# 2013 GMC Terrain - Transfer Case Went Bad

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-gmc-terrain-transfer-case-went-bad/147283>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [August 22, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-gmc-terrain-transfer-case-went-bad/147283 "2019-08-22T19:34:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lashana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Lashana](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Lashana)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-gmc-terrain-transfer-case-went-bad/147283/1 "2019-08-22T19:34:48Z")

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My transfer case went bad on my 2013 GMC Terrain SLE 2 that has 123,000 miles on it. When checking there are no fluid leaks and the seals are not damaged. The gears are badly damaged, however. They are in tiny little shards of metal. How did my transfer case go bad without it being related to a leak and bad seal ?

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-gmc-terrain-transfer-case-went-bad/147283/2 "2019-08-22T19:46:50Z")

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A bearing failure would cause that much shrapnel. It can happen with plenty of lubricant.

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**Author:** ![Lashana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Lashana](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Lashana)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-gmc-terrain-transfer-case-went-bad/147283/3 "2019-08-22T20:07:43Z")

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Thanks so much. Mustangman.

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2013-gmc-terrain-transfer-case-went-bad/147283/4 "2019-08-23T03:25:08Z")

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Might be the immovable object vs the unstoppable force thing. If the engine was really gunned while the wheels weren’t able to move for some reason, maybe they were stuck against some big rocks, that could damage the transfer case gears.