When my rear differential gave me any notice ...
I had had a dealership perform an oil change & inspection on a day before going on a job that involved driving about 450 miles at a speed of 60 mph for at least half of those miles.
I left on the job & after driving about 100 miles, i started hearing a noise similar to someone slowly dragging a cardboard box on concrete.
I thought about calling the Dispatcher about cancelling & having him get a replacement driver.
I continued on the drive, i met with the truck driver that was pulling a wide office trailer, the trailer was over 12 foot wide.
The noise got louder as we traveled,
At about 300 miles, the noise changed to sounding like a metal pipe being rotated within another pipe with a cushioning of sand, it was a hollow type sound.
At about 375, the job was done & the trucker signed my invoice, i left for home.
I was worried that i was going to be stranded on a California 8 lane highway , around 10 PM, i slowed to about 40 mph in the slow lane & wishing that i would make it home.
I made it & at 7 AM i was sitting at the dealership, waiting for the gate to open.
That was back in the years when the service department did not need appointments, they just gave you a time estimate.