Rear Drive Axle Whine And Or Gear Noise - keywords accelerate decelerate differential

The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

Perceived gear noise or whine from the rear differential that may change with throttle input i.e.coasting or accelerating.

Any gear driven unit, especially an automotive drive axle where the engine torque multiplication occurs at a 90 degree turn in the driveline, produces a certain amount of noise. Therefore, an interpretation must be made for each vehicle in order to determine if the noise is normal or if a concern actually exists. A certain amount of noise must be expected and cannot be eliminated by conventional repairs or adjustment.

Normal axle noise can be described as a slight noise heard only at a certain speed or under unusual or remote conditions. For example, the noise tends to reach a peak at speeds from 40-60 mph (60-100 km/h) depending on road and load conditions, or on gear ratio and tire size. This slight noise is in no way indicative of trouble in the axle assembly.

A comparison should be made to a duplicate vehicle with similar mileage prior to attempting any repairs.

Please follow this diagnostic or repair process thoroughly and complete each step. If the condition exhibited is resolved without completing every step, the remaining steps do not need to be performed.