Tuner/Warranty question
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New User
Joined: Jul 2008
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Tuner/Warranty question
My brother just bought an 05 powerstroke that still has the factory warranty but it did have a tuner on it at one time. It has been put back to stock but is his warranty still void. If he does have an issue can the dealer tell that it once had a tuner?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
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From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
On the flip side he may never have an issue, it all depends.
However, there are methods that a dealership can do that would help them to determine if a tuner was used.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 15,368
Likes: 121
From: Stuttgart, Ar
FWIW--a dealership can't void a warranty. I wouldn't worry about it. If you're concerned about the tuner, the easiest way to wipe the PCM is to disconnect the battery cables for 10 minutes and turn the light switch on. That will clear the KAM and all you can see is that the batteries have been disconnected.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
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From: Middle Tn.
FWIW--a dealership can't void a warranty. I wouldn't worry about it. If you're concerned about the tuner, the easiest way to wipe the PCM is to disconnect the battery cables for 10 minutes and turn the light switch on. That will clear the KAM and all you can see is that the batteries have been disconnected.
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New User
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Well the issue is that he did get an oasis and there was nothing on it. After he bought the truck (about 100 miles from home) he stopped to eat and fill it up and a guy approached him saying that he was the one that traded it in on a new truck. My brother asked some questions and the guy said that he ran an SCT Tuner on it, he did say that he never got too radical with the tunes but one never knows. He is now kind of worried that if something goes wrong, the dealership will know it was once tuned and void his warranty.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 971
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From: IA MN SD
Does your brother plan to buy the ESP warranty? His factory warranty will be up shortly, since it's a 2005. So unless he plans to buy the extended warranty from Ford, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2002
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He can honestly say he's never had a tuner on it...
so his moral authority is fine
Some say the star pattern on the pistons is a dead give away, but many on other sites have shown star patterns on stock engines....
disconnecting batteries happens all the time... especially if it is time for batteries
so his moral authority is fine
Some say the star pattern on the pistons is a dead give away, but many on other sites have shown star patterns on stock engines....
disconnecting batteries happens all the time... especially if it is time for batteries
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New User
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Yes he did buy it at a ford dealership and he had already bought the extended warranty by the time he found out that it had a tuner on it. Yes he can say that he honestly never had a tuner on it but if they can tell that there was once a tuner hooked up then they could void his warrenty. If they can tell that there was a tuner, can they tell when it was on there as far as a time line to justify it being there prior to his purchase. Is the only way they can tell by the damage it does or can they tell electronically some how.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 971
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From: IA MN SD
His choices are (1) try and return the truck, or (2) keep the truck and not worry about it.
Based on what I've read on here and other forums, there are many dealerships that wont make an issue of a truck being tuned as long as the stock tune is in it when you bring it in for service. Do you have several Ford dealerships to choose from in your area, should the truck need service? If so, feel them out a bit. Ask each dealership point blank, before they know the VIN, if they would make an issue of it.
If Ford corporate discovers that the truck was tuned at some time in the past and voids the warranty, whether your brother or the previous owner did the tuning will be irrelevant.
Based on what I've read on here and other forums, there are many dealerships that wont make an issue of a truck being tuned as long as the stock tune is in it when you bring it in for service. Do you have several Ford dealerships to choose from in your area, should the truck need service? If so, feel them out a bit. Ask each dealership point blank, before they know the VIN, if they would make an issue of it.
If Ford corporate discovers that the truck was tuned at some time in the past and voids the warranty, whether your brother or the previous owner did the tuning will be irrelevant.
Senior User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 407
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From: Humble, Texas
I'd imagine since he bought it at a Ford dealer, the service department has already had it hooked up to their diagnostic machine and they either did not detect a tuner or they returned it to stock. In either case, they sold him an extended warranty so they attested to him that the warranty is in full force. If they ever try to void it, it would be an interesting lawsuit to determine the dealership liability for selling a warranty for a truck that was ineligible.
I wouldn't worry about it. Although I'd keep the name and number of the previous owner handy.
I wouldn't worry about it. Although I'd keep the name and number of the previous owner handy.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
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From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
1. It would first go thru arbitration before the lawsuit and that has it's own pitfalls for the truck owner
and
2. They could argue that the damaged was caused after they had sold him the extended warranty. How successful that is I don't know, but they could try something like that. They might be more creative and find something a little more likely(although it isn't beyond the realm of possibility).
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