What Voids Your Vehicle's Warranty?

Edmunds.com

What Voids Your Vehicle's Warranty?

Your vehicle's warranty is designed to protect your wallet should anything fail, but it doesn't apply in all circumstances. Here are some scenarios that can void your warranty.

Read the full story here

g556

2009 mazdaspeed3 cold air intake ,push button start,blow off valve.no street or drag racing.(54yrs old not my thing)i get up to 35 mpg on this change and had an mild tapping fron valve area.on highway at 60 mph.slow down and when safe checked oil(mobil1)was full.babied home (family in car)called road side to tow to mazdadealer(did not want to do any damage and no change in tapping.dealer said motor was blown???i said it is tapping not knocking so they called the factory rep who said he thinks i race it judgeing from the intake and bov.i was shocked!!!i said heck no but they refused to do anything and told me my warranty will be voided.i thoght they had to prove these things caused the problem this i am sure they did not!the car ran fine untill the dealer i had to tow it to (browns-malloy was the first one)i was told becacause i bought the ext.ened 6 yr-100,000 mile warranty i needed to take it where i boght it and not the closest dealer and they are charging me $550.00 to take the oil pan off and look at the rod bearings.the problem was not found even tho i told them it was tapping not knocking I work for Ford Dealer 16 years!).and thoght it was covered.now it can't be started because they took it apart and want another 8 hours to pull the head off!they got to be crazy first they said it's a push rod (2.3 don't have push rods!then they said there is a hole maybe in the piston(wrong car not running rough or smoking at all!i really don't think they know what they are doing and want me to pay for there guess work.all n all i think a valve spring collasped and that is all.but now i am stuck at there mercy and fell totally abused more than my car ever has .where do i stand with these guys.in the past they have blown two engines in my rx8 when they retuned it with a flash from mazda that i did not need.another story.

floydandsib

I purchace a vehicle from Hillbish Ford 4 months ago and the transmission went bad on Saturday June 9, 2012. We took it to the dealer and they said that the transmission was bad and that they needed to replace it. I bought warranty and was told that if anything goes wrong with the vehicle, I would only have to pay $100.00. it's also in the contract. My warranty also states that I conld get a renter during the time of the repair. It's Tuesday and I told that they will pay$250.00 and i have to pay the $350.00. I do not have it and I need my truck. My wife is sick and I have to get her up so she can carry me to work, and return to pick me up. I'm thinking about seekiong an attorney, because they broke the warranty contract.

1highplains

How can I find online the criteria by which dealers make decisions about extended warranties?

santaclaus

Not at all surprised to see the article mention Honda as a manufacturer who refused repairs under warranty. Has a 2010 Accord V6 with a manual transmission which over 2 years was broken down for over 8 months because of engine defects. Honda would not honor the warranty claiming that the manual transmission made the driver exclusively responsible for engine defects.

whatfuture

Your article states to follow the manufacturer's service schedule. The problem I'm having is the schedule says one thing and the service manager and salesmen say another. For example, the manual says to add a detergent at 7500 miles. The serv. manager said add it at 15000 miles. Will the manufacturer be able to tell? Doubtful. The manual says do an oil change at 3750 miles. I was told by someone at the dealership 5000 is fine. THIS the manufacturer will be able to tell. Finally, I met with the sales manager due to issues I had at the dealership. HE said he does regular maintenance (we live where I believe most of my driving is on hills/and city driving - not severe) on his car not using the severe maintenance as his guide. The service manager said it's severe (I disagreed). He also said I had to go to the dealership for an oil change and the sales manager said I don't have to (I know) and the serv. manager was just trying to bring in work.

It's nuts.

netbadger

I bought a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) 2013 Hyundai Sonata on Saturday a week ago. With a CPO Hyundai, you get the balance of both the 5 year new car warranty, and the 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. That balance is calculated from the original owner's delivery date and odometer mile zero. I was sold and additional third party warranty through Zurich Insurance, which extended the bumper to bumper coverage out to 7 years with no deductible. It cost me and additional $15 a month. On the following day (a Sunday) I researched the third party warranty company, and found nothing but negative remarks, and the lowest ranking a company can get from the Consumer Affairs website. On Monday I go in and cancel the third party extended warranty, and they told me my monthly payment was exactly what I was quoted for the car with the factory warranty. I went in the next day to get something fixed that cropped up on the test drive, and I am told that when I cancelled the third party warranty, it cancelled my factory warranty as well. Is that even legal?

stever

Are you sure it was certified by Hyundai in the first place @netbadger? Lots of dealers "certify" cars without using the factory certification.

