DodgeTalk Forum banner

Warranties and aftermarket parts

27K views 43 replies 31 participants last post by  macleoud 
#1 ·
Lately Ive been reading about guys worried about voiding their warranties, when adding aftermarket parts. Here's some education....


*Please Sticky*








SEMA - Page 7
New Vehicle Warranties And Your Rights

No properly installed product on your vehicle will void your original vehicle manufacturers warranty. However, if you experience a problem with an uncooperative dealership point out the provisions of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty - Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act. For more information call your vehicle manufacturer or click on the link above to go directly to the Federal Trade Commission's website to find out about this law.

It has been established that a dealer may not deny warranties for new vehicles, unless the warranty claim results from the installation of specialty equipment. In fact, warranty-related materials published by the new vehicle manufacturers state that the installation of aftermarket parts have no effect on the warranty unless such equipment causes the warranty claim. Nonetheless, some dealers have improperly denied warranty claims even though the claim had nothing to do with aftermarket parts.

SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) is very interested in hearing about any cases that have gone to court and any opinions that have been issued from courts on this issue. It is their hope that they will be able to use these court opinions to encourage the vehicle manufacturers to properly instruct dealers on the appropriate circumstances for denial of warranty claims. If you are currently having issues with a dealer over a warranty claim, please contact us for SEMAs contact information on this issue.






FTC Consumer Alert

Auto Warranties, Routine Maintenance and Repairs:

Is Using the Dealer a Must?

If you own a car, you know how important it is to keep up with routine maintenance and repairs. But can a dealer refuse to honor the warranty that came with your new car if someone else does the routine maintenance or repairs?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, says no. In fact, it's illegal for a dealer to deny your warranty coverage simply because you had routine maintenance or repairs performed by someone else. Routine maintenance often includes oil changes, tire rotations, belt replacement, fluid checks and flushes, new brake pads, and inspections. Maintenance schedules vary by vehicle make, model and year; the best source of information about routine scheduled maintenance is your owner's manual.

What is a warranty?

A warranty is a promise, often made by a manufacturer, to stand behind its product or to fix certain defects or malfunctions over a period of time. The warranty pays for any covered repairs or part replacements during the warranty period.

Do I have to use the dealer for repairs and maintenance to keep my warranty in effect?

No. An independent mechanic, a retail chain shop, or even you yourself can do routine maintenance and repairs on your vehicle. In fact, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which is enforced by the FTC, makes it illegal for manufacturers or dealers to claim that your warranty is void or to deny coverage under your warranty simply because someone other than the dealer did the work. That said, there may be certain situations where a repair may not be covered. For example, if you or your mechanic replaced a belt improperly and your engine is damaged as a result, your manufacturer or dealer may deny responsibility for fixing the engine under the warranty. However, according to the FTC, the manufacturer or dealer must be able to demonstrate that it was the improper belt replacement rather than some other defect that caused the damage to your engine. The warranty would still be in effect for other parts of your car.

Will using aftermarket parts void my warranty?

No. An aftermarket part is a part made by a company other than the vehicle manufacturer or the original equipment manufacturer. Simply using an aftermarket part does not void your warranty.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act makes it illegal for companies to void your warranty or deny coverage under the warranty simply because you used an aftermarket part. Still, if it turns out that the aftermarket part was itself defective or wasn't installed correctly, and it causes damage to another part that is covered under the warranty, the manufacturer or dealer has the right to deny coverage for that part and charge you for any repairs. The FTC says the manufacturer or dealer must show that the aftermarket equipment caused the need for repairs before denying warranty coverage.

Tips To Avoid Warranty Issues

Here's how to get the most out of your vehicle's warranty:

Read your warranty. Often bundled with your owner's manual, the warranty gives a general description and specific details about your coverage. If you have misplaced your owner's manual, look for it online. Check the Owners section of your manufacturer's website.

Be aware of your warranty period. If problems arise that are covered under the warranty, get them checked out before the warranty expires. Service your car at regular intervals. This is a good idea in any case. But for the sake of keeping your warranty intact, follow the manufacturer's recommended service schedule. Details are in your owner's manual.

Keep all service records and receipts, regardless of who performs the service. This includes oil changes, tire rotations, belt replacement, new brake pads and inspections. Create a file to keep track of repairs; it will come in handy if you have to use your warranty. If you ever have a warranty claim and it appears that you did not maintain your vehicle, your claim could be denied.

