Front Differential 2019 Tundra

2019 Tundra -- Put the truck in 4 wheel drive when stuck in snow. I got out of the snow and tried to go back into 2 wheel. The 4 wheel drive indicating light just kept blinking. I went in forward and reverse a couple times to try to get it disengaged and could feel that the truck was not in 4 wheel drive. I shut the car off and restarted it; the 4 wheel drive light was now off. I drove the truck and could tell it was not in 4 wheel drive. A couple days after this I heard a hum from the driver side, sounded like a bad wheel bearing. I took it the dealer and they say I need a new front diff carrier assembly -- $3629.72. I have 89K miles, all highway never off road. I called Toyota and they said Too Bad! 50K truck that can't make it 100K miles without a front differential.

 

When you are in 4wd and don't wait for it to switch to 2wd and then turn off the engine - it stays in 4wd. All you have to do is start the truck, turn the dial to 4wd, then drive a little, turn the dial to 2wd and WAIT for it to go into 2wd. Sometimes it just takes longer. Especially, for some reason, when it's cold. Whenever I drive through the snow and switch from 4wd to 2wd it takes a good amount of time for it to switch.

 

Ya it’s not always instant. Sometimes shifting to neutral speeds it up.

Were you driving around in 4x4 on pavement for long? That might explain the bad diff, it sounds like operator error.

 

I was in 4wd, switched to 2wd. Waited a few minutes and the light just blinked. I drove it forward a little, and the light kept blinking. I drove in reverse a little, and light kept blinking. I shut the car off and started it again -- light was out.
That's not really the problem, the problem is Toyota knows there is an issue with the driver side axle into the front differential and won't address it. They want me to pay $4k to fix a $50K truck that is 2 years old. Toyota reliability????

 

Never drove the truck in 4 wheel drive on pavement. I was in a snow and ice covered parking lot.

 

I understand. Point is, just cuz you turned off the engine and the 4wd light turned off doesn't mean you're back in 2wd. If your truck still feels like it's in 4wd but the 4wd light is off - then do the steps mentioned above to properly get it back in 2wd.

Sounds like you just need a $100 fix with the ECGS bearing replacement.

 

Shouldn't that be covered under warranty still? If not then get a quote from a private shop, a diff rebuild is much cheaper than what their quoting especially if you aren't replacing the gears.

 

Will it go in to 4wd? If so, does the hum go away? Like @Cruzer said, it could be the needle bearing. It’s a fairly common issue and Toyotas fix is a whole new differential.

 

Did you engage and disengage the 4hi and low on a regular basis to keep the actuator lubed? It's a good idea to get off road once every 4-6 weeks and cycle the system. Condensation and such causes corrosion of moving parts in free air. As for grinding, if it goes away in 4hi, ECGS bushing modification could possibly solve that. Is the truck lifted?

 

The hum does go away in 4wd. Truck is not lifted. Does ECGS make a bushing modification for 2019 tundras? anyone know the part number? Thanks for help! Why does toyota replace the diff instead of creating a bushing like ECGS? From what I am reading it is a very common issue with Toyotas.

 

I believe this is it

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-1...amshell-bushingeliminates-needle-bearing.html

Best thing to do is just call to place the order

 

Has anyone had this repair done either by a shop or by themselves? Any idea of how much is a fair price to pay for this repair to be made? Does this have any effect on the functionality?

 

Did you watch the video? The repair appears to be rather "shade tree"friendly.

Shop wise, I'd imagine 3 to 4 hr job.

 

I had it done on my 2010. I think it was about $500 in labor.

 

So this raises a question. I have a ritual during the first week of each month- I plan to drive slower one morning each month, and I have a straight, easy 10 mile stretch of highway and then freeway where I keep the speed at 55 max and I run in 4 hi. I stay slow and keep to one lane. I disengage at the cloverleaf on ramp, and re-engage once I’m in the freeway headed straight.

This is almost always done on dry pavement, wet if it is raining. I do this year round.