Mr_Shiftright

Your safest bet is to do what it's the owner's manual, not what the dealer says. Remember, the dealer cannot void your warranty, only the factory has that ability. So follow the factory maintenance schedule and keep records of it. You can dismiss, if you wish, any add-on "suggestions" for maintenance that the service writer might want to pile on.

isellhondas

Installing aftermarket items that cause problems CAN void your warranty.

Our store once took in a car that some hack had butchered by installing an aftermarket DVD player. It caused a short that took out much of the wiring harness.

I believe the customer was able to get recourse from the shop that did the aftermarket installation.

kojac22

Hi Can somebody please help I have a little gray area that needs clearing up?
If I choose not to use the main dealer for breaks and disc change but an independent garage and they dont use genuine Vauxhall parts does this void my warranty cover?

Mr_Shiftright

No, certainly not the warranty on the entire car. If say you use aftermarket parts installed at a non-dealer, and the calipers seize and destroy the rotors, it's possible you might lose the warranty on the rotors or calipers--but not on parts of the car that have nothing to do with the parts or repairs.

There's no hard and fast rule on warranty denial but your owner's manual probably lays out some basic stuff, like "abuse", "negligence", "racing events", "unauthorized modifications", things like that. So yeah, if you blow your motor street racing after installing an aftermarket turbo with over-boost or nitrous, you can bet on losing your engine warranty.

kojac22

Just checking as the main dealer is quoting on back brake pads and discs nearly £850. But an independent garage will do the same work for less than £400 but it would not be worth it if it meant loosing the warranty on the car. It is a Vauxhall Antara.

stever

Different countries have different laws - here in the US, as noted in the article up top, "aftermarket" work is protected by our Magnuson-Moss warranty law. Still would be a big pain if you wind up having to fight the dealer or manufacturer.

drw81958

Why would a salvage title void a warranty entirely? What about cosmetic body damage; how would that void a power train warranty?
What is the legal basis for voiding a warranty under these circumstances?

Mr_Shiftright

The legal basis is contract law.

drw81958

Mr_Shiftright ,
Could you be more specific as to how "contract law" would allow a manufacturer to void a warranty (especially a power train warranty) on a vehicle that has a salvage title due to cosmetic damages, absent circumstances that show the cosmetic damage also damaged the power train. It would seem that any such exclusion would violate the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act

stephgiudici

my nephew bought a used hyandui with a turbo engine, he had it less than a year. Took good care of it, noticed a knocking and took it to the delaer. the dealer assumed it was under warranty took it apart, realized my newphew didn't change the oil as it had a marked filter and then told my nephew that a new engine is needed and it cost 10k. my nephew can't afford it and then they say now he needs to pay at least 500 to put it back together. He is so bummed, i feel like they have broken some rule, maybe just need to charge him the diagnoses fee? but not 500.00 and still have no working car.

Mr_Shiftright

drw81958 said:

Mr_Shiftright ,
Could you be more specific as to how "contract law" would allow a manufacturer to void a warranty (especially a power train warranty) on a vehicle that has a salvage title due to cosmetic damages, absent circumstances that show the cosmetic damage also damaged the power train. It would seem that any such exclusion would violate the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act

Well I'm not an attorney so I don't know the nuts and bolts of it, but offhand I'd say that the auto company made a contract with the original owner, stipulating all of the exemptions--that is, making it a limited warranty and thus not subject to Magnuson-Moss. I know that say Mazda will void a warranty even for a car totaled from hail damage. I'm also pretty sure that automakers get all the salvage info they can, and so very often a dealer can't even enter the VIN of a salvage car in order to make the claim for warranty work. The VIN is locked out.

I guess the best answer is that you'd have to have your case reviewed by the automaker, if you felt your circumstances exempted your vehicle for some reason.

reba18360

i have a warranty question regarding a 2016 Chevy Trax. I took it in for an oil change to the dealer I bought it from and they told me that it was due for a Throttle Body Cleaning, which if I am reading it right says that between 30,000 and 50,000 miles should be done...i'm at 40,000 so that is no issue I guess. The second one they said should be done is changing the Rear Differential Fluid...my question is, will i void the warranty if I have someone else change this other than at the dealership where I bought it...saving my receipts is not an issue, i keep them in the car. I just want to make sure that I do not void the warranty if I go to a mechanic that does not work for the dealership.

kyfdx

reba18360 said:

i have a warranty question regarding a 2016 Chevy Trax. I took it in for an oil change to the dealer I bought it from and they told me that it was due for a Throttle Body Cleaning, which if I am reading it right says that between 30,000 and 50,000 miles should be done...i'm at 40,000 so that is no issue I guess. The second one they said should be done is changing the Rear Differential Fluid...my question is, will i void the warranty if I have someone else change this other than at the dealership where I bought it...saving my receipts is not an issue, i keep them in the car. I just want to make sure that I do not void the warranty if I go to a mechanic that does not work for the dealership.

