Lose enough oil, and the rear differential might seize up entirely.
Traditionally, oil leaks that lead to recalls can become fire hazards. In the case of Toyota’s latest recall, these leaks can be a safety hazard in a different way.
Long story short, if you see oil under your rear differential, it would behoove you to stop driving.
The problem is located in the rear differential. The orb of gears that sends power from the driveshaft to each rear wheel might leak oil. If a driver continues to operate the Tacoma while oil is leaking out, it could damage the differential, limiting forward motion and making a whole bunch of noise.
In a worst-case scenario, enough oil may leak out to where the differential will seize, which can cause a loss of control.
