even thou we have laws on our side to keep this from happening. over the past week we have had 6 - 05/06 ford trucks towed in with cancled warrentys and very big cost repair bills .
i thought you guys might like to know as all of them had been cancled for .lift kits and emmissions changes done in front of the cats . seems the dealers are cracking down big time around me on the hot rodded/altered ones and are paying attension to the warrenty laws on the federal books that protect us.

stinks having to do repairs for a guy who should have had it for free. but altered is altered in the books. esp when it sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

I have heard of factory spies hanging out at dragstrips to take pictures and keep tabs on VIN's and license plates. Then they refuse warraty work on vehicles that match the list.

 

same out here.in fact when i was still working and a feild tech for VW i was one of those guys.
money is very tight and companies are trying to stay alive. so where do they start. by enforceing the warrenty laws.

i felt as i had seen it first hand. that many of us who have done or are planing on mods would like to know so they can think twice before they get caught with their pants down. in each case i had the trucks had failed automatic tranies or drive train problems.
stinks big time but in each case the customer had a letter saying why their warrenty was canceled.

 

I don't understand why people choose to ignore their warranties. The warranties are very explicit about performance mods voiding the warranty.

Another example are dummies using NON-API oil products, and paying such an inflated price for it over API certified oip products!!

 

Nuking the whole warranty, say for a suspension lift, is against Federal law. When a service writer, I have helped deny claims, like when I found pieces of rubber in the wheel well of a Camaro with a broken rear axle. Voiding the whole warranty is a whole other issue and I think anyone who fought it with those dealers would either

1) win
or
2) cause a serious decrease in sales of the product in the area.

> emmissions changes done in front of the cats .

I can see denying an emissions claim, but, I don't think someone might have enough to deny a blown engine. If it gets to court, cause and effect are tough things to prove and I do not care what the fine print in the warranty/owner's manual says either.

A smart service manager will take someone to the side and say something to the effect "we are paying for this now, but, if I ever see your vehicle in here again for said problem with this on the vehicle, then I am denying the claim". Most people will stop abusing the vehicle or remove the mod (chip) before bring it back in. Which covers you.

It is a good head ups on not to automatically expect service after modding your vehicle. Especially if it is not fully paid for before you mod it.

 

these all where psd's . lifted and so blantanly altered that no one in their correct mind would except it to be covered but these guys did and lost.
i know we have laws on our side. but in some cases it's no help. these where the no help guys .
it can stick and i have have been on the end that has made it stick many times . altered is a voided warrenty contract by any law .

 

> altered is a voided warrenty contract by any law

Totally untrue, if you were a member of SEMA you would know better, obviously not.

 

Please be more specific Captain............there is no way Ford can deny any warranty claim because of a lift EXCEPT for the parts the lift affects: U joints, most suspension pieces, MAYBE the tailstock of the transfer case etc....


Ford/dealer would lose bigtime on any motor/AC/electrical etc...warranty claim if they denied them over a lift....

It's called the Moss Magnuson (???) act.

 

Wrong, motor tranny, and diffs can be voided if the vehicle is lifted, it's called modifying the vehicle for competition, or purposes not within the design parameters. A lift will stand up in court as proof of probable abuse, trust me I have seen it happen. Oh and modifications in front of the cat will void the entire drivetrain warrenty, it's called more power caused the breakage and it does infact stand up in court everytime it's tried.
And sorry rebo SEMA can't do anything about it.

 

I agree on the power/drivetrain comment.

I go to SEMA every year and I will argue your lift statement till the end....unless the vehicle is proved to be used for competition, no court will assume that.

The problem is most people don't have the time or money to fight it.

Again, it's called the Moss magnuson (??) act.


On a side note, Google Galpin Ford. They install MANY aftermarket lifts and suspension kits..........they wouldn't dare deny a warranty claim based on JUST an installation. (my brother in law is a GM there)

 

Maybe someone needs to post a copy of the warrenty terms?

 

Here is a portion of it... I dont know why they make so vague, why not just say "modifying such-and-such voids the warranty" that would clear it up.

The way it reads, it does not seem like they could "cancel" a warranty, maybe refuse a repair, but lets say you have a lift, and your sunroof motor or cd player fails, what then?

Damage Caused by Alteration or Modification
The New Vehicle Limited Warranty does not cover any damage caused by:
² alterations or modifications of the vehicle, including the body, chassis, or
components, after the vehicle leaves the control of Ford Motor Company
² tampering with the vehicle, tampering with the emissions systems or with
the other parts that affect these systems (for example, but not limited to
exhaust and intake systems)
² the installation or use of a non-Ford Motor Company part (other than a
9certified9 emissions part) or any part (Ford or non-Ford) designed for
9off-road use only9 installed after the vehicle leaves the control of Ford
Motor Company, if the installed part fails or causes a Ford part to fail. Examples
include, but are not limited to lift kits, oversized tires, roll bars,
cellular phones, alarm systems, automatic starting systems and
performance-enhancing powertrain components, and performance ‘‘chips’’

 

bcjim- The Ford warranty doesn't sound vague to me. They specifcally mention lifts, chips, exhaust and intake systems, and other performance enhancing modifications. Pretty straight forward if you ask me. Lift=warranty denied. So, modify after the warranty period, or you may not be covered. As for me, I don't blame Ford at all here, when I see the quality of most aftermarket parts. (one size fits all, just cut this, drill a hole here, chop into the wiring harness over there, grind a little off here, etc.)

 

so, if i install 31" tires instead of the 30" tires that came with my truck......ford can void my warrenty?

 

bf250 that would depend, was your truck ever available with 31" tires? if it's a tire size that was available and you take it in for speedo recalibration at an authorized dealer then it shouldn't be a problem. but as evidenced by problems listed in another thread the larger tires was one of the excuses used to void the warrenty due to the odmeter bieng off and not showing actual mileage towards the 36,000 mile warrenty.