You can't void your warranty, if the maintenance is done correctly, and with the correct fluid.

reba18360

thank you. it will be done with the correct fluids, the mechanic I use when not worried about warranty is absolutely the best...thank you for that information...it gets very confusing trying to figure this all out.

kyfdx

I have a very good independent mechanic. But, independents don't work on a lot of relatively new cars. It's possible that your vehicle uses a special differential fluid. I'd look up what's required, then ask the mechanic what he will use.

Mr_Shiftright

Yes be VERY careful of the fluid used, that it EXACTLY meets the factory standard in all respects.

Where are you "reading" that you need a throttle body cleaning and a differential flush? I was looking at the Trax owner's manual online and I didn't notice either of these as "factory" recommendations at those mileages. So I'd double-check your owner's manual.

Check and make sure you aren't being "upsold" on unnecessary maintenance items.

thecardoc3

It's often inconvenient to mention that all of the vehicle fluids are subject to periodic direct inspection by a qualified technician and issues discovered that way that will over rule the factory recommended maintenance schedule on a case by case basis.

Mr_Shiftright

Perhaps, but I don't see how a technician is going to determine if differential fluid needs to be changed without draining it in the first place.

thecardoc3

kyfdx said:

I have a very good independent mechanic. But, independents don't work on a lot of relatively new cars. It's possible that your vehicle uses a special differential fluid.

75W-90 GM Part Number 9986285 or equivalent.

ALCannon

I'm currently fighting with Chevrolet over them warranting my vehicles cp4 fuel pump on my 2016 Chevrolet Silverado High Country 2500HD (Diesel) w/96,000. The diesel vehicle I have comes with a 100,000 mile Powertrain Warranty and the representatives are getting confused with the verbiage in the owners manual (or whatever literature they are using to determine it’s not covered, they won’t tell me). I downloaded my owners manual from mychevrolet.com (had to put in my VIN number, so I’m certain it’s the correct manual) and it clearly states page 16 copy and pasted
“ Diesel Engine Components
For trucks equipped with a Diesel Engine, the complete engine assembly, including turbocharger components, is covered for defects in material or workmanship 5 years or 60,000 miles whichever comes first. Coverage for 2500 and 3500 series Heavy Duty (HD) Pickups equipped with a 6.6L Duramax, certain commercial fleet and/or government fleet vehicles is 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Please refer to your Chevrolet dealer for details.
. Cylinder block and heads and all internal parts, intake and exhaust manifolds, timing gears, timing gear chain or belt and cover, flywheel, harmonic balancer, valve covers, oil pan, oil pump, water pump, fuel pump, engine mounts, seals, and gaskets...”
Vehicle has one fuel pump, mounted to engine.
This cp4 has so many failures there are 3 class action lawsuits filed this year.
How do you fight Chevrolet?
The repairs cost $12,000.
It’s clearly stated on page 16 that it’s covered up to 100,000 miles.

maestro24

My car did not come with keyless entry. That's all I want installed. Will that invalidate my whole warrranty or just the part having to do with the door lock? Thanks.

lindabar

I purchased a 2017 honda civic with 9,000 miles on it. There was no information listed on the window, the dealership claimed they just got the car in. I bought the car and had an issue and took the car to a honda dealership bc i had problem with wipers. The dealership said that the car has no warranty and this would be bc the vehicle had major damage to it to void the manufactures warranty. I paid over 20,000 for car, which I overpaid. The dealership said they had no idea that car was in accident. I feel they knew bc "as is" was burried in the contract. i was taken advantage of and to make matters worse, dealership had a 2018 civic with ledd mileage and all kinds of features that my car didnt. Is this fraud and can i demand my money back?

kyfdx

lindabar said:

I purchased a 2017 honda civic with 9,000 miles on it. There was no information listed on the window, the dealership claimed they just got the car in. I bought the car and had an issue and took the car to a honda dealership bc i had problem with wipers. The dealership said that the car has no warranty and this would be bc the vehicle had major damage to it to void the manufactures warranty. I paid over 20,000 for car, which I overpaid. The dealership said they had no idea that car was in accident. I feel they knew bc "as is" was burried in the contract. i was taken advantage of and to make matters worse, dealership had a 2018 civic with ledd mileage and all kinds of features that my car didnt. Is this fraud and can i demand my money back?

Was it a Honda dealer? I'm guessing it wasn't. Is it a new car dealer?

If the car has a "branded" title as a total loss, and is without warranty, and they sold it to you without disclosing that, it is certainly fraud. And, you can bet they knew it.

