Why Rear Differential Service is Important for Your Volkswagen

Where a differential matters most is while turning your Volkswagen. Its main job is to deliver a different amount of torque to each wheel while the vehicle is in the middle of executing a turn. To do this requires a complex of interconnected gears within your vehicle's drive train. During a turn, the differential makes the wheel on the outside rotate faster than the wheel on the inside of the turn. For example, if you were making a right turn, the wheel on the vehicle's left side would turn faster than the one on the right side of the vehicle. This system saves your tires from extra wear, and it also prevents all manner of excess wear and tear wreaking havoc with your entire vehicle.

Symptoms of a Failing Differential

There are several ways you can tell your rear differential requires repair. These include:

• Whining Noises - It can be hard to diagnose whining sounds from your differential, but our experts can.
• Tire Damage - When the wheels don't rotate at the precisely right speeds in turns, they rub against the asphalt and wear down more quickly than they should.
• Trouble Steering - If your wheels are not differentially rotating correctly, it will make steering more difficult. This is especially true with a failing front differential. This can be dangerous and should be dealt with as soon as possible.
• Vibrations - If the gears in your differential are not meshing properly, it can cause vibrations. This is a good sign of a suffering differential.
• Grinding Gears - Another consequence of bad gears in your differential, grinding gears mean your system needs a full overhaul.