Rear axle slipping out.

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 : 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 : With the age of the vehicle, a worn / failed pinion seal is the most likely cause. Inspect the pumpkin and cover for any damage. If it is apparent that the pinion seal is leaking, make sure the pinion bearing is inspected for excessive play. A worn bearing can eat through a new seal quickly. Have a certified technician inspect the axle and if found to be the cause, replace the pinion seal. Have it done as soon as possible. At the same time, have the axle seals inspected as well. Low gear oil level in the axle will damage gears and bearings in no time.

ANSWER : Look at the suspension on the rear of the van and see if there is anything that looks broken. If not, then the bushings on the shackles on the leaf springs could be damaged causing the leaf springs to shift when going over bumps causing them to bind up. If not, then the leaf springs could be cracked causing the spring to be weak and making the spring bumper hit the frame. If you need further assistance with your suspension making a banging noise on the rear, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

ANSWER : There is a special axle remover tool or a slide hammer that can cause the axle to release from the housing.

ANSWER : The leak on the axle seal may be minor if you did not notice the level to be low when you checked it. I cannot say it will last for 2 and a half hours of driving, since this is when the differential will get the hottest and may leak worse. I suggest having a mechanic diagnose your oil leak and have it repaired before going on the trip, since a cheap repair now may become an expensive repair if you drive it and the rear end locks up after it lost all its oil.

In the meantime, feel free to read more on differential/gear oil in this article.

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 : Hi there. I would strongly recommend having a professional mechanic accurately diagnose the issue you’re having if you are going to have a private, non-Mercedes Benz certified mechanic complete these repairs. By having one of our mobile mechanics come to your location and completing a car is making a noise inspection, they will be able to pinpoint the source of your noise and recommend the right repairs.