Voiding the warranty..
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Well, nothing will void the total warrantee. It depends what you do. If you, for example, install nitrous then blow your engine, well you aren't getting warantee service to fix that. But if you install nitrous and your suspension gets screwed up, you're still good - the nitrous didn't cause that.Mazda3Dan said:
Basically, the dealer needs to show a direct link between the mod and the failure to void that part of the warantee.
i see i see, so if you were to install say different springs or an aftermarket cold air system they would not void the total warranty just if they can find a relation between that and the problem. im probably just going to wait till they come out with the performance parts for this car from mazda. my salesman told me he could get me 10%off parts for the car 
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Some dealers will still blame your NOS on your blown suspension, believe it or not.
Atleast from the stories I've heard.
For me, I'm gonna wait until the warranty expires before I do any heavy heavy modding (aka turbo, etc.)
Atleast from the stories I've heard.
For me, I'm gonna wait until the warranty expires before I do any heavy heavy modding (aka turbo, etc.)
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2,218 Posts
Any kind of FI (including N20) will void the powertrain part of the warranty. If you have a K&N or other "oiled" filter I'd suggest taking it off when you go to the dealer or thy will diagnose the problem as the MAFS and say that the filter fouled it.
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1,089 Posts
will lowering the car void the warranty?
PERFORMANCE CONSUMER'S BILL OF RIGHTS:
Legally, a vehicle manufacturer cannot void the warranty on a vehicle due to an aftermarket part unless they can prove that the aftermarket part caused or contributed to the failure in the vehicle (per the Maguson Moss Warranty Act, www.GranatelliMotorSports.com/magnusonmoss.htm (15 U.S.C. 2302(C)) . For best results, consider working with performance-oriented dealerships with a proven history of working with customers. If your vehicle manufacturer fails to honor emission/warranty claims, contact EPA at (202) 260-2080 or www.epa.gov. If federal warranty protection is denied, contact the FTC at (202) 326-3128 or www.ftc.gov. For additional information, check out the following links:
Bill of rights
Denied claims
Federal warranty laws
Links taken from Granatelli Motorsports, which is an excellent source for information on the matter. Contrary to popular belief, the addition of any modification, including NOS and/or forced induction, does NOT void your factory warranty. Your factory warranty, however, is not obligated to extend to your aftermarket parts or to any damage caused as a result of the installation of those parts. In short, you can modify your car however you like, and you're protected by law in doing so.
Do: Read the links I provided. They're the law, and in easy to read English.
Don't: Listen to 95% of the people on the Internet who think they know what they're talking about, but actually have no experience with it (general statement, and not directed at anyone).
Be educated. Be modified. Be happy.
Legally, a vehicle manufacturer cannot void the warranty on a vehicle due to an aftermarket part unless they can prove that the aftermarket part caused or contributed to the failure in the vehicle (per the Maguson Moss Warranty Act, www.GranatelliMotorSports.com/magnusonmoss.htm (15 U.S.C. 2302(C)) . For best results, consider working with performance-oriented dealerships with a proven history of working with customers. If your vehicle manufacturer fails to honor emission/warranty claims, contact EPA at (202) 260-2080 or www.epa.gov. If federal warranty protection is denied, contact the FTC at (202) 326-3128 or www.ftc.gov. For additional information, check out the following links:
Bill of rights
Denied claims
Federal warranty laws
Links taken from Granatelli Motorsports, which is an excellent source for information on the matter. Contrary to popular belief, the addition of any modification, including NOS and/or forced induction, does NOT void your factory warranty. Your factory warranty, however, is not obligated to extend to your aftermarket parts or to any damage caused as a result of the installation of those parts. In short, you can modify your car however you like, and you're protected by law in doing so.
Do: Read the links I provided. They're the law, and in easy to read English.
Don't: Listen to 95% of the people on the Internet who think they know what they're talking about, but actually have no experience with it (general statement, and not directed at anyone).
Be educated. Be modified. Be happy.
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2,218 Posts
As for lowering the car, I'd say they could make a claim for any part of your suspension warranty being voided. If you just change the springs for sure the shock warranty will be voided. Bushings, control rods and other stuf is in question.
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13 Posts
I dont want to come off mean, but why dont you post the entire Warranty act? You left out the part that says that the manufactor is only required to honor the parts on the car when it was it was purchased.
