I was doing some searching about Mods or oil changes at home voiding your warrnanty. I knew that this was BS and I knoew there was a law about this. Today at lunch I found a very good FAQ on this topic and the actual law.

The law is called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty – Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act of 1975. This states that anything not explicitly excluded in the written text of the warranty given to the consumer is covered, unless it its the cause of the claim.

The text of the law is here for those that want to read all of the Zzzzzzz.... sorry I fell asleep reading this legal language. US CODE: Title 15,CHAPTER 50—CONSUMER PRODUCT WARRANTIES

For those of you not having problems with Insomnia check the FAQ below.

Below is a the FAQ page from one of the best antitheft devices I have ever seen. Check out the main site at Ravelco of DFW - Vehicle Anti-Theft Device

Source: Auto Warranty
Disclaimer: I do knot know anything about this company, nor do I endorse the products with any authority, It just looks like a good idea and it has been around for quite a few years.

FEARS:
You want to upgrade your vehicle with aftermarket equipment, but you’re worried about putting the vehicle’s warranty at risk. It’s no wonder. How many times have you heard someone at a automobile dealership say that unless the dealer installs your aftermarket equipment you will automatically void your new car warranty? This common misconception has been repeated often enough to be widely believed – though it is a myth and completely false.
FACT:
Dealers don’t like warranty work, because it pays less than normal repair work. By promoting the myth that aftermarket equipment automatically voids warranties, some dealers avoid such low-paying work. Instead, they attempt to charge customers the prime service rate for work which is rightfully done under warranty.
THE TRUTH:
Most vehicle owners are not aware they are protected by federal law: the Magnuson-Moss Warranty – Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act of 1975. Under the Magnuson-Moss Act, aftermarket equipment which improves performance does not void a vehicle manufacturer’s original warranty, unless the warranty clearly and conspicuously states that aftermarket equipment voids the warranty. Most states have warranty statutes, as well. Which provide further protections for vehicle owners.
In other words, that means a dealer can’t wiggle out of his legal warranty obligation merely because you install aftermarket equipment. To find out if any aftermarket equipment automatically voids your vehicle’s warranty, check the owner’s manual. It is likely the language you are looking for appears under a heading such as “What Is Not Covered” Although the language seems negative, remember your vehicle manufacturer is simply saying he does not cover the aftermarket products themselves. He is not saying that the products would void the vehicle warranty.
VEHICLE DEALERS OBLIGATIONS:
Suppose your modified vehicle needs repairs while still under warranty. Without analyzing the true cause of the problem, the dealer attempts to deny warranty coverage. He made his decision simply based on the fact that you’ve installed aftermarket equipment – a convenient way to dodge low-paying warranty work.
An example of how ridiculous this can get is the man who was denied warranty coverage by a dealer on his power door locks, because he had improved his exhaust system! Sounds nuts? It really happened – because that man did not know his rights and challenge the dealer’s decision.
Fact: A dealer must prove – not just say – that aftermarket equipment caused the need for repairs before he can deny warranty coverage on that basis.
YOUR RIGHTS:
Point out to the dealer the provision of the Magnuson-Moss Act- Require that he explain to you how the aftermarket equipment caused the problem. If he can’t – or his explanation sounds questionable – it is your legal right to demand he comply with the warranty.
Fact: If you are still being unfairly denied warranty coverage, there is recourse. The Federal Trade Commission, which administers the Magnuson-Moss Act, monitors compliance with warranty issues. Direct complaints to the FTC at (202) 326-3128.

Another source for this from the dummies books people:
Keeping Your Mod's Warranty Intact - For Dummies

 

seeremlive,
The Magnuson-Moss law has been discussed here time after time, but thanks for bringing it up again. Recent posts have described the lengths some crooked dealerships will go to to, to lie to their customers. Good info. Thanks for re-posting it.

 

so...... if my wheel axles go out, am i ok to go to my dealer with my skunk2 coilovers installed?

