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Equinox awd rear diff. actuator, anyone deal with this?

DMG said:
It is about to jump time so check the oil and figure it out quickly. :flipoff2: Btw they burn oil and if it is cold the pcv freezes and blows the rear main so badly that it will be empty in under 100 mile.
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It was an oil burner, then I swapped oils for her and she says it has stopped.

Apparently that is a thing.
 
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Ditchdigger said:
Would it help? Just another light on the dash to some.
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Not to some, but for people like us trying to fix it, that sure would speed things up. When you get to Big trucks the ABS has different codes to help point you to what is wrong with the wheel end, sensor, or sensor gap, or even tone ring or leaky wheel seal.
On a car, nope just a code and it is up to you to figure out from there. Might be a harness, might be a wheel bearing, might be short. But nothing to point you in the right direction.
Provience said:
Post as few details as possible. When somebody shows up, don't tell them anything except that your kid got a new car.

Set it on fire for the insurance money in 3 weeks :smokin:
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I can't do that. I have to try and be open and honest otherwise it will haunt me forever. What if it is a struggling single mom like my daughter. Or what if it is a young couple, or just a person trying to get by on their own.
If I am going to ask decent money it needs to be a decent car.
And now you know why I could never have a used car dealership.

Insurance is transferred to new car already, otherwise maybe, she is already at $300 a month.
 
List it for $1500 and let it go then.

Single moms and struggling people don't mind getting a new shitbox every couple years or even twice a year. For $1500 it still beats out everything else even if it runs poorly.
 
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Provience said:
List it for $1500 and let it go then.

Single moms and struggling people don't mind getting a new shitbox every couple years or even twice a year. For $1500 it still beats out everything else even if it runs poorly.
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And it still may come to that but on the other hand this is for my daughter so every penny I can get for her I am going to do that.

I already spent 10+ hours cleaning the inside assuming the mechanical condition was okay. LOL All the time I have put into it already. I think I am pretty close to getting her that couple extra grand.
The inside looks brand new except the smell of dirty diapers is coming from somewhere still, so I need to throw an air freshener is there.

Besides I gave her $5k to help her buy the Tahoe and she is avoiding me because she feels guilty, thinks I need it back and she can't afford to pay me yet. The other kids, they don't give it a second thought but this one, She can't stand feeling like she owes anyone anything.

So if I get it fixed it will be a great vehicle at that price point, could probably get more but I know she is counting on $5k out of it.
 
Update time.

4 new tires and the noise is gone going down the road, straight lines. It is actually really quiet and rides nice again. In straight or mostly straight lines.

But, sharp turns it still rumbles, but not always, depends on the turn.

I need to get the TPMS programmed, I cannot get it to learn the new one at home apparently. So I will get that done.

Then gonna list it at a decent price. Probably won't say anything about the rear end, but just list it at the decent price because I have no idea if it will run for another 100k like that or break tomorrow.

Reading online, some people say it is normal AWD stuff, and some spend the money to get it fixed.
 
Tiha said:
I changed the rear end oil. Loaded it up with LS additive and made no difference.

I was hoping. I don't even know if it has a LS rear end.
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Does the actuator share fluid with the diff?

Again, I'm approaching this from the haldex system I know, but it's wet clutches stuck on the pinion of the rear end that activate and engage the rear shaft to the diff.
 
87manche said:
Does the actuator share fluid with the diff?

Again, I'm approaching this from the haldex system I know, but it's wet clutches stuck on the pinion of the rear end that activate and engage the rear shaft to the diff.
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I have no idea. Looks like it would.

Have seen used actuators on ebay for $300. Still debating on swapping it, but I really don't want to. I have so many other projects. I can't work on this forever.
 
In the haldex system it does not.
I'd look into it. Sucking out the toasted fluid from the active coupler and servicing it might fix the clutch chatter.
 
Hmm, glad to hear it's quiet when driving in a straight line. With it unplugged (or fuse pulled), does it drive completely silent including those currently noisy turns?
 
