Transfer case groan
2025 manual gen 2 gry. 100% stock, MFF mudflaps are the only thing I’ve done to it.
6 months and 5k kms into ownership I took the car for a trip from Sydney to Sunshine Coast (1000+ kms) over 2 days. After arriving I noticed the car making a groaning sound at full lock when parking, which also binded something up as it also slowed the car down, feeling like the brakes were applied when it groaned. The groan only happened at crawling speeds when turning very tight.
Immediately took it to a dealership in Sunshine Coast and told them I thought it was either the brakes or rear differential, they changed the diff fluid. Groan was still there but I hoped it was all okay as I’ve heard of these torsen diffs sometimes making weird sounds, ect, but are fine. So I drove it home another 1000kms back to Sydney and have been using it as a daily since putting an extra 5000 kms on it. Now has just over 10,000 kms.
A week ago I took it in for its 12 month service, told them about the groan, took a tech for a test drive and he said he noticed it straight away (which I was very pleased about because at Sunshine Coast the tech said he couldn’t hear or feel it. Being the last day they were open before Christmas I think he just didn’t want to deal with it so he pretended he couldn’t hear it and ignored it.
Got a call the day after I gave the car to the dealership saying they have found the sound is coming from the transfer case and not the diff like I assumed and it needs to be removed for inspection. They’ll also show Toyota who will then decide whether or not it’s covered under warranty.
Anybody heard of or experienced any transfer case issues? Had a failed transfer case, ect?
I don’t track the car, drove it “spiritedly” through twisty mountain roads less then half a dozen times, had it on a dirt road twice where I again drove it “spiritedly” but nothing crazy, no handbrake drifts, no full sideways or rally style action. It’s just a daily for me and I baby the car. Never even redlined it, I’ve gotten it close to redline a dozen or so times but I generally drive it like a granny.
I know premature clutch issues with this car are often denied warranty because it’s a wear item and in 2026 most people have never driven a manual so don’t know how to treat a clutch. But what about a transfer case? Is there any chance I could have worn out a transfer case before my tires, brake pads, or any other wear item is even half worn out. Or is this 100% a faulty/defected transfer case?
I love cars but I’m no mechanic. Hop in some much more knowledgeable people can chime in and share their thoughts, opinions or experiences.