[The_Grayt_1]

So I have read a lot about the mod. I have an 09 LE Frontier with 53k miles and I live in Las Vegas but the truck came from Dallas. A couple of questions about this whole situation

1. If I do not do the vent mod am I for sure in trouble? I do not see many people reporting problems on carcomplaints.com
2. Does living in a dry climate with no offroading mean I have a better chance to avoid the problem?
3. I do not have any leaks that I can see and my rear diff sounds fine, but if I were to have issues how much does it cost to fix? Does the dealer usually step up and cover the cost bc it is a known issue?
4. Does this affect all year model Frontiers from 05 and up?

Thanks in advance!

 

[LittleBull]

I didn't think it was much of a big deal, I did it because I felt like working on
the truck and wanted something simple to do that "might" be of some benefit.

I'm glad I did it, when I peeled the seal off the tip of the vent fitting, the air
rushing in went on for a good 30 seconds. It was eerie, there's no way that much
vacuum in that tube can be good for them seals.

You can always try to loosen the fitting without removing the cap and see what you
think first.

I'm not sure why wou wouldn't do it though, with all the bad press it gets, it's a
fitting, hose, cheap filter and 20 minutes time.

 

[BigBamBoo]

Do you have an extended warranty? If not, then you're out of warranty and any repairs will be out of pocket so do what you want to the truck. The dealer is not going to care.

There has been many "documented" (via the interweb) reports of rear axle seals being damaged by excessive pressure build up in the rear axle due to plugged breather.

The breather mod is cheap insurance and easy to do.

Again...if your warranty is expired the dealer will not cover the repair...known issues or not.

Yes....all newer Frontiers, Xterra, and maybe even the Titan suffer from this.

 

[Nissan4Life]

Did you recently buy one of my axle vent "kits". I sent one to someone in Vegas. Once you have the right barb fitting everything else is easy. For an end filter I once used some steel wool. That was before I got those little fuel filters. PM me if you need parts.

I check my OE vent regularly and never had a rushing air sound. But at 60K my axle (m226/dana44 variant) started to leak. So I vented it properly and it slowed/stopped the leak for about 5K miles. My old nissan hardbody is at over 200K and it's rear axle is still leak free.

 

[tziggs]

My 2014 CC with only 13K on the clock went to the dealer today with a leaking axle seal. I'm in a relatively dry part of Southern California.

Obviously it was repaired under warranty. From what I understand this part is included in the 60k power train warranty.

I purchased the little kit from Nissan4Life and hopefully this doesn't happen again in the next 13K

 

[The_Grayt_1]

pm sent for an axle vent kit

 

[LittleBull]

i have a lifetime powertrain warranty and the rear axle/diff is included in that so if it ever leaks it gets fixed for free every time.

i don't see any reason the valve would ever get clogged though since i don't go muddin' ever. :laugh:

I don't know what they pay per hour in your neck of the woods, but if I lose even one hours pay because
of a defect I could have headed off with $20 and 20 minutes time, I'm still in the hole even if they fix it free. :crying:

 

[mtyler11]

i have a lifetime powertrain warranty and the rear axle/diff is included in that so if it ever leaks it gets fixed for free every time.

i don't see any reason the valve would ever get clogged though since i don't go muddin' ever. :laugh:

the valve is a one-way "valve" (exit) comprised of a spring and a rubber seal. When you drive the axle heats up and fairly easily expels the air out the vent. When you park it cools down and creates a vacuum, drawing air in through the easiest ingress -axle seals.
This is not good as over time along with that air will come dust & grit and (does it EVER rain in your area?) splash in a puddle it will also draw in... this contaminates the oil. On top of this EVEN if you never drive through a puddle the air drawn in will have moisture. This condensation will accumulate on the vent plug and eventually block off the vent. Its at that point your axles will start weeping at the seals. For reference, I replaced my vent at 13k and the vent port was already 1/2 blocked with a nasty creamy/dirty slurry. The diff oil still looked good (& still does @30k). You're free to do as you wish, but I would recommend anyone that's handy to replace the 1-way vent with a remote vent

 

[BagerSV]

I did the vent mod around 45k. My rear differential cover cover(m226) has been re-sealed by the dealer twice between 50k-93k. Now at 97k my rear driver side axel seal appears to be seeping.

 

[teecro]

For the sake of the argument this mod has already been done for the front axle correct? It's the 3/8" ID hose that is connected to nothing closest to the airbox right?