I have the same car with 40,000 miles and it has a lot of road noise especially while turning. Just turn the radio up.
 
Tiha said:
Yes, pull the fuse it is all gone. All the noises.

Wish I could put it on a switch in the dash.
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DMG said:
It is about to jump time so check the oil and figure it out quickly. :flipoff2: Btw they burn oil and if it is cold the pcv freezes and blows the rear main so badly that it will be empty in under 100 mile.
Click to expand...

They fixed that in 12.

My wife's 16 went over 100k, and never blew any seals even in -40* temps.

But the 08-12s were complete garbage, and they're "taken care of" by soccer Mom types, so they have a shit reputation.

Wife bought her 22 brand new. It's likely the only one ever sold that got every fluid changed at 1k because break-in. Now it's got 22k and she wants to trade it :homer:.
 
Chevy_man said:
They fixed that in 12.

My wife's 16 went over 100k, and never blew any seals even in -40* temps.

But the 08-12s were complete garbage, and they're "taken care of" by soccer Mom types, so they have a shit reputation.

Wife bought her 22 brand new. It's likely the only one ever sold that got every fluid changed at 1k because break-in. Now it's got 22k and she wants to trade it :homer:.
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GM says 2017 in their TSB. You got lucky. And possibly the kind of driving you do prevents the pcv from filling with water.
 
I am still trying to get rid of this thing.

So took it to tire shop to program tpms. And they said all the sensors are fine. But the light is still on lol.

Had the key fob fail. Had to get a new one and program.

Now wife drove it home from tire shop and says it makes a rumble noise when you turn lol.

If she heard it, no way it won't be glaringly obvious on a test drive.

So I started looking at used actuators on ebay.
Uhm you can but the whole rear eng for $150 including the actuator.

Guess maybe I'll check the local yard.

Between tires and fob and tpms and all the other hours I have spent, hate to give up if I am $150 away
 
Finally got the tpms programmed, no change in turning rumble, it was worth a shot right?

Pulled the differential actuator.
Stupid simple, on the floor in 10 minutes.
Hardest part was getting the wire harness out.

Going to check pick and pull tomorrow.

Can't see anything wrong, hoping it is like an ac clutch coil failure.

Reared end spins free, no noise with this unit off.
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That a grease or rust on the splines? Worth a try just slop a bit of grease on the splines if theres a bit of rough movement there causing the rumble.
 
GM Guy said:
That a grease or rust on the splines? Worth a try just slop a bit of grease on the splines if theres a bit of rough movement there causing the rumble.
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Thanks will do. About to put in a used one from junk yard. It was a lot cleaner inside.
If that doesn't do it I guess I will go back for the control module.
 
$62 from u-pull it and noise is completely gone. Yes, Win. We all need a win now and then.

Long journey from the original "you need a $2500 actuator and module and then have gm program it"

Thanks guys. Hope this helps someone else someday.
This thread is the first one that comes up when you Google equinox differential actuator. LoL
 
Tiha said:
$62 from u-pull it and noise is completely gone. Yes, Win. We all need a win now and then.

Long journey from the original "you need a $2500 actuator and module and then have gm program it"

Thanks guys. Hope this helps someone else someday.
This thread is the first one that comes up when you Google equinox differential actuator. LoL
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Something that I just thought of.

Submersible well pumps and motors have splines similar to those. They develop a wear pattern and if you mix different assemblies after a noticeable wear pattern has set in you will quickly wear out both sets of splines.

I don't know how the starting and stopping of an electric motor compares to your rear differential actuator but it might be something to keep in mind.
 
M92PV4U said:
Something that I just thought of.

Submersible well pumps and motors have splines similar to those. They develop a wear pattern and if you mix different assemblies after a noticeable wear pattern has set in you will quickly wear out both sets of splines.

I don't know how the starting and stopping of an electric motor compares to your rear differential actuator but it might be something to keep in mind.
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It's for sale now, so officially not my problem lol, but great info. Thank you.
 
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