Back to all

Viva la Differential At Sovel's Auto Service In Novi

September 25, 2015

There are a lot of Novi people who are due for a differential service, but had never heard of a differential before. With front-wheel drive being so common in Michigan these days, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Novi folks don’t even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don’t need to be serviced for years, so it’s understandable that it’s not something on the top of mind. So it’s not uncommon for Novi people to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service.

To better understand what a differential does, think about a track at any Michigan high school. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That’s to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run.

The differential compensates for the difference in speeds between the inside SUV wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.

It’s a very important function. When you think of it, all the power to get a SUV moving goes through the differential. Most cars weigh between three and six thousand pounds – trucks even more. The power from the engine goes through the transmission and then through the differential to the drive wheels.

That’s a lot of work and requires very heavy duty parts. And those parts need protection. The differential fluid lubricates the gears in the differential and keeps them cool. The fluid eventually gets dirty and worn down. Some kinds of differentials require special additives that break down over time. So manufacturers recommend intervals for when to replace your differential fluid.

Your friendly Sovel's Auto Service service technician will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. He’ll then replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.

Your Sovel's Auto Service service advisor can look up the SUV manufacturer’s recommended service interval or you can check your owner’s manual.

At Sovel's Auto Service, we've been providing quality automotive service for our valued Novi customers for 30 years. If you need to schedule differential maintenance, or any other automotive service, give us a call at 248-348-7337.

Need Service?

Request a Quote

More articles from Sovel's Auto Repair Novi

Reaching the Braking Point (Brake hose replacement)

March 17, 2024

If you notice your brakes arent working like they used to, thats the kind of thing thats important to have checked out soon. Thats because your brakes are extraordinarily important to the safe operation of your vehicle. Sometimes you feel like your brake pedal is feeling a little soft or its lo... More

I NEED All Wheel Drive (Pros and Cons of AWD)

March 10, 2024

So winter has arrived and you don't feel confident in how your 2-wheel drive vehicle does in the snow and ice. You envy all those people with all-wheel-drive (AWD) and 4-wheel-drive (4WD) cars, trucks and SUVs. You start thinking, "I need one of those. I'll be able to go anywhere without any w... More

The Need for Speed (Wheel Speed Sensor Maintenance)

March 3, 2024

Today's vehicles have some pretty amazing technology in them, including a computerized braking system we all pretty much take for granted these days. Antilock brake systems (ABS) have been around for years but they help drivers stop in much shorter distances reliably than ever before. When you ... More