 

Try it, and let us know how you were treated. My bet is "NO".

 

I didn't know about this. It helps! Thanks! +1

 

How would axles be affected by coilovers? I would think if you had some wheels sticking out from the body of the car, that would put extra stress on them but not Skunk's.

 

LOL no thanks!!! :P

 

i think the point is, they can't say that putting wheels on your car caused an engine problem or something else completely unrelated. obviously if there's a correlation they're going to try to say that what you did made the problem occur but this protects you from "oh, you put an exhaust on your car so you must beat the crap out of it and i'm not fixing anything under the warranty."

 

Sorry about the repost.

I did some searching but with the limited search functionality on this site I just didn't find anything other than anecdotal information. Now that I know the name of the act I found a few references to it using the search.

I just don't want to see someone getting screwed by a dealer for something that is a manufacturing defect because you hung a pine tree airfreshener from the mirror.

 

Thanks for the long version... thats really quite helpful to me.

 

lowering a car changes the angles of the suspension. instead of teh axle going straight out of the tranny, it goes out at an angle. thus, putting unnecessary wear on it. the same as lifting a truck, the angle of the axles go at crazy angles. there's kits to correct that, but most trucks, jeeps, and SUV's roll around WRONG all day. heck, our lifted 2000 jeep's suspension bushings went out at 40k miles

 

basically, if the part you installed affected the claimed damage to your car, than it is not covered under warranty. for example: driveshaft premature failure>can be POSSIBLY cause by the car being to low. -or- having a cold air intake>causing engine lock-up, if the intake sucks up water. its not like installing springs will affect the way your car shifts. so it has to be a probable cause

 

In your example solbrothers, this would be a hard case for the car owner to fight. This would be an example of the Mod causing the failure of other components. You may want to find if either representive Mgnuson or Moss are still alive to help fight you case

 

oh, yeah. we replaced the bushings and thats it. we didnt even try to go to the dealer over this issue. the jeep is pretty modded, so it doesnt see the dealer. plus there's a bunch of mechanics in the fambam, so we're good.

 

[quote=seeremlive;401669]I was doing some searching about Mods or oil changes at home voiding your warrnanty. I knew that this was BS and I knoew there was a law about this. Today at lunch I found a very good FAQ on this topic and the actual law.

The law is called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty – Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act of 1975. This states that anything not explicitly excluded in the written text of the warranty given to the consumer is covered, unless it its the cause of the claim.

{quote, w/ high lited phrase}

Note high lighted phrase.
Most dealers know of the MagMoss law. The problem is they WILL claim your modification is what led to the failure you claim and therefore is not covered by warranty. I've seen it time and again.
An example would be the poster who discovered the shock base cup cracking from the fender shell. Because he installed a aftermarket shock/spring setup the dealer has every right to refuse to fix it. Honda also.
Another example could be a cracked dashboard pad on a car with lowered and stiffly sprung Fit; the dealer can claim the stiff suspension led to cracking the pad. Cracked windshields also have blamed.
Another example would be blaming chipped paint on fender flares. Honest. It happened, altho the dealer lost that one.
The other half on the problem is if the dealer refuses and Hondas backs him you will have to pay a lawyer to sue the dealer and you better have lots of engineering backup to assst you. Like the supplier of your aftermarket part. You might as well just pay to fix it yourself.
In short, the MagMoss law is helpful but it is not blanket protection.

 

Not quite.
That exhaust will get blamed for failing emissions, poor performance, poor gas mileage. Different wheels and tires will get the same treatment if the dealer remotely thinks your Fit is a risky modification vehicle. He suspects the followup aggrevation will cost more than the customer is worth. For every well done modification there are 2 half-butt ones.

 

[quote=mahout;402515]This is why it is important to pick a good dealer. There are plenty of them out there. Just because there is a Honda sign on the post out front doesn't indicate that they are a good dealer.

