Charlie529

Thank you. Replacing center diff next weekend!

They are a general shop that is supposed to have decent experience with Subarus. I wouldn't call them a high volume Subaru shop, and I don't think he's done a VC, but I did expect a little more knowledge than what I got. He definitely doesn't understand how a viscous coupler actually works. When I questioned whether a front diff failure would have the exact symptoms of center diff VC issues without any other symptoms, he told me that the front diff has a lsd also that can result in the same symptoms - which doesn't seem accurate given the responses I've gotten from others while trying to diagnose. I really wanted the recommendation of a trained pro with eyes on the car, but was disappointed with what felt like a lack of knowledge. He also could not tell me how to isolate front vs center, I had to suggest removing the driveshaft as an option, but of course they want to charge $220 to do it. Being that it's classic center diff symptoms without any other issues, I'm inclined to trust my gut and the insights and experiences of others on here and just go ahead and replace it. I'll probably have it done at the Subaru stealership, since they should absolutely have the experience with the AWD system and know what other nuances to look for. Super appreciative for your thoughts and insights.

Yes. It seems pretty straightforward being classic symptoms, so just needed some confirmation that I'm not missing something with the front differential. I'll look for a mechanic who has some more Subaru specific knowledge in the future or perhaps even for this repair. Though it seems a relatively doable job for someone like myself, I may chunk out the cash for peace of mind with someone who's done it before. I'll update here once the work is complete and I can confirm the fix.

Confirming center diff based on idosubarus excellent response in another thread. Thank you!

That's great news. Thank you very much for clarifying that, and for your clear response on the other page as well. I'll hopefully update a positive outcome after replacing the VC/center diff.

Fantastic! Thank you so much for your clear response. Feeling much more confident in going after replacing the center diff. Cheers!

Thanks Bennie, I'm likely to follow that advice. Forgive my ignorance, but how can I find out if I have a VLSD up front that could be causing the issue?

2012 legacy gt 6mt. Classic center diff failure symptoms. Mechanic says he "feels it in the front, so it's probably front differential and needs a new tranny". I'm skeptical. Is there a way to isolate whether the torque binding when warm is from the front diff or from the center diff, besides removing the driveshaft?

Is there any way to isolate whether the issue is with the viscous coupler / center diff vs the front differential? Car shows classic signs of center diff failure, but mechanic says he "feels it all in the front, so it must be front diff" and therefore needs a new transmission. I can't afford to throw money at this and a tranny is out of the question. Car has no symptoms cold, but locked 4wd when warm, noticeable when parking, and worse after highway.

Mechanic said he thinks it's front diff, not center diff, as he "feels it all in the front", in spite of the classic center vlsd failure symptom. Is there a way to isolate whether it's mystery front diff that is bad or my center diff?

Thanks. Tires were all matching and new when I purchased the car, but I suppose something could be causing uneven wear that is resulting in the torque bind... but that uneven wear is very, VERY slight at this point, and yes, no problem at stone cold and total fail at highway warm is exactly what happens. Having someone look at it tomorrow. Think this is a doable repair by oneself with the 6mt turbo?

I suspect there is a problem with the differential in a recently acquired 2012 legacy gt 6mt turbo. Symptoms seem to point to viscous coupler/center diff, i.e. issue when making tight turns at low speeds, not noticeable on cold start but worse to the point of shaking or bucking when parking after highway driving. Edit to add: I'm also noticing *very* slightly increased wear on one front tire. My question is: How do I know if this is a center diff issue vs front diff issue? Am I correct in assessing that, void of other symptoms or sounds, this is a center diff issue? I haven't had the car that long, it seems previous owner dumped it with brand new tires (I've since learned this should have been my red flag). The problem wasn't noticeable until a month or so later when I started driving it more regularly. My concern is that if it was center diff, they would have done the repair and sold the vehicle for more, making me nervous that it's in the front diff and the car needs a whole new tranny - something I cannot do. Any help? I'm new, so if this is a stupid question I apologize and I'd love to know why. TIA Edit to add: vehicle looks immaculate inside and out, under the hood and under the car, but has a salvage title from a minor accident last January. Was immaculately maintained at the dealership by a single owner up to that point. Someone picked up the car from auction, replaced the damaged body panels, possibly threw on new tires, and then sold it for less than they could have, making me think they discovered the problem but didn't want to invest in the repair or decided the repair was undoable.

Thank you idosubaru, that's exactly what I needed to know.

First time Subaru owner. I recent acquired a 2012 legacy 2.5gt 6mt. It quickly began showing signs of what *seems* like a bad viscous coupler. I've watched the repair vid, but it's on a 5mt not the 6mt. My question is whether or not a viscous coupler repair on the 6mt turbo will be significantly different than on the 5mt? Has anyone here done a viscous coupler swap on the 2.5gt 6mt? I'm a bit of a noob trying to learn my way, so please, be kind if I've said something stupid here. Thanks :)