Does a tune void the powertrain warranty?
02-06-2011, 04:57 PM
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: missouri
Posts: 502
Does a tune void the powertrain warranty?
I was curious to know if I get my GT tuned if it voids the powertrain warranty. On the Camaro forum they say it voids the warranty and most of the posters don't recommend a tune because of it and that they're are not worth the money.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127953
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127953
02-06-2011, 05:15 PM
#2
This question has been asked many times before and the answer is NO, it will not void the powertrain warranty. It is a Federal law that says the warranty cannot be voided.
The Federal law is called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty–Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act and was passed in 1975.
The Federal article is: 15 U.S.C. § 2301
SEMA goes on to further describe that the mere installation of an aftermarket part, including a tune, does not void the warranty.
Now, if the part was installed improperly and the car is damaged, Ford does have the right to deny warranty service.
The same for if the part is faulty and the result is a damaged car, again, Ford has the right to deny warranty service.
But because they deny service, that does not mean the warranty is forever gone.
If you read your warranty booklet, you will see that Ford actually wrote it to be careful not to use the word "void" when referring to the warranty. The only place they mention "void" is towards the end of the booklet and it expressively says if you convert the car into an ambulance without the Ford approved upgrade ambulance chassis parts or you convert your car into a limo. Ford should not have said "void" in these cases either, what they should have said is the Ford warranty does not cover such cases.
Also, reread the posts form the Camaro guys. They use the word "DENY" and not "VOID" which are two very very different things.
BTW, what color is your '06 GT?
The Federal law is called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty–Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act and was passed in 1975.
The Federal article is: 15 U.S.C. § 2301
SEMA goes on to further describe that the mere installation of an aftermarket part, including a tune, does not void the warranty.
Now, if the part was installed improperly and the car is damaged, Ford does have the right to deny warranty service.
The same for if the part is faulty and the result is a damaged car, again, Ford has the right to deny warranty service.
But because they deny service, that does not mean the warranty is forever gone.
If you read your warranty booklet, you will see that Ford actually wrote it to be careful not to use the word "void" when referring to the warranty. The only place they mention "void" is towards the end of the booklet and it expressively says if you convert the car into an ambulance without the Ford approved upgrade ambulance chassis parts or you convert your car into a limo. Ford should not have said "void" in these cases either, what they should have said is the Ford warranty does not cover such cases.
Also, reread the posts form the Camaro guys. They use the word "DENY" and not "VOID" which are two very very different things.
BTW, what color is your '06 GT?
02-06-2011, 06:51 PM
#3
5th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,228
Haha, it's just those wimpy-*** camaro guys backing down from pursuing the issue. They have to honor the warranty unless they can prove that the specific upgrade caused whatever it is to break. Me putting an aftermarket muffler on my car does not mean that Ford can tell me "Sorry, you're out of luck" when my ABS stops working.
02-06-2011, 07:59 PM
#4
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: missouri
Posts: 502
This question has been asked many times before and the answer is NO, it will not void the powertrain warranty. It is a Federal law that says the warranty cannot be voided.
The Federal law is called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty–Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act and was passed in 1975.
The Federal article is: 15 U.S.C. § 2301
SEMA goes on to further describe that the mere installation of an aftermarket part, including a tune, does not void the warranty.
Now, if the part was installed improperly and the car is damaged, Ford does have the right to deny warranty service.
The same for if the part is faulty and the result is a damaged car, again, Ford has the right to deny warranty service.
But because they deny service, that does not mean the warranty is forever gone.
If you read your warranty booklet, you will see that Ford actually wrote it to be careful not to use the word "void" when referring to the warranty. The only place they mention "void" is towards the end of the booklet and it expressively says if you convert the car into an ambulance without the Ford approved upgrade ambulance chassis parts or you convert your car into a limo. Ford should not have said "void" in these cases either, what they should have said is the Ford warranty does not cover such cases.
Also, reread the posts form the Camaro guys. They use the word "DENY" and not "VOID" which are two very very different things.
BTW, what color is your '06 GT?
The Federal law is called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty–Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act and was passed in 1975.
The Federal article is: 15 U.S.C. § 2301
SEMA goes on to further describe that the mere installation of an aftermarket part, including a tune, does not void the warranty.
Now, if the part was installed improperly and the car is damaged, Ford does have the right to deny warranty service.
The same for if the part is faulty and the result is a damaged car, again, Ford has the right to deny warranty service.
But because they deny service, that does not mean the warranty is forever gone.
If you read your warranty booklet, you will see that Ford actually wrote it to be careful not to use the word "void" when referring to the warranty. The only place they mention "void" is towards the end of the booklet and it expressively says if you convert the car into an ambulance without the Ford approved upgrade ambulance chassis parts or you convert your car into a limo. Ford should not have said "void" in these cases either, what they should have said is the Ford warranty does not cover such cases.
Also, reread the posts form the Camaro guys. They use the word "DENY" and not "VOID" which are two very very different things.
