Rear Axle Seal Replacement – What type seal?

ANSWER : Hi there, thanks for writing in. I recommend buy the Toyota OEM part. Although we could go into high detail as to the precise technical differences amongst the various and competing aftermarket seals you are describing, such will not change the conclusion at all. Generally speaking, aftermarket parts are NOT as good as the factory OEM parts. Large car manufacturers spend hundreds of millions of dollars, indeed billions, developing the technologies used in these vehicles and ALL of the parts are extraordinarily carefully engineered to fit very precisely and perform specific functions. In the aftermarket, they try to duplicate that, but more often than not, it does not work. Toyota OEM quality in particular is not duplicated well, if not at all, in the aftermarket.

ANSWER : Aloha. Ah – the infamous "it’s all gone" excuse. To be quite blunt, you’re being ripped off. If a professional mechanic can’t explain what exactly is damaged with any mechanical component, they are taking advantage of you. I would get your car back and contact a different mechanic. Or, feel free to send us some information about the symptoms your car is experiencing that led you to take the car to the mechanic in the first place. Maybe we can help diagnose your issue and allow you to bring that info to a different mechanic. Mahalo.

ANSWER : Hi there. Former Toyota/Lexus master technician here. I can tell you from experience that using any kind of sealer is a literal "Band-Aid" that will not last and could damage internal engine components if some of it breaks loose into the crank case. Your Mechanic does not provide rear main oil seal service at this time, but I would definitely recommend pursuing a qualified technician that can perform the service properly with a quality seal. I suggest using a factory seal as this is a repair that no one want to do twice; the second time either party’s expense. Your Mechanic is here for many of your other service, diagnostic, and repair needs 7 days a week. Feel free to schedule your next service at www.yourmechanic.com.

ANSWER : The axle seals are pressed into the transaxle case and their purpose is simply to keep the transmission fluid from leaking out of the transmission (and keep dirt and water out of the transmission, too, of course). There is an axle seal on the left and a seal on the right, so two altogether. The seals themselves are very inexpensive, typically costing anywhere from $5 to $25, depending on whether you buy them on Ebay or the dealer (genuine OEM dealer parts are recommended). Although the sealing surface on the seal is made of rubber, it would be unusual for these seals to have failed, that is leaked, on a 4 year old car with only 79,000 miles. It would be even more unusual, indeed statistically improbable, for BOTH (left and right) seals to have failed at the same time. So, your case presents as a bit of a mystery. Failure of seals of this type will evidence themselves as an external leak of transmission fluid and there will be clear, visible, unmistakable evidence of the leak, if they are leaking. What you could have done at the Honda dealer, once they alleged a seal failure, was told the Mechanic, "show me", "show me the leak". If they won’t, or can’t, show you externally visible evidence of a leak then, quite simply, you don’t have a leak. Sometimes, by the way, to deal with an unexpected question like, "show me", they’ll tell you they can’t "due to insurance regulations" preventing you from entering the shop. "Insurance regulations", translated into English, means that there’s no leak on your car.

A leak of this type, if it exists, is important though and has to be fixed so this should be resolved. You could go back to the dealer and simply ask them to show you the leak evidence, on your car, so that you can gain an understanding of exactly what is going on. If they do not indulge you immediately and show and explain everything to your satisfaction, you got your answer right there: that is not a professional shop out to help YOU and indeed you may not even have a leak. The point is to resolve this, you need to see the leak before you make a decision. YourMechanic can look at the vehicle and see if there is evidence of a leak. And, if you do have a leak, regarding the cost to install new seals, you might want to get a second opinion as well, again something YourMechanic can assist you with. As noted at the outset, the cost of these seals is frankly trivial. It is really the labor cost to get to those seals which is material. As you may know, YourMechanic dispatches mobile mechanics, who have the same (or better) certifications that the Mechanics in the shops have but almost none of the overhead. Consequently, for a seal replacement of this type, if it turns out that you need it, the savings might be substantial. As you explore your options, if you have further concerns or questions, by all means please feel free to recontact us.

ANSWER : You didn’t mention that you had the axle replaced but if you did the new axle may be the wrong one for your car, or you may have to get the replacement axle and seal from the dealer.

This vehicle in particular may have had a certain year of seal and axle, which then changed during the following year or mid year. The only way to get it correct may require the specific dealer parts by using your VIN number, it’s the only way to get the correct ones if you keep having issues with aftermarket parts. I’d recommend having a certified mechanic diagnose it to help you find the right replacement for your axle shaft seal.

ANSWER : Hello. Usually the entire axle is replaced when there is a serious failure with the differential or one of the axles. Usually a failure of this degree will render the vehicle undriveable or immobilized, or at the very least will produce noticeable symptoms. If there does not appear to be any leaks, or noises from the axle housing then I would ask the service adviser why he is recommending an axle replacement.

ANSWER : All four wheels have to be bled starting with the right rear, then left rear, right front, and left front. Inasmuch as air may be trapped as much as 10 feet from the bleeder screw, you have to have a relatively fast, and substantial (in volume) flow of brake fluid during bleeding to expel all air from the system. Generally, 5 to 10 PSI on a pressure system is sufficient. 20 PSI is not necessary. You should use a power bleeder, they are not very expensive for a simple one. If you car is equipped with ABS and/or electronic stability control, you will need a VAG 1551, VAG 1552, or equivalent bi-directional scan tool that is capable of activating the ABS/ESC pump. Activation is necessary to expel air from the ABS components of the system. If you would like to have this checked, a qualified professional from YourMechanic can come to your location to inspect the spongy brake issue and let you know what needs repair.

ANSWER : A lot of things can go wrong. You want to pray that it’s not the actual part of the engine worn and wobbling and eating the seal out, because if the shaft is bent (and this often happens) –you’d want to check the motor and transmission mounts, too. Because, if the motor or transmission mounts are worn, then the engine and transmission bounces around a lot and the shaft bounces too much and starts to leak.

A lot of times, that’s it. Now, when it comes to the seal, my advice is to go to the dealer. Go to a Jeep dealer and buy the seals from them. You don’t want to mess with the aftermarket because you want something that is perfectly made. I myself sometimes have gotten aftermarket seals for those and I put them on and they leaked a month or two later because the seals were bad. Now, when I work on those, the only things I use are the dealer’s Jeep seals. I won’t buy them anywhere else.