I deal with this EVERYDAY, day in and day out.....NO AFTERMARKET PARTS WILL NOT VOID YOUR WARRANTY UNLESS IT IS DETERMINED AS THE CAUSE OF THE CONCERN OR THE FACTORY WARRANTY STATES YOU CAN NOT DO A CERTAIN MODIFICATION.
This is how it boils down....if you put a a 4-3-1 header and a 2 1/2 inch exhaust and high flow cats on your car and the O2 sensors go bad, they wont cover that, becase you changed the characterists of the emissions system. If you put a cat-back exhaust on the system, for us anyways, we wont void the emissions warranty because you havent really messed with the cats. The MazdaSpeed Proteges, from what I understand state in the warranty, you can not add a cold air intake or alter the intake system by any means. As for K&N filters, I have NEVER seen them cause problems....so I wouldnt be worried about that.
This is the way it works in the real word....if you drop a lightweight flywheel in your clutch and then come in saying that " My clutch isnt working right " - a dealership isnt goign to honor that warranty, because a third party has messed with the parts. Its like a computer, once you tamper with it, you voided the warranty. Bolt on parts are one thing, but internal parts are another. I could care less if you have aftermarket plug wires, CAI, spark plugs, exhaust, tires, wheels, struts, springs, lights, radio, and what have you, but if you changed out your pistons or someone else was inside of that engine before you started having problems, I will refer you either to another dealership or back to the place you got it worked on it. Its called liability. The warranty act stats that the warranty is based off of how the vehicle was purchased. There is more to that act then that one statement. Its a typical goverment document...it says " Yes these places have to warranty car wether you have mods or not " then later says " ...only if the vehicle is in the same condition when purchased
Lowering your car will void any suspension, tire, and alignment warranties. In ONE CASE, only one, I have seen it void power steering warranty, because the place who installed the lowering kit jacked up the power steering lines.
Im like you guys, I like to put mods on my car, but, using that perverable saying, you cant have your cake and eat it to. If you add mods, you take the risk of voiding parts of your warranty. Its that cut and dry. We can all sit here and fight back and forth about whos right and whos wrong, but if you all look deeper into all of this, you will see the loopholes on both ends. I dont see why this is such a big deal over all, and why it annoys me lol, but its as easy as this...
" warranty covers only FACTORY parts and related issues caused by FACTORY parts "
If your Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor goes bad and they see you have a CAI installed, they wont cover it. Exhaust = voiding of some emmisions parts. Suspension = voiding of suspension warranty
Radio = voiding of center dash electrical (BIG BIG BIG PROBLEM with this on 3's. 6's. and 8's). Intake = voiding of intake related issues (mainly MAF sensors).
I know I am going to upset someone with this, so feel free to drop me a personal message. Im not here to fight, here to set things straight with issues as well as learn about this car, seeing as I deal with on a daily basis...so no harm meant
I deal with this EVERYDAY, day in and day out.....NO AFTERMARKET PARTS WILL NOT VOID YOUR WARRANTY UNLESS IT IS DETERMINED AS THE CAUSE OF THE CONCERN OR THE FACTORY WARRANTY STATES YOU CAN NOT DO A CERTAIN MODIFICATION.
This is how it boils down....if you put a a 4-3-1 header and a 2 1/2 inch exhaust and high flow cats on your car and the O2 sensors go bad, they wont cover that, becase you changed the characterists of the emissions system. If you put a cat-back exhaust on the system, for us anyways, we wont void the emissions warranty because you havent really messed with the cats. The MazdaSpeed Proteges, from what I understand state in the warranty, you can not add a cold air intake or alter the intake system by any means. As for K&N filters, I have NEVER seen them cause problems....so I wouldnt be worried about that.
This is the way it works in the real word....if you drop a lightweight flywheel in your clutch and then come in saying that " My clutch isnt working right " - a dealership isnt goign to honor that warranty, because a third party has messed with the parts. Its like a computer, once you tamper with it, you voided the warranty. Bolt on parts are one thing, but internal parts are another. I could care less if you have aftermarket plug wires, CAI, spark plugs, exhaust, tires, wheels, struts, springs, lights, radio, and what have you, but if you changed out your pistons or someone else was inside of that engine before you started having problems, I will refer you either to another dealership or back to the place you got it worked on it. Its called liability. The warranty act stats that the warranty is based off of how the vehicle was purchased. There is more to that act then that one statement. Its a typical goverment document...it says " Yes these places have to warranty car wether you have mods or not " then later says " ...only if the vehicle is in the same condition when purchased
Lowering your car will void any suspension, tire, and alignment warranties. In ONE CASE, only one, I have seen it void power steering warranty, because the place who installed the lowering kit jacked up the power steering lines.
