Subaru Differential Service: Optimizing Performance and Safety

Many Subaru owners are pretty maintenance-savvy when it comes to caring for their cars. Yet as your Los Angeles Subaru dealer, one maintenance procedure that’s often misunderstood is differential service, which is crucial for performance. Learn more about this traction-preserving service.

 

What Is a Differential and What Does It Do?

When your car turns, the wheel on the outside of the turn will spin faster and take more revolutions to complete the turn than the inside wheel, since it takes a longer path. Your differential is a set of gears connected to the drivetrain that splits the torque from your engine and distributes it between the drive wheels, keeping each wheel turning at the right speed to keep traction, minimize wear, and distribute power correctly between the drive wheels.

What Happens If It’s Not Properly Maintained?

If the differential isn’t properly maintained, a few problems can occur. First, tires can start to wear unevenly, causing extra wear on the inside treads of your tires. If a differential system runs out of fluid and locks, you may hear what’s called tire scrubbing, which indicates that the tires are intermittently slipping and gripping. Differentials require periodic maintenance, like fluid top-ups, visual inspection, and more, to make sure they’ll perform correctly for thousands of miles to come.

Differential Warning Signs

Your differential will let you know if there’s something wrong. One of the most subtle signs of a differential problem is a worn-down inner tread on your tires, indicating excess spinning during turns. More obvious signs include excess vibration; a humming, whining, chirping, or squealing sound; and poor handling, especially in corners. Any of these issues are red flags that your differential needs to be checked and may require service.

When Should My Differential Get Checked?

Your Subaru’s owner’s manual will give you a guideline for what mileage points indicate a need to have the differential checked. Routine maintenance is essential for preventing issues, but if you’re experiencing any of the warning signs above, don’t wait; book a service appointment immediately. Maintenance is almost always cheaper than repairing or replacing parts.

Whether you’ve got a maintenance milestone coming up or you’re starting to hear or feel something unusual with your car, don’t wait to have your Subaru’s differential inspected and maintained. Book your service appointment now at Puente Hills Subaru in City of Industry, CA, and let our qualified and capable technicians take care of your car so you can get back on your favorite Southern California roads with confidence. 

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