Warranty vs modifications

[CND Supercrew]

Does anyone worry about warranty when deciding to make modifications?
I really want to get a 2" lift front and rear but have 7 year bumper to bumper warranty on the truck and would really hate if something came about and was told too bad, not OEM.

Sponsored

 

[Rinn69]

From the AI bot on Google----

"The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA) is a federal law that protects consumers from being wrongfully denied warranty coverage for customizing their vehicles. The act prohibits automakers and dealerships from voiding a warranty just because a vehicle has been modified. Instead, the manufacturer must prove that the modification directly caused a specific component to fail. For example, if a vehicle has a suspension lift kit installed and later the headlights stop working, the dealer can only deny the warranty claim if they can prove that the lift kit caused the lights to stop working. "

Not sure if Canada has something similar.....?‍

 

[Buyer2021]

Long being aware of the MMWA, I don't "worry" about warranty implications of mods, but I do consider them.

I have an ESP for the anticipated long term and miles (10-years / 125k-miles) of my ownership. I do not do mods which, in my best conservative judgment, have the potential, even if remote, of adverse cause/effect impact on mechanical or technology systems/components.

I bought my truck and ESP with this in mind from the get-go. I'm 99% happy with my truck as delivered and limit mods a few 'enabling' of already built-in convenience features with FORScan and a very few 'mechanical upgrades' (e.g. aftermarket shocks with OE ride-height; Ford harness swap to enable trailer TPMS/cam; I carefully evaluated warranty risk before removing rear spacer blocks).

Lift kits, 'tunes', engine / drivetrain mods, and 'module swaps' are definitely 'out' for me, and I'm fine with that.

There was a time in my life when I said to-heck-with-it and did radical mods on vehicles when in warranty. I've outgrown those urges.

YMMV, Good Luck!

 

[12Lariat21]

Does anyone worry about warranty when deciding to make modifications?
I really want to get a 2" lift front and rear but have 7 year bumper to bumper warranty on the truck and would really hate if something came about and was told too bad, not OEM.

Just FYI, you're 'too bad, not OEM' is a true statement. Anything you add/change will not be covered under your bumper to bumper warranty. If you remove the factory installed shocks and install Bilstein or something, if the Bilstein shock blows out your warranty will not cover that. Unless, you do have a Ford approved installer install the Ford Performance kit, I believe that would be covered, but you'd want to verify that with Ford, probably in writing, just to cover your butt if something should fail.

The warranty protection act just means that because you changed the shocks out, they cannot deny you a warranty claim on something that was OEM, unless it is proven that your changed parts caused the failure.

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

From the AI bot on Google----

"The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA) is a federal law that protects consumers from being wrongfully denied warranty coverage for customizing their vehicles. The act prohibits automakers and dealerships from voiding a warranty just because a vehicle has been modified. Instead, the manufacturer must prove that the modification directly caused a specific component to fail. For example, if a vehicle has a suspension lift kit installed and later the headlights stop working, the dealer can only deny the warranty claim if they can prove that the lift kit caused the lights to stop working. "

Not sure if Canada has something similar.....?‍

Yeah, but that is complete bullshit. MMWA really doesn’t cover you if the manufacturer wants to litigate the issue. How many people here are gonna have the resources to battle forward in court for 2 to 3 years?

 

[Buyer2021]

Yeah, but that is complete bullshit. MMWA really doesn’t cover you if the manufacturer wants to litigate the issue. How many people here are gonna have the resources to battle forward in court for 2 to 3 years?

IME the most common occurrence is a shitty dealer rep trying a 'shotgun warranty denial' in clear conflict with the basic tenets of the MMWA. More often than not, simply making them aware of your knowledge of MMWA or escalating that to the service manager cuts through that BS yielding satisfactory outcomes.

IMO the MMWA has been a huge benefit for consumers in many situations like that.

But yes, if the manufacturer chooses to fight a particular cause>effect relationship claim, then the time and cost burden on the consumer is often overwhelming.

 

[redline]

From the AI bot on Google----

"The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA) is a federal law that protects consumers from being wrongfully denied warranty coverage for customizing their vehicles. The act prohibits automakers and dealerships from voiding a warranty just because a vehicle has been modified. Instead, the manufacturer must prove that the modification directly caused a specific component to fail. For example, if a vehicle has a suspension lift kit installed and later the headlights stop working, the dealer can only deny the warranty claim if they can prove that the lift kit caused the lights to stop working. "

Not sure if Canada has something similar.....?‍

Canada does not have a similar law, but most will follow the intent... i find in Canada the engine tunes are really frown upon, more so since the turbo era and tunes can bring big power boosts, and can get you black listed from dealers,.

