Warranty and modification questions

[Sammy]

Forgive me if this has been asked.

I am very interested in getting the American Racing full exhaust system. For the next 2 years or so I would not want to do anything that is going to void my warranty. American Racing Headers say that a tune is required for this system. I assume tuning the computer will void the warranty. The good news is American Racing Headers say they might be able to source a cat that might work without the tune. The last thing I want is to have my check engine light coming on all the time.

What do you guys think?

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[Big reg]

Pick up a pair 90 degree 02 sensor spacers for the down stream 02 sensors. They work by pulling the sensors from the direct exhaust and fooling them into reading less exhaust gasses thereby eliminating CEL's.

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[krt22]

I would go with high flow cats, no tune and less smell. If you arent going to tune it you wont be extracting max power either way, so no biggie on having the cats.

 

[Helmet]

According to the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637), It has to be proven that the modification is the cause of the warranty claim.

 

[krt22]

True, but if you engine blows and you have a tune, its a pretty cut and dry case.

 

[Sammy]

True, but if you engine blows and you have a tune, its a pretty cut and dry case.

Exactly.

One thing I didn't think of is without the aftermarket tune there would be no power gain. It makes sense though. Bummer

 

[Shift]

According to the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637), It has to be proven that the modification is the cause of the warranty claim.

According blah blah blah. I see this crap all over the net. People quote this like it's so clear cut, no gray areas.

You have a tune/engine mods and your engine blows. Ford denies your warranty because of XYZ mods. You can't just declare "I INVOKE THE MAGNUSSON MOSS ACT!" and Ford bows to you.

If Ford says your tune caused undue stress on the engine, when you know/think it's because of a factory defect, guess who has to fight an uphill battle? YOU. Have fun with your headache and stress, all the while your car is out of commission, and your up at night because a $15k-20k repair bill is looming over you.

 

[Helmet]

According blah blah blah. I see this crap all over the net. People quote this like it's so clear cut, no gray areas.

You have a tune/engine mods and your engine blows. Ford denies your warranty because of XYZ mods. You can't just declare "I INVOKE THE MAGNUSSON MOSS ACT!" and Ford bows to you.

If Ford says your tune caused undue stress on the engine, when you know/think it's because of a factory defect, guess who has to fight an uphill battle? YOU. Have fun with your headache and stress, all the while your car is out of commission, and your up at night because a $15k-20k repair bill is looming over you.

So how exactly would you quote it like it's not clear cut? No one said it would be so simple and sometimes it will require going to court with your lawyer.

 

[Shift]

So how exactly would you quote it like it's not clear cut? No one said it would be so simple and sometimes it will require going to court with your lawyer.

There's always someone in a thread about mods that brings up the Magnuson-Moss act to protect the consumer. Just a simple statement like what you said basically gives others a false sense of security.

Like saying to someone "How to get to the other side? Just cross the bridge, of course!".

They think everything is fine and dandy, until they actually need to cross the bridge and find out it's hanging by a thread.

I hardly ever see anyone go "Yea, you have the Magnuson Moss act, but if they deny your warranty, you're up shit creek and it's up to you to do all the legwork and fight an uphill battle to get your car repaired.

 

[krt22]

So how exactly would you quote it like it's not clear cut? No one said it would be so simple and sometimes it will require going to court with your lawyer.

Lol, good luck with all that, you'll spend more on lawyer fees than you will on repairing a blown motor.

The point of the act is more along the lines of the manufacturer using any modification to void an the warranty. So if you lower the car and your engine blows, they cant deny the claim. Or if you have an aftermarket tune and your strut blows, its pretty clear they are non-related.

Now if you have a tune and the engine blows and shows sign of pre-detonation, good luck proving that the tune could have contributed to the failure.

 

[AGGT350]

I guess no tuning for me. hashtag 526poniesisenogh

 

[nastang87xx]

Headers will not help your cause even without a tune.

 

[65sohc]

The Magnuson Moss Act has been mentioned literally thousands of times in the "virtual" sense, yet I have yet to read a single thread on any forum in which the poster's denial of warranty was successfully reversed by a lawyer invoking this act.

 

[eric n]

The Magnuson Moss Act has been mentioned literally thousands of times in the "virtual" sense, yet I have yet to read a single thread on any forum in which the poster's denial of warranty was successfully reversed by a lawyer invoking this act.

You could not be MORE CORRECT. When a few dozen have defended successfully with attorney's fees significantly less than the necessary repairs, I will consider tuning.

It's really a cost benefit thing for me. So I spend a few grand, pick up 40+ hp....awesome. I blow my motor and I'm out 10k+ less good. I will make due with only 526 hp as my skill set probably tops out way before the car does.

But, to each his or her own enjoy your car the way that you choose.

 

[stanglife]

So I have to side with the manufacturer here. If you tune the car, you are changing the factory calibration and I think it's within their right to deny a claim related to premature engine failure. Same for headers - even without a tune they can change the way the engine works (more or less volume of air moved, perhaps cause a sensor to read incorrectly).

If you want to mod, then mod - but we need to accept the responsibility that comes with it - that is, you're on the hook for certain damages that would otherwise be covered under warranty. Everyone wants their cake and to eat it too - but it doesn't work that way.

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