track app nullifies warranty?

[twold]

Took my car to the nearest Fordstore yesterday to have leaking oil filter replaced ,puddle lamp,wiring recall.The mechanic ,nice guy and mustang fan ,suggested to me that they had been told to reject certain claims on vehicles that have logged a 0-60,1/8,1/4 mile etc as they are track apps and track use nullifies warranty ,and he had looked at my one log of 0-60 @7.3:lol:.He did not give the impression that he was taking the piss regarding use of track apps,has anyone else heard this before.

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[SteveS]

I imagine they'd struggle to make that stick. Effectively supplying a car with a "nullify warranty" button ;)

 

[twold]

I know what you mean but it was said in a friendly 'between you and me ,you've been warned' sort of way ,and he mentioned that it came in a memo (from where?) so I am inclined to believe that this has at least been discussed at the dealers.

 

[Jimboy2]

You can just clear those right? I'm sure they won't be stored on the Ecu

 

[Manders Mustang]

Using track apps... removes warranty... he's having a fooken laugh isn't he?!

Or he's just an idiot.

I think what he maybe reffering to is thinking you've used the car on the track, and is worried that, that would nullify the warranty (WHICH it doesn't).

Anyway, for example;
Gibbo has his car, it's highly modified, and that's evident just looking at it, he's also got a tune, which invalidates his engine warranty, he's had two oil coolers fixed under warranty. He also has tracked it, drag raced it, and has times saved on his track section - yet as of this week, he's having something fixed under warranty
My car has mods, and i've had work fixed under warranty.

The issue with Mods, or anything on the car, is they invalidate warranty for that specific part. For example; An exhaust invalidates warranty claims on the stock exhaust/exhaust system (from the cats backwards); for all warranty claims 'rejected' it's up to ford to prove >WHY< the warranty claim is rejected, and if so;- Why a certain modification (OR A STOPWATCH...that ford built into the car in your case) has caused a certain issue; and if it has, how that mod caused it. It's not up to you to prove it.


P.s; your dealer sounds like an absolute reprobate, who is stupid enough to think "Ford put a track apps to track certain things on the car, if you use that, it invalidates your warranty" yeah as if Ford would willingly put a button to drop warranty without warning, that's stupid (and illegal).

I'd like to see this 'Memo' because it sounds like he's just trying to find a way to fob off warranty claims, equally; you can reset the numbers before going and they'd be none the wiser without an ECU log check. And even then, if it's much like a computers log, it'll just state that a system was reset.

 

[twold]

You can just clear those right? I'm sure they won't be stored on the Ecu

His words were that it had been' logged' and said in a tone that suggested it was stored in the ecu

@ manders
This was the first time I have used the dealer and I must say they have been the friendliest most Mustang enthusiastic dealer I have been to.I don't think it was said as a threat ,more of a warning that this has been discussed and the option is available to them if they so choose to use it as a get out.They happily changed my oil filter so I was unaffected on this occasion.

 

[Manders Mustang]

His words were that it had been' logged' and said in a tone that suggested it was ecu.

Bet he thinks your car is a Mondeo too, and that ECU stands for Eternal Care Unit....

:ford::ford::ford::ford::ford:

 

[Lone Survivor]

The following may be an urban myth, but I've read somewhere that using launch control on a GTR nullifies the gearbox warranty. I do know that the ECU is intensely and aggressively interrogated with any warranty claim on them.

So it might not be that daft, probably is, but more doubt for owners :lol:

 

[Manders Mustang]

The following may be an urban myth, but I've read somewhere that using launch control on a GTR nullifies the gearbox warranty. I do know that the ECU is intensely and aggressively interrogated with any warranty claim on them.

So it might not be that daft, probably is, but more doubt for owners :lol:

I fucked the warranty on the GTR at loughborough Everyman Racing then :lol::lol:

 

[Thunder_Horse]

I know on other cars the use of launch control or going over a set amount of launches will invalidate warranty on the transmission. All this should be spelled out in the T&C's of the warranty however.

As much as i doubt the use of track apps could invalidate a warranty if your clutch is screwed and you have a serious number of launches logged you can be sure they will use it against you.

 

[Gibbo205]

His words were that it had been' logged' and said in a tone that suggested it was stored in the ecu

@ manders
This was the first time I have used the dealer and I must say they have been the friendliest most Mustang enthusiastic dealer I have been to.I don't think it was said as a threat ,more of a warning that this has been discussed and the option is available to them if they so choose to use it as a get out.They happily changed my oil filter so I was unaffected on this occasion.