 

[teecro]

prob up in the engine bay on the front. that's how it was on my toyota. i can't believe they can't figure something this simple out after all these years. yes toyota has these same issues from time to time. i heard about a guy going through a water puddle and it destroyed his rear end in a toyota. i thought it was a one way valve? i guess not. :laugh:

funny thing is why do they both (nissan/toyota) put the vent way up high on the front diff but on the rear they leave it right on top of the diff? maybe it's because the front diff doesn't move up and down like the rear diff does?

As a new Nissan owner this I don't not know, I've got the same stupid valve gizmo on my golf cart...

It's too simple of a mod to not do, one BPSP nipple and a length of 3/8" hose...

 

[teecro]

what is a bpsp nipple? where do you run the hose to?

i know on tacomas people would drill a hole through the plastic next to the gas cap and run it there. they still used the same one way valve though. putting it up higher just kept it from getting clogged up. if you don't go mudding it should never get clogged up anyways even down on top of the diff.

My bad typo... Should have read BSPT (British Straight Pipe Thread) which is what the threads are 1/8"-28TPI which is super close but slightly different than American SAE 1/8"-27TPI or common 1/8" pipe. To which I'll just get a BSPT pipe nipple and push 3/8" hose over the short pipe nipple and hide somewhere, perhaps in the taillight cavity.

My worry would be about road grime building up on the vent fitting on top of the differential....

 

[teecro]

i don't think you have to worry about it unless you live up north where they salt the roads in the winter time. you could just keep it sprayed off whenever you wash your truck.

Well that's just it I drive the northern states (MI, WI, IL, OH) all year round...

 

[GTwannabe]

i don't think you have to worry about it unless you live up north where they salt the roads in the winter time. you could just keep it sprayed off whenever you wash your truck.

Washing doesn't prevent it. I wash my truck religiously in the winter with extra attention to the frame and axles... seals sharted around 55k miles.

Ordered this breather kit:

PRG Products

 

[GTwannabe]

there must be more to it or nissan and toyota would have installed their own extended breather tubes by now. as posted many have installed a mod and still had seals blowout.

Breather isn't a cure for Nissan's faulty seal design, but preventing a vacuum that sucks moisture and grit through the seals can only help their longevity.

 

[NissanFrontierPro4x]

i just wondered if anyone has taken another approach and perhaps removed the rear axle vent every so often and make sure it's clean and not clogged up and then put it back in after cleaning it? ...or even just replacing it with a new one every time you do a rear diff fluid change or whatever?

 

[afgsm]

I'm thinking about doing this too, but I want to get my seals fixed under warranty before I go modifying stuff (I figure if I do the mod first they won't fix it if it is leaking).

So where do I need to look for leaks? Is it going to start seeping oil near the diff or farther out towards the wheels?

 

[MiniDuti]

i just wondered if anyone has taken another approach and perhaps removed the rear axle vent every so often and make sure it's clean and not clogged up and then put it back in after cleaning it? ...or even just replacing it with a new one every time you do a rear diff fluid change or whatever?

I done this at 120,000 on my 06 LE that I recently purchased from a one owner I’m sure never touched anything like this. It was functioning well, but I did not have what I needed at the time or I would have done it just for peace of mind.

These guys on here know as well as anyone... including Nissan, what’s best for these trucks. I feel more confident coming to these long timers for answers....been the other route enough to know.
After all, we are the ginny pigs!

You still selling these kits Nissan4Life??

 

[Ryno_7]

My axle seals let go well after doing the vent mod. The axle shafts had grooves worn in them where the seal rides. I repaired the shafts with Timken redi-sleeves, skf seals and of course new wheel bearings. Shouldn't be an issue again.

 

[Nissan4Life]

I done this at 120,000 on my 06 LE that I recently purchased from a one owner I’m sure never touched anything like this. It was functioning well, but I did not have what I needed at the time or I would have done it just for peace of mind.

These guys on here know as well as anyone... including Nissan, what’s best for these trucks. I feel more confident coming to these long timers for answers....been the other route enough to know.
After all, we are the ginny pigs!

You still selling these kits Nissan4Life??

I think I still have one. The "kit" is a threaded barb fitting and a small filter. You supply the hose. I'll PM you tonight when I dig it out.

Breather isn't a cure for Nissan's faulty seal design, but preventing a vacuum that sucks moisture and grit through the seals can only help their longevity.

I think it is DANA Spicer's faulty design. My 96 Hardbody is at 250K miles and the no axle seal leaks. Still on stock U joints too.