Warranty voided?

[EG6boi]

Hey folks,

So I was talking to some guys at Honda about installing some parts on my car (OEM and Aftermarket) .They said that as long as it's Honda genuine parts or it's installed at a Honda dealership, it does not tamper with my warranty.

Is this true? Or they BS'ing me?

TIA

- J

[Gary@UrbanX]

Depends on what kind of parts you are talking about.

You might want to list what kind of mods you are thinking about. Im sure someone here went through the same experience as you will be and will give you their input.

[EG6boi]

I was looking at installing Eibach lowering springs. The guy (he seems like a nice guy) told me, as long as it's installed at a Honda dealership, you are not voiding the warranty.

[Xtrema]

Aftermarket spring and stock shock will mean shock warranty will be gone.

Any damages due to the lowering will not be covered by warranty either.

That said, if a dealer is willing to do the job, you have a better leg to stand on when issue comes up. And given if you don't lower it by too much, it shouldn't be an issue.

[94boosted]

To add to what Xtrema said any aftermarket modification you do should in theory only void the warranty on the compotent(s) that it directly affects i.e. if your struts s**t the bed after you install lowering springs your SOL for warranty coverage on the struts but if your engine explodes or radio stops working it has absolutely nothing to do with the lowering springs so in theory at least your warranty will not be voided on those unrelated components.

On that note there are a few dealers around town that once they see any modifications on a car they will be difficult to deal with.

[Skrilla]

^^^

Correct. When I worked for a dealer this is how they went about aftermarket additions. If they can directly relate the "issue" to your "mod" (and they will try i'm sure) then your warranty is gone for that particular issue. However if its something ridiculous like your motor going, and them saying no warranty because of lower springs then they are full of it.

[A790]

Pretty much covers it. A lot of the time salespeople will just feed you a line so you'll sign the dotted one... just sayin'.

[EG6boi]

I just contacted another guy and he said he would recommend that I wait on the aftermarket parts because the dealership might void my warranty on it.

He says, if I get HFP or genuine parts, it does not void my warrant either.

[K3RMiTdot]

i have HFP and acura parts on my car, they havent said anything yet!

[EG6boi]

Originally posted by K3RMiTdot
i have HFP and acura parts on my car, they havent said anything yet!

Hey, did you pick up your HFP parts from the dealership or...?

[K3RMiTdot]

from a guy who works at the dealership and from another guy in ontario

[Toyota Racing]

At Toyota I think they said as long as you don't instal like electric components like a push start you should be alright?:dunno:

[ExtraSlow]

Dealerships will say a lot of things beforehand, and then they will say a lot of different thigns afterwards. Ask them to put it in writing that your warranty is unaffected.

Truth is that most dealers try like hell to avoid doing warranty work, and will use any excuse they can to get out of it. Aftermarket parts are an often used excuse, even if it's bullshit and it doesn't realte to the current problem.

[Cos]

.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I don't know why dealers avoid warranty work, we still get paid either from the customer or the manufacture.

[Sugarphreak]

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[JRSC00LUDE]

Back in the day the local Honda dealer here tried to pull that BS on me with my Prelude....."it'll void warranty unless we install it" and then the service department refused to install any aftermarket parts..... Six blocks down the road at the Acura dealer where the RSX was from they had ZERO issue with aftermarket parts (within reason of course) affecting warranty OR with installing them.

Dealership staff (i'm generalizing here) are typically just different shades of liars and scam artists. That being said, a good dealership run by good people (somewhat a rarity) is typically quite trouble free and only give you a hard time if YOU are an asshole about things.

[rpalm35]

I know on my Honda, the only form of suspension modification I can use is the HFP suspension. Everything else will void warranty.

And with the Engine. I was told that the only thing I could install was SRI (no CAI, because they didn't want hydro lock to fuck over the engine) and a Cat back exhaust. If the cat gets deleted, out with my entire engine warranty. Wasn't allowed headers, and wasn't allowed a down pipe either, unfortunately.

also, no Hondata Flashpro, but that one is pretty obvious. And even if you put it in, and take it out when you get warranty work done, they WILL check the ECU to see if it has been tampered with, and as far as my knowledge is concerned, on newer Honda's you can't erase that information. Once they see it was installed once, warranty fried.

[bourge73]

Maybe don't lower it? get a CAI (short ram (maybe on the hydrolock issue of the fender wall type), exhaust, rims/tires they can't say shit about any of those types of mods.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Depends on 4 Key Things IMO:

1) If you abuse the car and they suspect it, they will probably just void it anyway even if you do nothing (see point 4 as well)

2) If you have the dealer install the parts and give you a written statement it will likely not void the warranty… at that dealer (see point 4 in addition to this point)

3)How obvious it is the aftermarket part caused the failure of a specific component (if you come in with blown struts after installing springs it will void the warranty on that component). Also refer to point 4.

