Does a tune void the powertrain warranty?
02-08-2011, 08:48 AM
#21
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Gallifrey
Posts: 1,596
Think about it this way, if you built some product in your spare time in the garage and sold it with a "warranty"... then a month later some dude comes back with it, and has modified it, but expects YOU to fix what went wrong with it...
I´m just thinkin´ most of these aren´t apple to apple comparisons really. I think most just have CAI/tunes in mind, others are thinking super-chargers, etc.. Other than obvious lean/detonation engine damage, having the clutch or control arms go is a bit hard to pin on the usual basic tune/CAI for voiding a warranty.
Last edited by wayne613; 02-08-2011 at 09:02 AM.
02-08-2011, 10:00 AM
#22
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: CT
Posts: 2,612
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?
To your question and some of the other comments I saw. Specifically Brenspeed and some other reputable shops listed. There tunes are dyno tuned and of such quality that it would be considered professional and done by a true expert in the field. The quality of the tune as well as the thousands, probably 10s of thousands of customers are a testament to the reliability and knowledge of those tuners, and there is no way a shop would deny me service for a unrelated item, simply for having a tune.
Why have the 10,000+ other mustangs with a tune not had this problem? I didn't think so, fix it.
Now if you get Jimbo down the street to mess with a tune loaded on your handheld and he tells you he can lean it out for you and it will really move, and then you sheer a connecting rod and put it through your block because of detonation, guess who's paying for your block.... Not ford, and not Jimbo.
Lastly, people talking about deep pockets and such and ability to fight it. Small claims court for up to $15,000. A federal law in hand, and a competent argument as to why the issue was not caused by your part.
Also, take my car for example. As it sits, I have had my transmission rebuilt under a TSB. They tried to fight me on it due to mods, I pointed out that there is a TSB my car qualifies for and it has failed in the exact way the TSB states, how can they prove it was not a underlying problem with the transmission? They fixed it.
Just don't be a jack **** and try to abuse it. If you do something to it, and you know it caused the problem, you are responsible. I very much dislike the "Turn it back to stock before service" approach. They know your trying to hide stuff, and it makes it harder for the rest of us who don't hide it. Makes them ask the question, "What are they trying to hide?"
02-08-2011, 10:19 AM
#23
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,062
In the cases I've seen where the dealership, and ultimately the manufacturer backing them didn't want to pay... they were banking on the fact that you wouldn't go to court. In my experience most people won't.
I stand by my statement: if you are worried about warranty, leave it stock, or buy a faster car.
I stand by my statement: if you are worried about warranty, leave it stock, or buy a faster car.
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