Gear Oil Stench after Towing

[blackie2]

I have a 2021 and towed a utility trailer with three dirt bikes yesterday about 200 miles roundtrip. Get home unload everything and park the 4Runner in the garage and about a 1/2 later go out to the garage and the stench of gear oil hits me. So I crawl under it and look for leaks and nothing. I found one small spot of gear oil on my right front wheel that looked like someone spit on it. That's it. I towed in 4th gear on the highway because the wind was pretty rough. Any idea what could cause this? It's almost due for it's 10,000 mile service as it's only got 9300 miles on it. Any suggestions as to what to ask the dealer about i?

 

[RichinRidgewood]

Diff vent tubes venting.

 

[blackie2]

So just don't worry about it? Thanks

 

[rdruss]

Towing i'm sure got the rear diff warmer than normal and why you may have smelled it's lube. I would remove the fill plug on rear diff when it is cooled and make sure level is right there.

 

[blackie2]

Checked the rear differential this morning and it was low on fluid. Topped it off and it needed about six ounces, roughly using the side of the bottle scale, to get it back to normal. Thanks everyone.