The reduction unit is one of the most important components in railway cars, due to the transmission of torque from the motor to the wheels. Faulty reduction gears in high-speed trains result from excessive wear on the gear or damage to the gear. These types of gear defects have a significant effect on high-speed rail operation and safety; thus, a diagnosis system for the reduction unit is needed. Vibration diagnosis technology is one of the most effective diagnostics. In this paper, the vibration parameters of a reduction unit were evaluated during a driving-gear test and a full-vehicle test, using kurtosis and the crest factor. These tests were performed under normal operating conditions; a specimen tester was used to diagnose problems in defective gears.