Gst98knu

For all you people who want to put preformance parts on your car but dont want to voild your Warrenty read this.

Can an Automotive Dealership Void Your Warranty?

Nearly everyone has heard about someone who has taken a vehicle that has been modified with aftermarket parts to a dealer for warranty service, only to have the dealer to refuse to cover the defective items. The dealers usually states that because of the aftermarket parts the warranty is void without even attempting to determine whether the aftermarket part caused the problem.

This is illegal.

Vehicle manufactures are not allowed to void vehicle warranty just because aftermarket parts are used on he vehicle. To better understand his problem it is best to know the differences between the two types of new car warranties and the two types of emission warranties.

When a vehicle is purchased new, the owner is protected against faults hat may occur by an expressed warranty. An offer by the manufacturer to assume the responsibility for the problems with predetermined parts during a stated period of time. Beyond the expressed warranty, the vehicle manufacture is often held responsible for further implied warranties. These state that a manufactured product should meet certain standards. However, in both cases the mere presence of aftermarket parts doesn’t void the warranty.

There are also two emission warranties (defect and performance) required under the clean air act. The defect warranty requires the manufacturer to produce a vehicle, which at the time of the sale is free of defects that would cause it not to meet the required emission levels for its useful life as defined in the law. The performance warranty implies a vehicle must maintain certain levels of emission performance over its useful life. If the vehicle fails to meet the performance warranty requirements the manufacturer must make repairs at no cost to the owner, even if an aftermarket part is directly responsible for a warranty claim. The vehicle manufacturer cannot void the performance warranty. This protection is the result of a parts self-certification program developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA).

In cases where such a failed aftermarket part is responsible for a warranty claim, the vehicle manufacturer must arrange a settlement with the manufacturer, but law does not void the new-vehicle warranty.

Overall, the laws governing warranties are very clear. The only time a new vehicle warranty can be voided is if the aftermarket part has been installed and it can be proven that it is responsible for and emissions warranty claim. However, a vehicle manufacturer r dealership cannot void a warranty simply because an aftermarket equipment has been installed on a vehicle.

If a dealership denies a warranty claim and you think the claim falls under the rules explained above concerning the Clean Air Act (such as emission part failure). Obtain a written explanation of the dealer’s refusal. Then follow the steps outlined in the owner’s manual. However, if this fails, then phone your complaint in to the EPA at (202) 233-9040 or (202) 328-9100.

If a dealership denies a warranty claim involving an implied or expressed new car warranty and you would like help, phone the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at (202) 326-3128.

Just thought this might intrest some of you. if this intrest you and you want to find out more Vist WWW.SEMA.ORG, to see what you can do about the laws in your area

Brock Obama

good info.

I already knew this though...

TPJ

Cliffnotes? I'm sure its worth reading, but I don't currently have a warranty on anything, so I'm too lazy to take the time right now.

HatefulMechanic

Magnuson-Moss Act.

read it, learn it, live it.

Totmacher

just say it at a dealership , typically all it takes..

bottom line...

Dealership has 2 choices

1) Honor the warrenty work
2) Prove said part caused failure and then void "that aspect" of the warrenty

DickButt

haha. the dealership up here told me they were going to void my warranty if i ever tried to call chrysler on them for refusing to replace my sparkplug wires.......i mentioned the magnuson moss act, and the service writer was like, what's that? he tried telling me there was no such thing. he got fired about a month later for something else unrelated.

Fabrik8

I'll have to review my Suby warranty and see what it says, Suby is famous for voiding any part of the car that anyone but a dealer touches. The peon tech writer said that my electrical system warranty was void because I stuck in an Optima red top batt, then the master tech just about knocked him in the back of the head for being a dumbass. Funny stuff. Anyway though, the Mag-Moss act only works if your written warranty doesn't supercede it. If your warranty says something like "putting aftermarket springs on your car will void this warranty" then you don't have much to stand on.

MOB

Welcome to 10 years ago. These Acts may be in place but in order to fight a dealership/manufacturer you'll have to take them to court..good luck with that. Trust me, I've been through this before.

derf

you forgot:

3) say no, just because they can and you won't do anything about it. nor have the money to if you wanted to

NX2KDET

I learned that from some the Tornado box pamphlet.