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I've noticed the assertion that a particular modification will void your warranty, in conjunction with several threads. I thought this might be a useful topic in it's own right.
Often times, folks will assume that modifications automatically void the warranty. Not true.
Other times, manufacturers of aftermarket accessories will claim that Federal Law (specifically the Magnuson-Moss Act) prevents manufacturers from voiding the warranty because of modifications. Not quite true.
Here are some facts:
What is the Magnuson-Moss Act?
The Magnuson-Moss Act is an act of Congress that was put into law in 1975. It is also sometimes known as the Consumer Protection Act of 1975. It is an act of law and falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission. The full text of the law can be found in the U.S. Code Title 15, Chapter 50.
What does Magnuson-Moss do for the consumer?
There are two primary things that happen for you as a result of this law. The first is that the written warranty that you receive with a product becomes a legal contract between you and the maker and/or the seller. That means that the warranty as stated in the vehicle Owner=s Manual is a binding contract. Magnuson?Moss would support this in a court of law. The second result of Magnuson?Moss for you the consumer is a greater level of legal recourse when there is a dispute regarding warranty. There are some clearly outlined procedures for warranty disputes outlined in your Owner=s Manual.
How does this apply to the use of aftermarket parts or modifications?
The Act prevents the manufacturer from automatically voiding the warranty just by the addition or modification of the vehicle. Any language in the warranty book/owners manual about the use of aftermarket products must be read very carefully and understood correctly.
Typically, if any aftermarket parts or modifications CAUSE a failure, then the warranty will not cover the failure. The manufacturer must determine that the cause of the failure was the modification (or aftermarket part). If you modify the headlights, they cannot void the powertrain warranty. If you put in an aftermarket security system and the radio dies, they can't void the radio warranty. You get the idea.
Practically speaking, though, many dealerships will not honor the warranty (there is a disinclination for them to do so if there is a question on coverage, so as not to get into trouble with the manufacturer). Once you have been declined, you would need to fight the decision, using all the proper channels as defined in the warranty book, up to and including litigation at your expense.
This is a hot topic with performance upgrades: if your transmission blows up after you added a new ECM to your vehicle that bumped the HP up by 50 and the torque up by 150 ft lbs, did the mod cause the failure? The manufacturer will say yes. The aftermarket supplier will say no. You will be stuck fighting it.
Anyway, maybe off topic a bit, certainly long, but I found the research enlightening.
Ard
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