Rear main seal

[Powerguy37]

I've owned several cars and trucks over the years and have never replaced the rear main seal one let alone twice! Mine failed about a year ago and was replaced under warranty. Today, I'm traveling down I79 3-4 hours from home, stop to get something out of the back and notice some oily residue on the hatch. I stop by the local dealer and they say the rear seal is bad. WTF? Am I going to have to replace it every year now?? I'm taking it in on Tuesday and see how much they're going to charge me to fix it. I have just over 64000 miles so I'm past the Nissan warranty period and I did not by the extended warranty. It was replaced just over a year ago at 30000 miles. Shouldn't the damn thing last longer then that!?!?!

-Dana

[ScottG]

You could argue that it should be covered even though you are over 60,000 since it failed before. But, since it was over a year and 30,000 miles ago, you are probably out of luck. I would still give it try though.

This is the first time I have heard of an Xterra owner having this problem. I've got 66,000 and haven't had any problems whatsoever. I am knocking on wood now. Good luck.

[Powerguy37]

So I should expect to do this every 30,000 miles? I don't think so. That's expensive maint. Seems to me like it's defective part or design. I know others have had the same problem on the 2000 models.

[XMan9]

Originally posted by Powerguy37
I've owned several cars and trucks over the years and have never replaced the rear main seal one let alone twice! Mine failed about a year ago and was replaced under warranty. Today, I'm traveling down I79 3-4 hours from home, stop to get something out of the back and notice some oily residue on the hatch. I stop by the local dealer and they say the rear seal is bad. WTF? Am I going to have to replace it every year now?? I'm taking it in on Tuesday and see how much they're going to charge me to fix it. I have just over 64000 miles so I'm past the Nissan warranty period and I did not by the extended warranty. It was replaced just over a year ago at 30000 miles. Shouldn't the damn thing last longer then that!?!?!

-Dana

are you sure it's the rear main and not the oil pan gasket?

[Powerguy37]

When it was leaking I took it into the dealer close by and that's what they thought it was. I took it to my dealer yesterday and they said they can't find a leak anywhere. The engine was dry.

[wqbang]

Have you crawled underneath to verify any of this?

[Powerguy37]

I looked under when I got home and nothing. Where just 3 days prior there was oil dripping off of everything, now there is nothing.

[XMan9]

you got an auto trans powerguy? if you do maybe the tranny fluid burped up and out of the dipstick tube. this will happen if the trans is over filled or the tranny overheated. or do you have a stick/5 spd?

i used to see this sometimes with GM autos years ago.

or maybe you ran over something oily in the road...

[OffroadX]

A vacationing penguin is driving through Arizona when he notices that the oil-pressure light is on. He gets out to look and sees oil dripping out of the motor. He drives to the nearest town and stops at the first gas station.

After dropping the car off, the penguin goes for a walk around town. He sees an ice-cream shop and, being a penguin in Arizona, decides that something cold would really hit the spot. He gets a big bowl of vanilla ice cream and sits down to eat. Having no hands, he makes a real mess trying to eat with his little flippers.

After finishing his ice cream, he goes back to the gas station and asks the mechanic if he's found the problem. The mechanic looks up and says, "It looks like you blew a seal."

"No, no," the penguin replies, "It's just ice cream."



Brent

[mudflap]

Originally posted by OffroadX
A vacationing penguin is driving through Arizona when he notices that the oil-pressure light is on. <snip>

Brent

Ha, ha, that is the best variation of the 'blown a seal' joke I have heard. Better than the snowmobile in the shop one:

Owner comes in for an update. Mechanic says "Looks like you blew a seal"

Owner wipes his nose and says "No, that's just snot".