kept forgetting to post about this...
i recently had my front & rear diff and xfer case fluids changed (since i'm still under an ext warr i wanted to have proof they were changed instead of just me doing it).
before that whenever it was rainy/slick i would turn traction off, put it in auto and have a little fun sometimes. whenever i'd stomp on it a little and the front would engage (or would engage fully) it would sound something like when abs kicks in, or this kind of....almost like metal being stressed and pinging or something.
after i got the drivetrain fluids changed i no longer get that noise. I also don't have the 'bump' when manually downshifting from 3rd to 2nd.
additionally the mechanic said that the pinion seal to the rear drive shaft was starting to leak just a little and i needed to watch it.
should that rear seal be covered under either the drivetrain (60k) or extended warranty? fun part is i'm at 53k miles, so i'm coming up on the expiration of the drivetrain warr and if i can't get it to leak before then.....