I am an independent automotive technical expert in Florida. Recently I was dispatched to check a rear differential failure on a 1998 GMC pickup. The customers complaint was "left axle seal leaking onto brakes". The shop produced an estimate in excess of $2500. The technician had removed the differential cover and both axles.
The first thing I noticed was that there was a tremendous amount of metal shavings coating the visible gears in the differential. The kind of shavings normally found in a brake resurfacing lathe. I noted that there was no metal on the magnet and no metal on the bottom inside the housing. The residual fluid was in excellent condition and there were no heat discolored parts.
When I rotated the carrier 180 degrees, there were no metal shavings on the other side. These, and other more technical, conditions indicated that the metal shavings were thrown into the differential AFTER the cover had been removed.
I offered the technician, shop foreman and service writer the opportunity to show me any failed, broken, damaged or scored internal differential part that could account for the metal shavings. They could not show me one.
This technician sabotaged this customers car so he would have more work! The only thing this vehicle needed was a new axle seal and brake shoes - about $300 parts & labor.
0 comments