Complain. If you think a dealer's service advisor denied your warranty claim unfairly, ask to speak with a supervisor. If you still aren't satisfied, contact the manufacturer or go to another dealer. You also may wish to file a complaint with your state Attorney General, local consumer protection office, local Better Business Bureau or the FTC.

For More Information
Visit ftc.gov for free information on buying, financing, leasing, renting and maintaining vehicles.

The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a new video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Chrysler voided everything on my 2500 except the interior and electrical due to my lift. They'll deny you warranty coverage and then it will be up to you to fight them in court. Some warranty claims now require the dealer to take exterior photos and submit to Chrysler for approval before a repair proceeds
 
#3 ·
Definately should be a sticky.

That sucks War Machine. Me on the other hand have had no issues on repairs and warranty work with my lift and mods. All depends on the dealer I guess....
 
#4 ·
The shitty thing is sometimes it's out of the dealers hands. My dealership doesn't care but when you have an interior defect Chrysler wants digital photos of the defect as well as photos of the vin, odometer and a 3/4 view of the vehicle exterior. These photos are then submitted to Chrysler for approval. So if they see anything they don't like you get an instant Red flag attatched to your VIN. The only way to have the warranty reinstated is to return to stock and have the vehicle inspected by a district service manager
 
#7 ·
What about us Canadians? Will hard wiring my light bar affect my warranty?
 
#8 ·
funny thing is, is that it would cost Dodge more to fight you in court than it would just to honor the warranty and make the repairs. Corporate America doesn't believe anyone will go the necessary lengths to take them to court and fight it, thats what its going to take to force them to honor a warranty after you make the upgrades you want, so far I haven't had any issues.
 
#9 ·
Its implied in the owners manual, any warrientys are only void if a modification caused the problem.

I've never had a issue on any truck I owned.

Not sure why a dealer would deny a warranty claim if they can put it though. Think about it, they can bill chrysler for labor, or mabye bill a customer for labor. They are deff going to bill chrysler if they possibly can, rather than risk osmeone taking there truck else were if its not covered. They will cover whatever they can, or they should. Its money in there pockets.
 
#10 ·
but the dealer don't get the same dollar rate to fix things for warranty work from Chy. as they charge you to fix things not under warranty
 
#11 ·
I agree that certain aftermarket mods should not trigger a warranty refusal, but a lift kit? A lift kit changes the geometry of the suspension and puts more stress on the chassis in general. This often leads to things like ball joints, u-joints, tie-rods, brakes and other items wearing out more quickly. Same goes for larger tires (the main reason why people lift their trucks). Why should a manufacturer be on the hook for accelerated wear and tear on a vehicle that has been seriously modified from how it left the factory? I've always modified my vehicles, but I also never expected the manufacturer to accept responsibility for some of those mods. I also don't expect them to void my warranty because of my CAI or Lockpick unless they can prove they were the cause of any failure, but a lift kit? Come on...:crazy:
 
#12 ·
Well said...
 
#13 ·
I havn't had any problems getting warranty work done on my truck. They replaced my Rack & Pinion about 2 months ago. I was at Chuxtrux and they were rotating my tires. I asked them to kinda look over everything and make sure no probs. They told me my rack and pinion was going bad. So I called the dealer and told them. They had my truck there for about 2 hours and had it changed out. My dealer is Awesome!
 
#14 ·
11 years ago, Chevy voided my warranty on my blazer for adding an intake to it. I had to start going to a different dealer, and removing the intake and putting the stock airbox back in for service. After 2 years, I decided to try the selling dealer again as the other one was too far out of the way. They agreed to continue warranty as long as I kept removing the intake and putting the stock airbox back in. The fast and the furious became popular, and like a young kid, I put neons under my truck, and then started having transmission problems down the line. That same dealer then told me my under carriage neon lights caused the issue with my transmission, and tried to void it on me again.

2.5 weeks ago I traded in both my chevy truck and car, and told them to shove it..and now have my awesome '12 Ram Sport
 
#15 ·
Holy moly...I would HATE having to remove the intake every time. It sounds like you made the right move.
 
#16 ·
I had a 2010 Camaro LS with K&N intake and Flowmaster American Thunder Axle-back kit. When I sold it back to dealer they wanted the stock intake back. Said the K&N voided the warranty....
 
#17 ·
It's really up to the dealer to either be cool about it or be a jerk off. Legally they can't void the warranty for an aftermarket part BUT who's actually going to spend the time and money to fight them in court? That's what they are counting on.