I frequently read the “salty & sage” advisements to NEVER run 4WD on dry pavement. But to keep the recommended lubrication, that’s impossible for the vast majority of us.

What gives? Have I been destroying my truck over the last 4 years?

OP, when I do my monthly run, disengaging the 4hi always takes a varying amount of time, but it is never instantaneous. I have found that clicking back to 2 hi and letting off the gas seems to speed it up.

 

I always came to a full stop, put the truck and neutral and shift to 4wd. Same thing when I disengage.

Why not make an all wheel drive pickup?

 

Don’t have to come to a full stop and put it in N for 4hi, only 4lo. I’ve been shifting while moving for years and haven’t had any issues. When it’s snowy and some roads are more clear than others, I sometimes shift in and out of 4hi several times during my drive to work. I just let off the gas while the light is flashing. It’s usually pretty quick.

But I don’t think lack of using 4wd causes the needle bearing issue. I used 4wd a lot in my 2010 that had the issue. When I got mine fixed, they told me they see it frequently and it doesn’t depend on mileage or lifted/non lifted.

 

Running in 4hi on dry pavement is only an issue when turning. It is due to the different rotational velocities of the inner and outer wheels when turning. From the sound of it, what you're doing is not hurting anything as long as it is truly a straight stretch of highway..

No need to do this when going to 4hi. Just find a straight stretch, make sure you're not going faster than 55 mph, and turn the knob to 4hi. Same for going back to 2WD.
However, you DO have to stop and put it in Neutral to go to 4lo.

 

I think you guys really need to cycle 4lo a bit as well to avoid problems. Easier and probably cheaper than repairs.

 

Honda Ridgeline is AWD. Better payload than a Tundra, too. It can't do much off road though, and that's why 4x4 trucks still exist.

 

Maverick is AWD

 

Santa Cruz is AWD

 

^^^, I need to do this , but most of the time, I just do the 4Hi once a month, I don't even do the 10 miles , 3-4 miles tops. I guess, I’m just lazy to stop put it in neutral , then to 4lo.

 

I put the ECGS bushing in my 2000 front diff. Wasn’t that hard. Need a couple of special tools to get the old bearing out and push the new bushing in. Have to pull the tire, spindle, and CV shaft out to do the swap. Cost me about $50 in parts and borrowed the special tools from a forum member.

 

Like others, I cycle in and out of 4H and L several times a year even if I have been having fun off road or in the snow. If I can't find dirt or gravel, will do on straight roads. No issues unless you are making turns. Is good to keep things cycled. Sounds like the system hung in 4H and the diff didn't disengage.

 

I took the truck to local transmission shop and described the problem. They were very familiar with the issue and told me they have done the repair many times. Parts and Labor, $450.
I had a 13' Tundra that cost me $$$$ because the truck kept going into limp mode and coding with air bank valves or something like that, broken leaf springs when it is a commuter truck and I don't load it with anything but skis and snowboards, alignment issues that kept eating up tires. Now the 2019 has cost me $$$ with faulty air conditioning, alignment issue I can't seem to get corrected and now the needle bearing on differential.
Always been a Toyota guy, but I have finally hit the breaking point. Once the truck is fixed I will be trading it in for a dodge, chevy, gmc or ford.

 

Sorry to hear about the issues with your truck. Good luck with the domestic brands….

 

Well, dont get a GM product if you dont like throwing $ at your vehicle. Transmission and valvetrain issues just dont stop with them (gasser platform).

 

Probably will start with Ford, either the F-150 or the Ranger. I wish Hyundai would make a real pickup -- My wife has a Palisade which I love driving and the warranty is great. Dealership treats her like gold too.

 

If you haven’t done it, go to the Ford F-150 forum, and then the RAM and Chevy truck forums and read through the posts there a bit.

You’ll read a lot about lemon laws, freeway strandings, and repeated/lengthy trips to the dealer for repairs.

Sounds like you had some bad luck with your truck, but the domestic trucks are not going to be safe refuge for you.

(Just plugging ‘silverado forum’ into my search bar brought up a lemon law legal advice ad)