They sell a sports car that they publish performance figures for. If they try to suggest that driving it in a manner to achieve claimed performance figures voids warranty, they are idiots.

You could simply bend them over, lube them up and say OK so every Mustang is not fit for purpose then as your saying the claimed performance figures void warranty, as such you cannot claim the car can do it at all and that the car should never be driven in a sporty manner, as such might as well fit them all with 2l diesel engines....

All they can void realistically is clutch, claim it as wear and tear due to launch control being used, even the voiding of warranty for track usage is also cloudy as again its a sports car and Ford held a performance track day at Silverstone for us to push our cars to their limits in safe environment. I do not remember signing or reading any kind of disclosure that mentioned participating in such event would void our warranty on our vehicles.

The guy you spoke to is an idiot, your warranty is not at risk.

 

[Lone Survivor]

I know on other cars the use of launch control or going over a set amount of launches will invalidate warranty on the transmission. All this should be spelled out in the T&C's of the warranty however.

As much as i doubt the use of track apps could invalidate a warranty if your clutch is screwed and you have a serious number of launches logged you can be sure they will use it against you.

Yeah and, as with ALL cars, the clutch only carries a limited warranty, probably only 3-6k miles or 6 months.

 

[twold]

I know on other cars the use of launch control or going over a set amount of launches will invalidate warranty on the transmission. All this should be spelled out in the T&C's of the warranty however.

As much as i doubt the use of track apps could invalidate a warranty if your clutch is screwed and you have a serious number of launches logged you can be sure they will use it against you.

Porsche warn the same re overrevs but take into account the time period at overrev to make their decision.Anyway I probably lose my drivetrain warranty in 10 days when Modurstang fit my Whipple stage 1 which the dealer also confirmed would be the case(review ,pics to follow).

 

[Gibbo205]

Porsche warn the same re overrevs but take into account the time period at overrev to make their decision.Anyway I probably lose my drivetrain warranty in 10 days when Modurstang fit my Whipple stage 1 which the dealer also confirmed would be the case(review ,pics to follow).

Porsche over-revs do not stop you driving the car as they intended.

They have 6 rev ranges:

Range 1: Typically set at vehicle RPM cut off limiter.
Range 2: Typically 100-200rpm above set limiter.
Range 3: 200-400rpm above set limiter.
Range 4: 400-500rpm above limiter.
Range 5: 500+ over
Range 6: 1000+ over


Range 1 and 2 have no impact on warranty claims, as they are triggered just when bumping into the limiter on acceleration.

Range 3: Again does not void warranty but a car should have very few ignition cycles in this range, if it does it does mean the car has being driven hard and has bumped the limiter hard, such as hard acceleration downhill.

Range 4, 5 & 6: Range 4 is cloudy, Porsche will investigate the claim and Germany that makes the decision whether or not they carry out under warranty or void or not, there is also an hours counter, so if the Range 4 hit happened say 100 hours before the car came in for warranty work it is obvious this range 4 over-rev has not caused the issue. However if the Range 4 over-rev happened less than a few hours ago and the car is in for engine, trans work it is most likely due to the over-rev and Porsche will most likely decline the warranty or will do a 50/50, so customer pays for parts, Porsche pay for labour.

Range 5 & 6: These are normally money shifts, any car with these ranges should be walked away from unless its already had a new engine. Porsche will decline warranty on any such car and will also not normally allow you to purchase an extended warranty for such cars, though on rare occaison such cars have being warrantied by Porsche again if engine/trans already replaced or the over-rev happened a long time ago in the cars life and as such no damage occur.


In short if buying a Porsche, get a full inspection by Porsche, also gets the bores scoped (if 997.1 and earlier) and of course get the over-rev report printed out, if a car has more than 10 ignitions in range 4 or higher, walk away. A good car will have no over-revs reports in 3 and above, it is quite normal to see several thousand in range 1 and 2 however.

Porsche system is very good and fair, however Porsche do now allow modifications of any kind on extended warranty, you even have to fit Porsche N Spec rated tyres and even wiper blades and Porsche battery to get a Porsche extended warranty haha. Of course being on good terms with your dealer helps with such matters.

 

[McDoodle]

You would think the warranty would be fine - I do believe Ford refer to the track apps in their marketing blurb with no mention of warranty issues - however, they have successfully managed to screw everyone over on the underseal even, in my case, going back on their agreement to do the work - so it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to wriggle out of anything.

As a footnote, I guess this would also mean you could forget maintaining the warranty if fitting an official Ford power pack (if they ever get to the UK).

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