But minor suspension mods ie 2 " lift most will not care, if you do a 6" lift with 4 link, you will most like be sent packin...

using ford approved/supplied parts and dealer to install is the path to friendly moding with manufacture support.

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

IME the most common occurrence is a shitty dealer rep trying a 'shotgun warranty denial' in clear conflict with the basic tenets of the MMWA. More often than not, simply making them aware of your knowledge of MMWA or escalating that to the service manager cuts through that BS yielding satisfactory outcomes.

IMO the MMWA has been a huge benefit for consumers in many situations like that.

But yes, if the manufacturer chooses to fight a particular cause>effect relationship claim, then the time and cost burden on the consumer is often overwhelming.

I agree with you, however I ran into some problems with this and Chevrolet in 2002. Long story short the advice I was given from a lawyer was deal with the issues, fix them yourself, or sell the vehicle and move on. He expected that it would go 2 to 3 years and fees would be $15-25k. He did expect that the suit would be in our favor. However, the vehicle would have to be parked and not driven so it wouldn’t depreciate and even then the fees on the high side would be essentially what the vehicle cost in the first place.

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

Does anyone worry about warranty when deciding to make modifications?
I really want to get a 2" lift front and rear but have 7 year bumper to bumper warranty on the truck and would really hate if something came about and was told too bad, not OEM.

so here is what I would suggest. If I were you, I would go talk to your dealer. Talk to the service manager, not a service advisor or rep, but the actual service manager. Have a sit down with him and explain what you were looking at doing and get his or her take on the situation.

Normally, when a suspension leveling kit is installed, a dealer can use that to not service suspension components, like wheel bearings, ball, joints, controller on bushings, swaybar in links, and even actual shaft grease boots.

The idea of being the lift will take some components out of their normal factory designed geometry.

Talk to the dealer and see what he has to say. You may also think about having the dealer install the leveling kit. If they do so, the work and any other related stuff would be retained under the warranty.

 

[powerboatr]

so here is what I would suggest. If I were you, I would go talk to your dealer. Talk to the service manager, not a service advisor or rep, but the actual service manager. Have a sit down with him and explain what you were looking at doing and get his or her take on the situation.

Normally, when a suspension leveling kit is installed, a dealer can use that to not service suspension components, like wheel bearings, ball, joints, controller on bushings, swaybar in links, and even actual shaft grease boots.

The idea of being the lift will take some components out of their normal factory designed geometry.

Talk to the dealer and see what he has to say. You may also think about having the dealer install the leveling kit. If they do so, the work and any other related stuff would be retained under the warranty.

Agreed
And some dealers add a lift at delivery and will warranty the lift and it's components for a set time frame
This does not mean the ford dealer across town that didn't put it one will cover it

Ford performance stuff put on at an authorized ford dealer or service center, nets a 3/36 on those parts
The ford leveling kit, the fox kits etc..if installed by ford ..will have 3/36 on those items only

 

[Boen]

I have a transmission shop and have had a lot of the aftermarket warranys deny claims for transmission failure because of lifts and bigger tires

 

[Sigma1914]

I’m adding a Ford Performance Whipple to my Rocky Ridge XLT soon. I’d like to add traction bars to prevent axle wrap and help other suspension components from wearing down due to added boost/horse power. Anyone here know of dealerships voiding warranty due to installing/running traction bars?

 

[Buyer2021]

You may also think about having the dealer install the leveling kit. If they do so, the work and any other related stuff would be retained under the warranty.

Take care, this is not always true. A dealer may or may not warrant their work and / or otherwise manufacturer warranty-eligible consequential problems, especially if aftermarket components are installed (even by a dealer) - get it in writing FWIW.

A dealer may address the situation as a 'good-will' matter, but don't bank on that.

Folks need to recognize / understand that claims against a manufacture warranty, and dealer reimbursement for such claims, always requires manufacturer approval of the submitted claim. Manufacturers can and sometimes do deny claims even when 'supported' by a dealer (manufacturers are looking-out for their interests, not the dealer's, and are loathe to set precedents contrary to their interests).

 

[BMCGC]

50/50. At least this type of modification can be removed with no evidence that it was ever there.

Sponsored