Im like you guys, I like to put mods on my car, but, using that perverable saying, you cant have your cake and eat it to. If you add mods, you take the risk of voiding parts of your warranty. Its that cut and dry. We can all sit here and fight back and forth about whos right and whos wrong, but if you all look deeper into all of this, you will see the loopholes on both ends. I dont see why this is such a big deal over all, and why it annoys me lol, but its as easy as this...
" warranty covers only FACTORY parts and related issues caused by FACTORY parts "
If your Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor goes bad and they see you have a CAI installed, they wont cover it. Exhaust = voiding of some emmisions parts. Suspension = voiding of suspension warranty
Radio = voiding of center dash electrical (BIG BIG BIG PROBLEM with this on 3's. 6's. and 8's). Intake = voiding of intake related issues (mainly MAF sensors).
I know I am going to upset someone with this, so feel free to drop me a personal message. Im not here to fight, here to set things straight with issues as well as learn about this car, seeing as I deal with on a daily basis...so no harm meant
At first you came off wanting to pick a fight, but you did raise VERY valid points.
It's as simple as you put it - add an intake and your radio stops working, the radio gets repaced. Add an intake and the oxy sensor goes... will that be cash or credit card?
PS: I removed your 2nd post - you double posted exactly the same message.
It's as simple as you put it - add an intake and your radio stops working, the radio gets repaced. Add an intake and the oxy sensor goes... will that be cash or credit card?
PS: I removed your 2nd post - you double posted exactly the same message.
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lol thats Dinu. Didnt mean to come of like I was picking a fight, not my intent.
Guess you didn't bother to click the links before you posted, huh? The entire act is there, in plain english. :shrug:mazdabuiltwhat said:
Hm... that's odd...mazdabuiltwhat said:
It's entirely common sense. I never claimed otherwise. Having added an aftermarket turbo to a brand new car (I custom ordered the car on 9/10/01, picked it up on 12/20/01 with 1 mile on it, and I turbocharged it at exactly 1200 miles), I can assure you that I'm quite familiar with the Act, its provisions, its extended rights, and its limitations.Kirk said:
Now that being said, we have established the following:
Your factory warranty, however, is not obligated to extend to your aftermarket parts or to any damage caused as a result of the installation of those parts.
So in a nutshell this summarizes the topic.
What's left to be discussed is how X modification affects warranty relating to Z part/component....
Your factory warranty, however, is not obligated to extend to your aftermarket parts or to any damage caused as a result of the installation of those parts.
So in a nutshell this summarizes the topic.
What's left to be discussed is how X modification affects warranty relating to Z part/component....
To that end, as also provisioned in the Act linked above, the manufacturer is under obligation (by law) to prove that your modification caused the failure to part Z.dinu01 said:
Example:
1. My turbo Miata runs lean and fries a piston as a result of improper fuel tuning on my part. That's my problem, and a responsibility I accept.
2. My crankshaft develops endplay. The dealer tries to cite my turbo as the cause, but other reports of similar failures on non-modified engines reach my attention. I demand that the cause is investigated, and it's found that my engine is ruined because of a defect in the manufacturing of the #4 main bearing. This is obviously not my fault, nor the result of my turbo installation, and Mazda is obligated to replace the engine under warranty (this was an actual issue with 99-00 Miatas). They are not obligated to remove/reinstall my turbo system.
As an adendum: by modifying the parts on your car, you assume responsibility for extra work being done to unrelated parts as a result of your modifications. Example: you need to have your fuel tank replaced under warranty. The factory authorized procedure is clearly outlined, and that is what the technician must adhere to. However, you've replaced your header and exhaust system with an aftermarket unit, both of which must be removed to provide access to the fuel tank (again, hypothetical example, but it happened to a club member's Miata). Since the tech needs to do more/different procedures than those outlined by Mazda (and the subsequent time alloted to do so by Mazda), you are responsible for any labor charges above and beyond those that are covered in the warranty procedure. That, in my opinion, is fair.
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