The differential is that item that allows one shaft to move separate to the other connected shaft. That is to say the left wheel to go faster /slower than the right wheel as in going around a corner or moving on uneven ground. There is one in front wheel drive vehicles , in rear wheel drive vehicles , and if you have an All wheel drive vehicle there is another between the front wheels and the rear wheels in the transfer case /gearbox. Unless you have metal or water contamination in the unit or have used the wrong oil in the unit it is not necessary to flush out the diff. Changing the oil as you would the sump oil is sufficient ( drain out and refill).A word of caution here. There is a special oil used in limited slip differentials so make sure that you replace the drained oil with the correct oil for the diff as damage will result if you don't.
Your car is a front engine, front wheel drive; the differential is part of the transmission. You should change the transmission fluid as per manufacturers suggestions if it is an automatic. It is different for different cars. If it's a manual transmission you should change that fluid as per manufacturers specs also. It's not very often.
The differential is the gear mechanism, that transfers rotation from the drive shaft, which itself comes out of the gear box (or transmission), out to the wheels. That model will be a front wheel drive, from memory, so at the front of the car. It is filled with OIL and this is a different oil to your engine oil (i.e. not interchangable) - It probably doesn't need to be flushed, but a regular change is appropriate, about every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. THis is a tricky but basic job, and best done with the car on a hoist. It is a simple drainplug/topup hole process, however if your diff is playing up, then it may need the covers taken off - mechanic is appropriate for that..
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