In the dealer section there have been several examples of the dealer or the dealership acting like a fool. Forcing options on the buyer, adding additional handling charges, Non refundable deposits and the like. I learned a long time ago to also talk to the service manager before buying and present some "What if" situations to him. "What if I lower the suspension and then 3 months later the dash cracks?" is a good question.

If they say pi$$ off, I would walk, the deal is off, if this is something I plan on doing.

The example of fender flairs chipping paint is something I wouldn’t expect to be covered. Unless the dealer installed them, and offered, in writing, a warranty for them and the surrounding paint, no reasonable person should expect this to be covered.

I spent 40 minutes with the service manager in 1995 when I bought my first Honda. This was an Element for my wife. She was going to be putting about 6,000 miles on in the first month, all highway, with no time for break in. He actually offered to put in writing, without me asking, that any damage due to not following break in procedure would be covered by Honda, or the dealership if Honda refused to pay. I took that note, and still have it, and have now bought 2 more vehicles from them. My 08 Fit and a 08 Element (kiwi green EX, really sharp) to replace the 05.

This is part of due diligence that my father and mother taught me long ago. This is the second largest purchase that a person will ever make if they own a home or first if the rent. Interview the dealership just like you would interview someone for a job.

I read the post about the broken shock tower cap earlier today, and I agree that this is going to be a hard sell to the service manager. The shocks clearly are not stock or stock replacement. With a good approach and some good reasoning the owner needs to point out the service manager that the shock has the same diameter bolt and mounting flanges and what not, and then ask them to look at the weld on the cup that probably wasn’t hot enough, and didn’t penetrate to fuse the two pieces together properly.

If this is rejected ask then to check with Honda to see it there are others with this condition that have been serviced. If not then this is most likely a single manufacturing issue with either dirty or bad parts not welding correctly or a fluke failure of the welding robot.

I currently work in the IT department of a center that handles all of the warranty authorizations for major components for Chrysler dealers. Our Chrysler team has this type of trend information at their fingertips. If the dealer immediately gives you a “No” then they aren’t doing what is required of them under their agreement with Honda of America.
Bottom line for me on this is if you dealer is jerking you arround on something that is a true warranty claim, it is time to find a new dealer for both service and your next car.

 

[QUOTE=seeremlive;402578]Once again, a VERY good post! Honda deserves its good reputation for quality, reliability and long life cars. But as with all auto makers, a LOT of the manufacturing process is done with automation, which can result in flawed welds (but most often does not). If you are unlucky enough to buy a car with weak welds anywhere in the suspension, and further unlucky enough to lower the car enough for the after-market shocks or coilovers to keep bottoming out with three of your buddies in the back seat, Honda will most likely refuse to honor your warranty claim if the weld seam on your rear shock cup breaks loose from the wheel well.

Obviously, if the shock cup breaks loose with stock shocks and you see the same leaking that I Am Ray is complaining about, Honda can't refuse your warranty claim because of your after-market intake manifold, headers, or cold air intake. The dealer might, but the Mag/Moss law protects you there.

 

Personally, I think it's foolish to do any mechanical modification to a car that's under warranty, if the warranty is valuable to you. It's just asking for trouble if you ever go to make a warranty claim.

If you want to play modder, buy something used that's out of warranty; that way you lose nothing by modding. Or modify your warrantied car only if you can afford to have warranty claims denied.

Even though you may be protected under the law, it's still an incredible hassle and expense to go through the legal proceedings required to enforce your rights. Better to have the car stock enough that the dealer won't think about denying your claim.

 

[quote=manxman;402646]No need to point at automation here, if anything automated welds have a lower probability of being flawed than manual welds (machines never get tired, distracted or disgruntled).

If you don't believe me, check out the failure rates of some of the boutique, hand-assembled models. I'll take a robot-built car over a handmade one every time if I'm concerned with build quality.