BTW, what color is your '06 GT?
02-06-2011, 08:20 PM
#5
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Clinton, Tennessee
Posts: 761
General rule of Thumb is anything in front of the Motor (IE CAI), in front of the Catalytic converters or messing with the Motors Electronics is Good for a Voided Warranty.
Many a Lightning Owner was denied Warranty work because of Tuners, chips, Headers and high Flow cats, let alone changing out pulleys.
If you run a tuner and/or a CAI remove them before taking your car into Ford for anything.
The Magnuson Moss act says the Manufacturer has to prove the Modification caused the problem, but they have bigger pockets than us so it comes down to we have to prove it didn't.
Many a Lightning Owner was denied Warranty work because of Tuners, chips, Headers and high Flow cats, let alone changing out pulleys.
If you run a tuner and/or a CAI remove them before taking your car into Ford for anything.
The Magnuson Moss act says the Manufacturer has to prove the Modification caused the problem, but they have bigger pockets than us so it comes down to we have to prove it didn't.
02-06-2011, 09:54 PM
#7
General rule of Thumb is anything in front of the Motor (IE CAI), in front of the Catalytic converters or messing with the Motors Electronics is Good for a Voided Warranty.
Many a Lightning Owner was denied Warranty work because of Tuners, chips, Headers and high Flow cats, let alone changing out pulleys.
If you run a tuner and/or a CAI remove them before taking your car into Ford for anything.
The Magnuson Moss act says the Manufacturer has to prove the Modification caused the problem, but they have bigger pockets than us so it comes down to we have to prove it didn't.
Many a Lightning Owner was denied Warranty work because of Tuners, chips, Headers and high Flow cats, let alone changing out pulleys.
If you run a tuner and/or a CAI remove them before taking your car into Ford for anything.
The Magnuson Moss act says the Manufacturer has to prove the Modification caused the problem, but they have bigger pockets than us so it comes down to we have to prove it didn't.
If those of us who are in the right do so, the car companies will want to protect their deep pockets and take the proper measures to prove the part/tune was at fault instead of summarily denying warranty service.
And also, even if you have a warranty service denied, that does not mean anything is voided. The warranty is still active. For example, lets say you put in an aftermarket rear gear and botched the install up. Ford will deny warranty service because it was your fault. And somewhere down the line, a camshaft gives out because it was messed up at the factory. Ford will still do warranty service work because the warranty was never voided.
02-07-2011, 05:17 AM
#9
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Clinton, Tennessee
Posts: 761
Deep pockets or not, this is where every single one of us has to challenge any denied warranty service if we know the tune and/or aftermarket parts are NOT at fault.
If those of us who are in the right do so, the car companies will want to protect their deep pockets and take the proper measures to prove the part/tune was at fault instead of summarily denying warranty service.
And also, even if you have a warranty service denied, that does not mean anything is voided. The warranty is still active. For example, lets say you put in an aftermarket rear gear and botched the install up. Ford will deny warranty service because it was your fault. And somewhere down the line, a camshaft gives out because it was messed up at the factory. Ford will still do warranty service work because the warranty was never voided.
If those of us who are in the right do so, the car companies will want to protect their deep pockets and take the proper measures to prove the part/tune was at fault instead of summarily denying warranty service.
And also, even if you have a warranty service denied, that does not mean anything is voided. The warranty is still active. For example, lets say you put in an aftermarket rear gear and botched the install up. Ford will deny warranty service because it was your fault. And somewhere down the line, a camshaft gives out because it was messed up at the factory. Ford will still do warranty service work because the warranty was never voided.
The Magnuson Moss act does protect you from Ford or any other car company from denying Warranty work on any un-modified part on your car. in other words if you put a Cat back on and the motor goes they will fix it, but put headers and an off road pipe on you probably get denied.
Putting a CAI or Tuner is Modifying the Motor, which is where they can legally deny warranty work if you blow your motor, and some will deny it on your trans and rear end also.
But your Radio, or electric motor for your window ect..... will still be covered.
02-07-2011, 06:23 AM
#10
I know where you are coming from, and in each of those cases, all I can say is Ford probably denied the warranty work because they were justified because they did the investigation and discovered the mod was the cause of the fault, and/or the driver admitted he was driving hard or racing, which the warranty booklet says the waranty will not cover. We cannot assume that warranty was denied without Ford even taking measures to investigate if the part is at fault. There is a lot missing from each of these cases.
My point is if someone ever dares deny you warranty work, and know the mod is not at fault an they will not even take measures to prove the mod was the fault, we simply cannot lie down and take it. By simply bending over so easily, we only empower them to wrongfully deny warranty work when they didn't even lift a finger to investigate the mod was the cause!
My point is if someone ever dares deny you warranty work, and know the mod is not at fault an they will not even take measures to prove the mod was the fault, we simply cannot lie down and take it. By simply bending over so easily, we only empower them to wrongfully deny warranty work when they didn't even lift a finger to investigate the mod was the cause!