Grinding from my Infiniti QX80 when I turn, is it the transfer case?
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Two weeks ago my Infiniti QX80 started making a rough grinding sound from underneath whenever I turn sharply, like in a parking lot or when I take a tight roundabout. Yesterday a warning light for the four wheel drive system flashed on the dash for a few seconds and then went away. I live in Abu Dhabi, and last month I took the car on a sandy desert trip with the family, so I keep wondering if that has something to do with it. The car has about one hundred and sixty thousand kilometres, and I have never had the transfer case oil checked. My brother says it is probably just the tyres or a worn bearing. A friend says grinding plus a 4WD light usually points to the transfer case, and that waiting can turn a small fix into a huge bill. I looked online for a Trusted transfer case repair for Infiniti SUVs in Abu Dhabi, but every page sounded the same, so I still do not know what a proper check looks like. So I want to ask people who have been through it. How does a shop tell a bad transfer case from a wheel bearing or the front differential? Is checking the fluid the first step, and does low or burnt oil cause the grinding? Can the case be rebuilt, or is it usually a full replacement? Is it safe to drive a few weeks if I only do short trips in 2WD? How long does the job take, and what should it cost on an Infiniti? If your SUV had the same noise, please tell me what the cause was, what you paid, and what you would do differently. Easy answers help me most.