[huck369]

Originally posted by lee
Today, as I was leaving the grocery store I started hearing a terrible noise much like a very bad CV joint. Immediately pulled over. Note: there were no warnings or previous noises - I had been driving with windows down and stereo off.
....
It's in the garage now and I can smell that distinctive differential lube smell. I'm really hating this. The tranny is only 18 months old, and is/was working perfectly - if it is the diff, does the tranny have to go as well?

help - advice, please.

tia, Lee

Definitely sounds like the front diff, you need to check your tires, different diameter tires with trash the front diff faster than anything, just having the same size, doesn’t necessarily make them the same circumference. You need to take a tape and measure AROUND the center of the tread to get the Circumference, if there is more than ½” difference, you need to get matching tires. I had 2 different brand tires of the same size on my first Legacy, toasted the tranny (front Diff).
So at least check this out before you get it fixed, as it might save you another expensive repair.
A lesson I learned the hard way