speed. The truck would go from 25 to stopped unless I gave it plenty of throttle. This has never happened to me on any 4WD vehicle and is definitely not the normal tug you get while parking a vehicle in 4WD. I noticed that there was fluid leaking from the bottom of the truck and could actually smell in through the cab. I was told that a rear seal had blown, yet the truck is still being looked at. My question is what could cause this problem to A: happen in the first place and B: how could these differential problems effect other parts of the vehicle? I took a look underneath the truck and noticed two small circles, one was cracked and the fluid was leaking from there. I am not sure what part it was but I am looking for any answers or help with this problem.

gmtech4 Senior Enthusiast

gmtech4

Posted
Posted

hows that sour taste in your mouth?

 

all i can say is that diff got past the quailty control guy at the diff factory somehow unless you boony bashed it but i doubt you did

 

as for the rest of the powertrain,it loaded up the t case pretty good ,5 yr warranty is along time

 

rear seal is the pinion seal and when bearings go for a crap it leaks there

 

,

Keelay Enthusiast

Keelay

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thank you for the reply. As of today GM has yet to get back to me with the problem or any diagnosis. I am starting to get very curious as to what is going on. It seems like 3 days is an awful long time to take apart and find the problem with my vehicle. I did call this morning and was told that nobody had an answer as of yet.

  • 2 months later...
Keelay Enthusiast

Keelay

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Front differential (rear seal) was replaced and I was told that the truck was driving stiff because of the tires. That is complete BS. As of now, if I am in 4wd I have to have the pedal to the floor to accelerate forward or reverse. Terrible noise coming from the wheel well as well as under the truck again. I smell hydraulic fluid every time I shift into 4wd as well. I am not sure if the rebuild of the differential wasn't necessarily the problem? The whole truck feels like it binds up, regardless of road conditions or turning. The brand new ones dont do this, and mine hasn't always been like this so I know it is not "normal".

 

Any thoughts?

Keelay Enthusiast

Keelay

Posted
  • Author
Posted

From the maintenance reports they have only diagnosed the front differential as the problem. I will say that the transfer case and drive shaft look like they were just replaced. Maybe the aluminum just looks that nice, but it seems after 2 winters in New England they might be a little bit dirtier.

 

I am looking up stories of this same problem in older models and it seems like the issue doesn't just go away with multiple differential rebuilds/repairs. Kind of unsettling.

cfeiring Enthusiast

cfeiring

Posted
Posted

I have a 2008 and only in 4x4 low does my front end tend to bind up in turns only. But that is nature of the beast

You have a problem, my truck does make any extra noise in 4x4 nor does it make any odors in 4x4.

Granted you have an 11 the drive train is not too far different from my truck.

Good luck, maybe take the service writer for a ride in yours and then one off the lot so that they can compare yours to one off the lot.

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