This should have been covered under the standard warranty and the dealer repair department used scare tactics and insisted that They could not cover this because I had changed my own oil, instead of taking it to the dealer.

When I called the dealer to get it fixed, they said that if I didn't have a computer print out of all maintenance that it would not be covered! Their sales force says it is OK for us to perform maintenance and they will stand buy the warranty. Some major slime from that dealer, what I want to know is why the oil change intervals has anything to do with the rear axle seal leaking? There is no maintenance prior to 30,000 miles for that part of the drive-train.