Lubricating composition containing a malic acid derivative

A method of lowering noise, vibration and harshness in a limited slip differential by lubricating the limited slip differential with a lubricating composition comprising (a) 0.2 wt % to 3 wt % of an N-substituted malimide, and (b) an oil of lubricating viscosity,

• wherein the N-substituted hydrocarbyl malimide is represented by the formula:
• wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group containing 8 to 20, carbon atoms, with the proviso that when the N-substituted malimide comprises molecules with a hydrocarbyl group of less than 8 carbon atoms, then the N-substituted malimide is in the form of a mixture of N-substituted malimides and the hydrocarbyl groups in said mixture have an average total number of carbon atoms of at least 6,
• or
• wherein the N-substituted hydrocarbyl malimide is represented by the formula:
• wherein
• R1 is a hydrocarbylene typically containing 1 to 6, carbon atoms;
• and
• R2 and R3 are each independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing 8 to 20 carbon atoms;
• with the proviso that when the N-substituted malimide comprises molecules with a hydrocarbyl group of less than 8 carbon atoms, then the N-substituted malimide is in the form of a mixture of N-substituted malimides and the hydrocarbyl groups in said mixture have an average total number of carbon atoms of at least 6, and with the proviso that R2 and R3 are not simultaneously both hydrogen.