How long ago did you purchase the car? You'll probably need a lawyer.

gramos2277

I bought a 2013 Passat TDI from a VW dealer in Corona CA. Literally, not less than 24 hours of having the car I discovered that the car was leaking oil. Rather than risking further damage to the car by driving the 1 1/2 hour commute back to the original dealer, I contacted a local VW service center here in San Diego and brought the vehicle in the same day.( within a hour of the discovery of the leak). The VW dealership in San Diego, determined that the oil leak was coming from the crankshaft seal. They advised that the warranty would pay the full costs for the repair and I would have the car back the next day. The following afternoon, I was told the technician noticed aftermarket parts on the car, on the engine and around the area where the leak happened, so they needed to call the dealer in Corona where I purchased the car to obtain service records and also contact the warranty company to confirm that they would still cover the repair costs. I am now concerned that I was sold a car that has been compromised by non OEM parts and a warranty that will not cover items normally covered under the warranty plan due to these modifications.

Please help.

z2llsnoopy

gramos2277 said:

I bought a 2013 Passat TDI from a VW dealer in Corona CA. Literally, not less than 24 hours of having the car I discovered that the car was leaking oil. Rather than risking further damage to the car by driving the 1 1/2 hour commute back to the original dealer, I contacted a local VW service center here in San Diego and brought the vehicle in the same day.( within a hour of the discovery of the leak). The VW dealership in San Diego, determined that the oil leak was coming from the crankshaft seal. They advised that the warranty would pay the full costs for the repair and I would have the car back the next day. The following afternoon, I was told the technician noticed aftermarket parts on the car, on the engine and around the area where the leak happened, so they needed to call the dealer in Corona where I purchased the car to obtain service records and also contact the warranty company to confirm that they would still cover the repair costs. I am now concerned that I was sold a car that has been compromised by non OEM parts and a warranty that will not cover items normally covered under the warranty plan due to these modifications.

Please help.

I am in the process of leasing a car that requires expensive maintenance. I have been working on my previous cars for the past 10 years. So, I can do basic maintenance like oil change, rotor and brake replacements. So, I was wondering if I lease this new car, Alfa Romeo Giulia, if I could continue to do the maintenance myself. Though I would get the OEM parts from a dealer and recommended oil/oil brand, but I am still trying to see if there would be an issue. Anyways, came across this law a few times while doing my research. It answers your question. Apparently, dealers/manufacture cannot deny/invalidate warranty just for using after market parts, especially if the parts are "around" the area, and not the defective part in question.

https://www.sema.org/sema-enews/2011/01/ftc-validates-right-to-install-aftermarket-parts

Clichehill1971

I just bought a car from Obrien in Normal Illinios and did not have it 30 minutes didn't even get it home and the engine locked up and i have a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty on it and they told me it would not cover because it would cost to much . What can I have done about this

Jiffen

I was hoping to learn about the warranty impact of adding a trailer hitch. In my case, the factory does not offer a trailer hitch option.

Michaell

Jiffen said:

I was hoping to learn about the warranty impact of adding a trailer hitch. In my case, the factory does not offer a trailer hitch option.

What vehicle is this for?

3menda

So, if I were to have my 2017 GLA250 lowered a little...say like the AMG version, would that void the warranty? 🤔
Thanks

Countach1973

Say I wanted to do a muffler delete or a suspension change would that cause hell for my insurance and warranty?

Rodney_1

I purchased a 2021 F450 and I want add exhaust stacks in the bed on the pickup truck. Will doing this void my factory warranty?

Reczee68

My son got in an accident with my honda, hrv. My insurance company recommended a collision shop for repairs. They ordered the parts from honda manufacturing but it is taking a very long time. I have been without my car for 2 months now. The last month paying for a rental car. Honda told they will not pay for the rental from where the insurance company stopped because I did not get the car fixed by the dealer. Under certain circumstances will they pay for a rental car. This is getting very expensive. Honda also said they place my car parts on priority. That was a month ago. Another question. Will Honda give me a problem about my warranty since I didn't get my car fixed by the dealer.

kyfdx

Reczee68 said:

My son got in an accident with my honda, hrv. My insurance company recommended a collision shop for repairs. They ordered the parts from honda manufacturing but it is taking a very long time. I have been without my car for 2 months now. The last month paying for a rental car. Honda told they will not pay for the rental from where the insurance company stopped because I did not get the car fixed by the dealer. Under certain circumstances will they pay for a rental car. This is getting very expensive. Honda also said they place my car parts on priority. That was a month ago. Another question. Will Honda give me a problem about my warranty since I didn't get my car fixed by the dealer.

If your car is repaired correctly, Honda can’t void your warranty. You aren’t required to use the dealer’s body shop.