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Tomster
Beware of idiots
Any aftermarket performance cold air intake on the 350 requires a tune. Is this any different?
Jstang23
Well-Known Member
Yes a tune will void the warranty. No way around that. But the dealership has to prove that the tune caused the damage. So if you have a suspension part break they won't void your warranty for an engine tune. But anything happens with the engine or drivetrain you're SOL
Tomster
Beware of idiots
I think the way it would work is if they found a tune, they would automatically deny the warranty work and the burden would be on you.
That is the way it works. There was a guy on here who ran into this issue and he agreed to pay Ford for a partial teardown. It was found the issue wasn't related to the tune and Ford wound up paying for the teardown.
He was very lucky
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Jstang23
Well-Known Member
Nope, the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act prohibits dealerships from automatically denying your warranty claim. The dealerships are required to show a substantial amount of proof that the tune you installed directly affects the part that broke. They can't automatically deny any warranty work, there is a process they have to go through to "protect" themselves from the MMWA.
If you had an engine issue then absolutely they would deny warranty work on a tuned engine/ accompanying drivetrain parts. Anything that the tune would cause extra "stress" would be under the umbrella for possible denied warranty work. The guy you mentioned was indeed very lucky.
In this specific situation, the cold air intake requires a tune to run properly. If you started to develop an issue regarding the engine or related parts (transmission, driveshaft, diff, etc.) and they found a tune on your ECU, they would have a very straightforward process to deny your warranty work. Just keep the stock airbox and switch it over to the stock tune and reinstall the airbox when you need warranty work done.
Tomster
Beware of idiots
And what they do in real life is not the same. The result is though, you hire a lawyer and spend lots and lots of money and maybe you will win, maybe you won't.
Jstang23
Well-Known Member
Look man I don't want to get in a full blown argument with you. I don't think you understand the gravity of the MMWA. This is exactly what happens in the real life. The only way that what you are saying happens in the real life is for people who don't know jack about cars and get taken advantage of by the dealership in a lot of other ways.
I used to work for a dealership as a service advisor and I can tell you the punishment from the parent company is very very severe for violating the MMWA. No dealership would dare take it that far it goes to court. Sure, you might get some pushback and have to speak with the service manager about it, but I can promise you it will never go to court. No dealership has the time or money to go to court, and if for some reason it goes, you'll win because there is a stated federal law about it. Back to your story of the partial tear down. Ford found that the issue actually had nothing to do with the tune and consequently they had no proof to deny the work under warranty.
Now, if you're trying to pull some shady stuff off by tuning it, having something break on the engine and saying it's not tuned, they'll deny the work. Every time.
The quick and painless way to avoid this is just take it to another dealer if they are giving you crap about denying warranty work.
SheepDog
Well-Known Member
Waste of money. You will see negligible if any gains.Anyone have this GT350 JLT intake? Any HP gains or problems with install?
- Banned
- #10
With a tune to optimize an intake there isn’t enough of a difference in rwhp for you to notice. But it’ll make the exhaust note ten times better.
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Tomster
Beware of idiots
I get it, but people who claim the MMWA and think it's strictly complied with are living in a fantasy land.
Ford and extended coverages do all they can to deny a warranty and put the burden on you to prove otherwise. Go back to La La land.
You aren't going to teach me anything and I'm not trying to do the same. I know what I'm talking about.
Go tune your car and they will count the keystrokes. Let's see what happens when you are in a world of hurt. I know someone in that exact same position and they left him out to dry.
"I don't know what happened, it just blew up".
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Jstang23
Well-Known Member
Nope, I follow the law. At least for Range Rover, the punishment for violating the MMWA is immediate termination as the dealership is now liable for criminal fraud. Most cases will end in the dealership just being liable for fixing the car, but a few have resulted in massive fines and jail time. I left the dealership because I decided to pursue my Ph.D in automotive engineering.
Please don't tell me to go back to La La Land, It's childish. I never said to tune your car and try to go cheat the dealership into replacing your blown engine. If you blow an engine from a tune, then no dealership will ever touch it. That's the gamble with tuning and why I keep my cars stock drivetrain. I try to avoid dealerships anytime I can anyways.
Respectfully, you still don't understand it. I'm not going to try and convince you anymore.
Cheers
Tomster
Beware of idiots
Good. Just because that was the way you ran it doesn't mean that is the way it always works. Also, you and the tech report to Ford and submit a warranty claim. You don't make the decision, it is the people at Ford or the ESP warranty that the car is covered under.
I know of a guy who is stuck with an engine replacement as well as a transmission replacement because they (Ford) put the burden on him. He attended an HPDE event and they (Ford) called it racing and abuse. They used a loophole that was not applicable to the situation. Now he is facing having to shovel out mucho dinero to retain counsel and maybe, just maybe, get his car fixed.
A potential 30K repair bill and I can guarantee you they will be looking for ways to wiggle out of that one. And they did.
MMWA, what a joke.
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Jstang23
Well-Known Member
If it was tuned at some point before the engine failed then yes absolutely the burden is on him! The MMWA also goes both ways and protects dealerships from people trying to scam them out of warranty work that they aren't liable for. So you bet they are going to try and wiggle their way out of it if they suspect something is up. If a dealership is doing that with no tune, no engine mods, no nothing then go to a different dealership man.
You do realize that ANY racing, unless its a Mach 1 or shelby is strictly not warrantable right?!
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