4) The mood of the person behind the counter determines everything… sometimes they will warranty stuff that is obviously outside of the scope of what they are responcible for, other times they will void it because you look at them funny.



Refer to point 4 above, lol

I'm a service advisor for GM, it's not so much my mood, it's how much of a prick the customer is. That being said if I can can get it through warranty I will, because that makes the customer happy and thats what makes them return to spend money later.

[Sorath]

I dont know why service advisors can be such pricks sometimes, Its not like they dont get paid on warranty work, as long as its not a obvious abuse/issue that can lead them back to the manufacture declining the warranty claim during an audit everyone wins? :dunno:

[HO2S]

Originally posted by Sorath
I dont know why service advisors can be such pricks sometimes, Its not like they dont get paid on warranty work, as long as its not a obvious abuse/issue that can lead them back to the manufacture declining the warranty claim during an audit everyone wins? :dunno:

You have no idea how much shit service advisers have to put up with. You have to deal with straight up ass holes and morons. The best one I have heard is a shop could not get a customer in due to it being really busy. the customer had a appointment and this was unacceptable, so in all seriouness the customer demanded the he be picked up from the shop and taken to work in a helicopter. You get other customers that are like " I think your trying to rip me off, I know how this shit works im a engineer" Oh really, what kind are you? " Im a civil engineer".
If you march in and demand shit and cause problems your going to get told to beat it. If you work with them and be reasonable you will get alot farther.

[Sugarphreak]

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[Sorath]

Originally posted by HO2S


You have no idea how much shit service advisers have to put up with. You have to deal with straight up ass holes and morons. The best one I have heard is a shop could not get a customer in due to it being really busy. the customer had a appointment and this was unacceptable, so in all seriouness the customer demanded the he be picked up from the shop and taken to work in a helicopter. You get other customers that are like " I think your trying to rip me off, I know how this shit works im a engineer" Oh really, what kind are you? " Im a civil engineer".
If you march in and demand shit and cause problems your going to get told to beat it. If you work with them and be reasonable you will get alot farther.

rofl im pretty sure i have more idea than most people in this forum.... and i still stand by thoughts

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


Still along the same lines as I was saying, it can be hit or miss based on who is signing off.

I stopped going in for warranty work unless it is something really major now.... way too much hassle to drop it off, all to often they pretend nothing is wrong because they didn't get to it before I am supposed to pick it up, then there is always the risk that attention will be drawn to unrelated aftermarket parts and I could get stiffed with a bill in excess of 10 times of what it would cost me to do myself.

For instance I noticed the seal on my transfer case went when I was installing a 4" lift... really it shouldn't have gone yet with only 22K on the truck, and the fact they just rebuilt it at only 11K. The amount of hassle involved in dropping it off, the potential for them to claim it isn't covered under warranty due to the lift I just installed (despite the failure occurring before then) and being stiffed with a $600 bill for a 30$ part that takes all of 20 minutes to install just isn't worth it.

I know what your saying and agree it depends who is signing off but you also have to remember most service advisors don't actually have a ton of automotive knowledge especially when they start and they think because something is modified it automatically voids the warranty.

[CMW403]

I think overall, modding a car like that lands you in the stereotype of ricer and the dealership will fight tooth and nail to argue that anything broken was a result of your use and abuse.

I think the safest bet would be to only do aesthetic modifications until your warranty is up. Just my $.02

[Sugarphreak]

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[Xtrema]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Come to think of it, now that I have stopped getting warranty work and doing my own oil/fluid changes... no more problems have occured.

When I was a kid, Ford service overfilled the Taurus and killed the seal. To many retards in the dealership service industry.

[e31]

Years ago, I took my 20 year old truck for an oil change at Eastside Dodge (got a coupon, normally I do it myself). They did the oil change and over-torqued the drain plug. Next oil change I try to remove the plug and I cannot even budge it with a 1/2" breaker bar. That means well over 300 ft/lbs on a drain plug. I'm amazed it didn't shear off.

So, I "scheduled" an oil change with Eastside again. Drop it off, get a call to pick it up. Guess what, they can't loosen the drain plug, so I tell them that a new oil pan & complimentary oil change should be covered by warranty. They piss and moan saying that the warranty is void because of age, etc. They bitched until I pointed out the receipt with mileage, then everybody shut up.

Been to that place sporadically over the last 15 years, never had a good experience with service, warranty, sales, anything.