Rear Wheels locked up.

Discuss any maintenance you've done to your Vibe & Matrix and ask how to perform maintenance on your vehicle
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CreepyGunther
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2025 4:36 pm

Rear Wheels locked up.

Post by CreepyGunther »

2009 Vibe AWD.

Car was driving on highway at 60mph and snapped both rear CV axels.
Brought home and replaced both rear CV axels.
With rear jacked up both wheels spin just fine.
Car has AWD light on.
When trying to go in forward or reverse the back wheels won't move, if given enough gas they will just skid in both directions.
Jacked car back up both wheels freely spin.
Checked fuse box all fuses look fine.
Pulled 4 wheel drive fuse same issue.
Held down traction control for 5 seconds to turn of stability control same issue.
What would cause this?

Thanks
CreepyGunther
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2025 4:36 pm

Re: Rear Wheels locked up.

Post by CreepyGunther »

A bit more info.
With the car on four jack stands. When started and put into drive and reverse the propeller shaft will turn and front wheels.
Propeller shaft seems to turn fine.
I unplugged the Electromagnetic control coupling which made no change.
When the rear wheel is manually turned the opposite wheel wheel will turn in the opposite direction.
The rear wheels will not turn in the same direction at the same time.
I was thinking of disconnecting the propeller shaft from the Electromagnetic control coupling and removing the Electromagnetic control coupling.
If the Electromagnetic control coupling was seized up on the differential side would this cause what I'm seeing?

Thanks
Last edited by CreepyGunther on Thu Feb 13, 2025 6:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
CreepyGunther
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2025 4:36 pm

Re: Rear Wheels locked up.

Post by CreepyGunther »

I removed the Electromagnetic Control Coupling.
It had a lot of metal debris and missing ball bearings.
However with it removed I still cannot turn both wheels in the same direction at the same time. Should this be possible?

If I just replace the Electromagnetic Control Coupling is my problem solved?

I was thinking that I should be able to turn both wheels in the same direction and see the shaft move on the differential.

Otherwise I will drop the differential too if I can find the set for a decent cost.

Not sure if I'm up to rebuilding a differential or if I have the tools needed.
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SSizler
Posts: 180
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 7:06 pm
Location: Urbandale, Iowa

Re: Rear Wheels locked up.

Post by SSizler »

Hello CG,
Welcome to the super quiet GenVibe website. :lol:
I know nothing about 2nd gen cars, I am a 1st gen guy.
However, a differential is the same in both gens.
Yes, both tires need to spin the same direction at the same time, thats how the car moves on the ground.
When you spin one tire and the other spins the other direction it is because of the open (not positraction) differential gears inside.
When you hold one and try to turn the other, the differential gears can't rotate, so the pinion (input) shaft needs to spin.
I am guessing your pinion shaft doesn't spin.
You mentioned missing bearings and metal debris.
The AWD cars are known to leak in the rear.
Mine does.
I check the rear diff level at each oil change, and wipe off the 90w drool.
I need to replace the seals some day.
I would say your differential ran dry, overheated, and locked up the pinion shaft in the case.
Try to turn the pinion shaft and let us know what happens.
If it doesn't turn you will need to replace the diff or rebuild it.
That is my amateur internet mechanics opinion and is worth exactly what you paid for it. :D
2003 Vibe Base/ Frosty White Mono/ Total Loss 1-23
2006 Vibe AWD/ Lava Red Mono/ Loaded w/Leather and Sport Pkg/ 150k mi
2006 Vibe Base/ Stealth Gray Mono/ Loaded w/Leather/ 180k mi
40 years with a wonderful woman / 2 adult kids
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