What maintenance can be done to prevent a broken bearing in the joint of the Driveshaft and the Rear Differential?
I got a problem in the Rear Differential, the coupler Ass has a noise that started a few months ago, Toyota Dealer just confirmed the Coupler Ass is the root cause. My car has only 108000 km which is nothing for a top-quality car like a Toyota car, and it makes no sense it is suffering already of this cancer.
My biggest frustration is because I had exactly the same issue in my previous 2011 Toyota Sienna AWD that cost me 2K in Jan-2015, but also in my older 2009 Rav4 with approximately 140.000 Km, and I got it fix in Toyota Longueil in the past too.
How many chances are that the same customer will get 3 times, exactly the same Coupler/Differential issue in all my last 3 AWD cars so the same problem? and my current Venza suffer the same problem so fast with only 108.000 Km! Definitely makes no sense and I feel so frustrated
I concluded the AWD System from Toyota is garbage if you need to front the Winter.
I contacted them and They say the root cause may be the Driving habits or lack of maintenance which is an unacceptable answer from Toyota Canada!
I won't try anymore any Toyota AWD anymore, maybe the next AWD will be a Honda Pilot as Nissan and Mitsubishi the AC dies after 5 Years! and the rust appears twice faster than Toyota or Honda.
What is your advice or opinion?
Thanks
What model year is your current Toyota? And you said it’s a Venza?
I have a 2011 Toyota Venza 4Cyl, it is in very good shape and looks like a 3-year-old car.
But i needed to replace the Differential which start giving some vibrations while driving between 40 to 50 KM/H but has been under 100 000 KM. I balanced the tires, then changed the tires too and at the end, I though maybe a bad MAG. this started last summer 2020 but happened not so often and no so strong until last April when I discoved the Driveshaft was the root cause. so it started under 100 000KM but already the Bearing was making some noise too back on those days.
The Rear coupler differential is similar for the 4Cyl and 6Cyl and seems to be the same used in the Matrix as well so all with same cancer!
I agree, Toyota does have issues with those couplers. But I would not buy a Nissan or Mitsubishi because they will have bigger problems.
Toyota extended the warranties for the Rav4. Not many companies would do this.
Correct but Toyota must find a solution to the issue, and recall if needed. On my case happens just after 9 to 10 years transition but with the Sienna, AWD happened after 5Y.
What is unacceptable is the received answer.
nobody makes vehicles designed to last 10 years any more
Don't buy an AWD car. Buy a 4 wheel drive vehicle so you can use it when you want it and not use it when you don't.
Honestly, I had an FJCruiser and I have a 2003 4Runner too. RWD is terrible and while selecting 4x4 all the time increases the Gas consumption to 16.5L/100Km even driving as an Old woman. It is much safe and AWD for winter environments. I was driving in 4x2 twice and the car made a 180 degrees so close to have an accident (the day after snowing and the street were cleaned already but not at 100%). In Canada is very expensive the GAS like 50% more than in the US so 16.5L/100 Km is painfull. I found the AWD the best for winter (I had 4 times Land Cruiser also , the best for offroading for sure) and 3 times hilux pickup.
You said while driving in 4x2 the car spun around. Cars don't spin around, people who are not in 4x4 mode spin them around. If you're stuck on AWD, go ahead, knowing the problems these systems have. It's your life.
RWD tends to oversteer in turns, and part-time 4WD systems understeer. I can attest that AWD has the best on-road handling and excels in the snow.
oh no! not toyota!
Toyota does make mistakes on their lower end cars sometimes. If you want a dead relaible 4 cylinder car, get a honda.
What does the coupler do anyway?
engages the rear wheels
Well, Nissan, Honda, and Mitsubishi are not as good quality as Toyota, however, I would argue Nissan, Honda, and Mitsubishi have better AWD systems. IMO, if you want the best AWD system, find a nice Subaru since they have AWD as standard on a lot of their cars and they hold up quite well since they have been making them for so long.
The only thing tho, Subaru has the Ascent which hasn't been out long enough to know if it's any good, so Honda Pilot is worth a look, or even a Mazda CX-9.
Subaru was having transmission problems in the Ascent early on, I don't know if that has (in theory at least) been fixed at this point. A more general problem with the Ascent is the combination of a turbocharged GDI engine with a CVT in a large, heavy vehicle is just not a recipe for longevity.
yeah that is true. Although the only issue I have with the Pilot is that they made their first-gen ZF 9 speed tranny standard on all trims ditching the 6 speed, which makes reliability a bit suspect. Will also see how the new Pathfinder holds up with the newer 9 speed which seems to be smooth, unlike the jerkiness u get with the 9 speed Pilot, despite not being the quickest shifting transmission.
I have had more than 50 cars in 25Years driving including 17 of them were Toyota. Only once I purchased a brand new car as I hate to throw my money to the garbage in first 3 - 4 years. The reason why Japanese has been the answer, a 5Y old car is as good as a brand new American or European car!.
Nissan 4 times and once Honda. Here my impression:
I had Nissan and out the winter, amazing until they change to CVT garbage! They are not efficient in GAS as Toyota or Honda. The AC always dies after 5Y as Mitsubishi, and they are not efficient. Also, Nissan suffers with the winter and gets too much rust after 5Y.
I changed my 2011 Sienna 3.5L for a 2012 Murano and I didn't like it, the Gas consumption was so high like my old FJ Cruiser but feeling lazy, I changed after 6 months to my current Venza 4Cyl and I enjoy it better.
Honda, they are not good-looking till now! but quality and efficiency, now implementing Turbo tiny engines, it won't be the same anymore!
Mitsubishi is offering 160000Km of warranty and 10Y, the parts are more expensive, the CVT is the only one you don't hate. I don't like the Nissan Rouge either, but the Outlander feels stronger than the Rav4 or similar having CVT which is awesome for a CVT transmission!.
In general,
Also, Subaru, looks inside like an old design, like the beginning of 2000, consume a lot of Gas as Nissan or Corean cars, more than Toyota or Honda. The engine dies between 200000 Km to 250000 Km, and now they are introducing CVT, at least the Manual option is still available!
its worth considering a crosstek since its one of the last SUVs, even though it literally looks like a raised up Impreza, to have a manual.