The simple truth is that most dealers are looking for any excuse to avoid working on vehicles modified with aftermarket performance parts.
Now if a product is CARB compliant it is more difficult for dealers to reject warrantee claims, but this is only one side of the equation. The parts still need to be deemed as replacement parts. The key is that owners must be aware that these situations can arise and this is clearly stated in the back of their owner’s manual that non-OEM products void the manufacturer warranty. This not surprisingly includes performance parts designed by the car manufacturers (i.e. Ford Motorsports, TRD, Mazda Competition and GM Performance to name a few).
No dealer can void the whole car's warranty. If you modify a stock part, of course it won't be under warranty anymore. For example, if you modify (or remove) your stock airbox, it will no longer be under warranty. However, the dealer cannot void the warranty of anything else "down the line" from the mod that you installed. For instance, if you replace your stock airbox with a high-flow intake with a K&N Filtercharger cone filter, the dealer can't void the warranty on your throttle body, O2 sensor, or intake manifold.
Of course, there will always be exceptions to the rule. You may want to check with your dealer before you do a mod, just to be safe. If you REALLY want to be safe, wait until your car's warranty has run out. Then everything's free reign!
For more information on what to do if the dealership refuses to honor your warranty, contact SEMA. If you have installed a reputable aftermarket part, SEMA will help you get that warranty issue taken care of.
You can also check out Philip Greenspun's interesting article at http://photo.net/philg/litigation/smyly/
| Created: | 01-01-2004 |
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| Modified: | 01-01-2004 |
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