# Another Rear-End whine Thread



## lotaguts (Jan 17, 2006)

I have been noticing the famous rear end whine at 45-50 mph (05/A4 6k miles ) under acceleration. My question is this how many of you have actually had the rear replaced and did it acutally solve the problem. I am not sure how my dealer would react to changing this if they say its normal than I am going to have to fight for this and is it worth the fight to get it replaced and the freakin noise is still there once the new unit is in. Perhaps we can start a pole of how many rears have been replaced and what dealership they used. If anyone has dealt with Sheehan Pontiac in Lighthouse Point, Florida or any other in South Florida please chime in. thanks.....


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## PEARL JAM (Sep 6, 2005)

Weve replaced a few complete units to solve this. Mine moans slightly at 40mph, but not enough to bother me.


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## bg2m8o (Jul 25, 2006)

Oh how I long for the days of my original diff which would only whine at 40-50. Dealer has replace two. The one I have now is much noisier than the original. The first replacement sound like it had gravel in it. GM is coming (When I dont know) to have a listen. I am not a happy camper with my dif.


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## mlyon (Oct 7, 2006)

What percentage of cars do this and is it inevitable after a certain amount of miles?...for instance I had an Alero a few years back and it was a problem that the lower intake gaskets would go bad, some would go bad at 30,000 miles, other after 100,000 miles...any feedback?


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## Rusty (Jun 27, 2006)

I get the same faint whine at 45-50mph. I’m at about 6000 miles so far and it hasn’t gotten worse… I’m going to wait until 30,000 before I decide if it’s something I should be worried about. It just might be a normal characteristic of the real wheel differential… I had an old dodge van that used to whine at certain speeds… did it for the 100,000 miles I drove it and it never got worse… Sold it to a friend and it’s still on the road…

But if you are worried about it then avoid driving in that speed range. Obviously it’s a result of the harmonic resonance/vibration at that shaft speed… Everything has a natural harmonic resonance and the bigger and heavier it is the resonance is more pronounced. It seems that this is far too common a sound for the designers of this differential not to have noticed and addressed… If it gets worse then get it fixed… 

I guess the real question should be if the GTO has a track record of the rear differential ACTUALLY going out… 

The GTO has only been in production for 3 years but is there a database available that might show a pattern of rear differentials going bad…Has anyone on this board experienced their differential going bad?


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## hardball75006 (Aug 4, 2006)

If you have changed out the gear oil, but did not put in the GM friction modifier, I would suggest starting there. I just added it to mine and all the noise went away.


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## Rusty (Jun 27, 2006)

I’ll give it a try… 

I doubt many here have changed their gear oil out since the cars are soo new…

Do you know if this would be covered under warranty? I mean if the whole purpose is to reduce a whine noise that was there when you bought the car it should be covered…


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## hardball75006 (Aug 4, 2006)

If you have not changed your gear oil, then friction modifier will not be the problem and yes "it" (the whining noise) should be covered under warranty. If you did change the gear oil and you didn't put in the friction modifier, you can pick up a tube for 5 dollars at Autozone.


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## GNSS (Dec 29, 2005)

2005 A4 here.
Noticed mine at apx 600 miles. Had it replaced at around 6,000 miles, now over 9,000 and quiet as a mouse. (rear end anyway) 

Jeff


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## Humbler05Tredm6 (Jun 27, 2006)

is it automatics or manuals not quite sure?


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## mnstrundhd (Jul 22, 2005)

I have an automatic and had a new rear end put in this week.(Replaced at 16,000) It had the whine and also a clunk at low speed . The new one has no whine and no clunk. Feels nice and tight!! arty:


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Rusty said:


> I get the same faint whine at 45-50mph. I’m at about 6000 miles so far and it hasn’t gotten worse… I’m going to wait until 30,000 before I decide if it’s something I should be worried about. It just might be a normal characteristic of the real wheel differential… I had an old dodge van that used to whine at certain speeds… did it for the 100,000 miles I drove it and it never got worse… Sold it to a friend and it’s still on the road…
> 
> But if you are worried about it then avoid driving in that speed range. Obviously it’s a result of the harmonic resonance/vibration at that shaft speed… Everything has a natural harmonic resonance and the bigger and heavier it is the resonance is more pronounced. It seems that this is far too common a sound for the designers of this differential not to have noticed and addressed… If it gets worse then get it fixed…
> 
> ...


*The rear end whine is NOT normal. It is not a harmonious hymn of the drive shaft ends, or a normal characteristic of the real wheel differential. There is a pinion problem going on inside the carrier. Dana has identified the problem and has corrected it in replacement rear ends. 
Just don't drive it at the speed it sings at is not the fix. Most of the complaints of the noise was coming at about 45-55 MPH. This range is between the common mph's on rural roads.

Being the problem has surfaced in the new car, the jury is out on just how bad this problem could get down the road. Trust me, if Dana felt there was no problem with these rear ends they would not have replaced hundreds upon hundreds of them, especially as they are in the dire straights they are in.

Dana has indeed had a track record of faulty rears, this is why they are being replaced. But not all the rears they produced had this problem. IMO they should have done a massive recall of all rear ends for inspection rather than a TSB. Not everyone has thought hey there might be a problem, people have thought this is normal which is NOT. Once your warranty is up you are on your own.

I have stated this numerous times and I will again for the newbies on this site.... If you have the rear end whine, get it inspected and if it needs replaced do so ASAP. Dana is still in bankruptcy and their for sure future is uncertain. DO NOT assume this is a normal noise, it isn't. If you let it go, and years down the road it worsens, you are on your own. The car just has not been around long enough to assume this problem will not get worse. As I stated, Dana acknowledged the problem and is replacing rears that have been diagnosed with this whine.*


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