Back when I had a hot rod shop, business started getting slow so we went into an agreement with some local dealerships doing some of their warranty work as well as aftermarket modification on some new vehicles for customers who wanted it included in the purchase price.

Mazda was by FAR the absolute worst but I have seen so many dealership people come to us with the most ridiculous reasons to not honor a warranty. The old Mazdaspeed Protege (factory turbo turd) was ventilating the block left and right kicking rods out of the motor or through the oil pan (I think I did 3 in 1 month) and at one point I had a kids warranty denied because the adjuster looked at his tires and the rear tires were much more well worn than the fronts. His automatic assumption was due to the tire wear, he'd been beating the hell out of the car, blew it up, rotated the tires to hide it so bam, warranty denied.

Sure the MMA is supposed to protect you but in reality, it's a 8.5x11 piece of toilet paper unless you're willing to get a lawyer. Check with your dealership before throwing parts at your ride and mod at your own risk.
 
#18 ·
I had a dealer that said I voided my warranty and wouldn't flash my PCM with a TSB that had come out because I had an intake... some dealers just really suck.
 
#19 ·
This needs to be cleared up the Magnuson-Moss Warranty was not written for "performance parts" it was written for aftermarket parts. What this act is for is dodge can not void your engine warranty for say using a Fram filter instead of a Mopar filter or going to the parts store and getting a wheel bearing form them instead of the dodge dealership .

It is not Dodge's problem that you put a lift kit on and big tires and now your going through CV's and ball joints every six months. Dodge did not design those components for stuff like that.

Now most dealers this days try to work with their customers who have aftermarket parts on because one they need the business and two they are trying to keep their Star status.
 
#20 ·
My dealer told me that it would be crazy to expect someone who bought a Dodge truck or a Jeep NOT to put a lift and bigger tires on it. I like my dealer.
 
#21 ·
My local dealer always has 3-4 brand new trucks and jeeps with lift kits setting out front of the dealership.
A lift kit doesn't void your warranty,but they aren't going to cover most wear items that will prematurely fail such as u-joints,wheel bearings,or brakes.

What makes me mad is when the manufacturer has known part failures,and they won't replace the part under a recall.
In 3rd Gen Ram heavy duty's,the TIPM module was known to go out,but wasn't covered under warranty,nor ever recalled. You had to replace the entire fuse box under the hood to fix it,and the part was over $1000.
 
#22 ·
Talked to my deal when I dropped my truck off Yesterday. They said they don't care and pay no mind to mod unless it cause a issue then I am footing the bill. I was cool with that, and then we talked about how he liked my after market exhaust and intake. Shocked me I didn't see this dealer being like that. Said nothing about my tuner though since I took it off before I dropped it off.
 
#24 ·
I have a 6" BDS lift and bilsteins at 2.8". My rack and pinion went bad last year and my dealer replaced it with no questions asked. My truck is 100% covered. If something breaks my dealer or BDS will replace it period. Just depends what it is. As for you saying if you lift a truck the parts should not be replaced by the warranty.... Thats not right.
 
#25 ·
Dealers will do what ever they can to convince you. I had my dash replaced on my '02 "under warranty". They called 1hr after I dropped it off and said they wanted to charge me because there were non oem wiring (radar detector, audio system, etc). I refused and made them fix the dash.
 
#26 ·
about a month and a half ago we had like 3 weeks of very heavy rain and somehow my engine ingested some water and ended up causing some engine damage. truck only had 1700 miles on it at the time. The dealership who fixed everything with oem parts told me they had to put and warranty restriction on the engine. My insurance company ended up paying the bill for the repair thankfully and now anytime I have an engine repair done that should be cover under warranty the insurance company will pay for the repair in reference to the original claim. spoke to the dodge rep on this site and he basically told me that a dealer can basically do whatever they want in regards to your warranty.
 
#27 ·
Why did they not cover it under warranty? I would have been making a lot of calls.
 
#28 · (Edited)
My dealer balked on a broken timing belt on my 2010 Challenger, I changed my own oil and had no receipt.. he blamed Dodge Corp.. I said no problem. i'll call the CEO Monday morning.. He suddenly said no problem and put the 14K bill in his desk.. I bought my 1500 from a different dealer.. AND THANKS FOR THE POST, I will print it out and put a copy in the truck.. great post
 
#29 ·
What about if you,modify the vehicle with a factory part that wasn't optioned on the truck? Such as going from an open diff to a factory LSD?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top