What mods can I do w/o voiding warranty?

[Siggy33]

Well, this is my first new car I have ever had so I've never dealt with a warranty before...and on top of that I've only owned Z28s before this - so I have no experience with Ford and their warranty program. My '06 GT will hopefully be arriving in a month or two and I'm trying to figure out what I can do without voiding my warranty (I want to keep it for just a little bit in case the car has some "teething" problems). Exhaust? CAI? Obviously not a tune...but what? Does it change from dealer to dealer? So many questions...anybody want to field this one?

 

[BlackGT05]

I asked my dealer before spending any money on mods. Unlike others I don't feel like reversing the mod back to stock condition every time I take it in for service. The mods you can perform depend on the dealer. Mine for example is only hesitant to major changes like a supercharger. Axelback exhaust or midpipe is most likely ok if you keep stock cats. Appearance mods like springs, body kits and wheels depend on the dealer.

 

[FLY2kGT]

Legal answer: Warranty must be honored unless the modifications you made caused the part failure, e.g. You change exhaust and have a problem with water pump=you get water pump fixed.

Real World Answer: By the time you fight any warranty work with an attorney, you will have payed for the repairs already. Be realistic and calculate the chances before you modify anything.

FYI...this is just my two cents worth, please no flames.

 

[FL2005GT]

I went through the same questions when I modded my 2000 GT. It was a bit easier to tune, though. I had cat-back, CAI, and gears, factory tune, with no engine warning light probs. With those mods, I had no problems when I took it to the dealership for warranty work.

Technically, ANY mods you make can void warranty coverage on any problem areas, if the dealership claims the mods contributed to the failure. Allegedly, they have to be able to prove that the mod caused the problem. Who knows. Either way, good luck fighting them if they want to be difficult.

I called around about putting headers on my 2000 GT and got different answers from every Ford shop I talked to. Some are more forgiving of mods than others.

With the 2005+, you can almost certainly get axle-back mufflers and can probably get gears without issue. CAI's mostly require retunes now, and when you mention changing the stock programming to dealerships, they get really ansi. If you buy FRPP's and have the dealership install the parts (more $$, of course) you MIGHT have better luck if you have problems.

Bottom line, the more extreme the mods, the more likely they'll try to nail you. You might also have to shop around for a mod-friendly dealer.

 

[Siggy33]

So, if I find another dealer in the San Diego area that is more lenient with the mods, I can go through them instead of the dealer I bought the car from? Is that what you guys are saying? Keep in mind...I have never worked with or through a dealer...ever...I have always done my own work, so bear with me if I'm slow on the uptake.

Or maybe I'll just give my dealer a call tomorrow...

 

[Finn McCool]

I think you'd be fine with a catback, shifter and some nice wheels.

 

[FL2005GT]

You can take your car to ANY certified Ford dealership for warranty work. I didn't buy any of my three former/current Fords from the Ford dealer down the street from my house, but I go there for warranty work for the convenience. They've been very easy to work with.

Will the dealership you buy the car from be more lenient towards mods, just because you bought from them? Maybe. Will a different dealer in your area be easier for some random reason? Who knows?

Any time you mod, you take some risk that you'll get static when you go in for warranty work. The more you mod, the more likely you'll be to void your warranty. From browsing the forums and talking to a couple of dealerships, I get the *feeling* (no hard facts here) that once you start adding mods that require re-tunes, the service departments start to get twitchy.

 

[Alec]

Read up on the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act.

Most of this stuff like "cold air" and flashing the chip will be grounds for denial.

Sometimes you gotta get with reality and realize this is your daily driver, and if you want Ford to repair it then don't mod it.
If you want a race car then your gonna have to fix it yourself.

Mufflers, wheels

 

[DarkFireGT]

just ask the dealer and have them put it in writing what you can and cannot do. i've been to 3 different dealers at different times asking questions. One only cared if I had a chip/tune. didn't care about my o/r pipe on my '03 at all. another dealer said that would void warranty and they wouldn't work on it. and another didn't care about any mods... really just depends on the dealer.

 

[Alec]

The "my dealer is cool" situation only works if you break down in your city/town. If you're out of town/state well then

 

[Siggy33]

muchas gracias gentlemen, I'll call my dealer today (and dealers around the area) and see what they say.

 

[celticstanger]

Most dealers which do a healthy trade in AM parts will be more inclined to be fair on warranty work. There's enough of them around to be sure that wherever you go, there's a good chance some local dealer will look at your tranny issue (for example) and understand that a CAI didn't cause the problem. The truth is, look at what you're changing, try to understand what is has the potential to break, then work out your risk is from there.

I've been to a number of dealers with my car and had a bunch of warranty work done without any trouble. There's a lot of myth in here on this, and also some good threads from guys who actually know what they're talking about. Try searching and tracking down some of those threads - some are EXTREMELY helpful. I'm new to modding too, so only speak from my experience.

For things like "flashing the computer", I don't even know what that means - writing and designing software applications is what I do for a living, and it strikes me that the handheld tuners out there should only adjust parameters in the computer, not re-write the system, so how this would "void" a warranty, I dunno. I mean, if you buy new wheels/tires and they have a different tread circumference, you need to adjust the cpu to account for this. I recently saw a thread where a tech stated that the dealer CANNOT tell if you've "flashed" your computer. This would bear out the idea that a "flash" is merely a parameter tweak.

Ultimately, the risk is yours. I've heard horror stories where dealers have been @sses about mods which could in no way have caused part failures, but have tried to deny warranty work. Since these stories exist, there must be dealers out there who'll try that on, so Alec's cautionary word above is valid - you may end up broken down in the town where the only dealership will not even look at doing warranty work 'cos you've stuck a pair of CDC louvres on!

 

[Sonic Boom NH]

snip… For things like "flashing the computer", I don't even know what that means - writing and designing software applications is what I do for a living, and it strikes me that the handheld tuners out there should only adjust parameters in the computer, not re-write the system, so how this would "void" a warranty, I dunno. I mean, if you buy new wheels/tires and they have a different tread circumference, you need to adjust the cpu to account for this. I recently saw a thread where a tech stated that the dealer CANNOT tell if you've "flashed" your computer. This would bear out the idea that a "flash" is merely a parameter tweak.

“Flashing the computer” is editing the program in the CPU. It is no different then actually doing modifications to the motor because that is what your doing. There are many different options available for “flash tuners” such as SCT, Predator, etc. When a dealer like SCT, Predator etc give you a “performance” tune for say 93 octane fuel they are changing perimeters, or more specifically, they are “modifying” the operation of the motor and it is NO longer stock.

Timing is probably the most common change in performance tunes. They advance the timing, which requires a higher octane fuel. That’s one simple example. A/F (air/fuel) ratios could be changed as well based on changes to the fuel tables. Rev limiters can be changed, oxygen sensors can be turned off.

Many of these programmers give the end user the ability to advance or retard timing on their own as well as some other important aspects of the “complete” program from the factory.

Because the adjustability, or editing, of the original factory program is so open to many important and vital perimeters to the overall operations of the motor it is no wonder that neither the dealer or Ford is willing to accept any warranty work if the owner has “edited” the program.

I am glad Ford and the dealers do void parts of the warranty due to others “editing” the original program. If Ford and dealers “had” to repair problems because of owners “editing” the original program those cost WOULD get passed on to the consumer…

You gotta pay to play…

 

[celticstanger]

... it is no wonder that neither the dealer or Ford is willing to accept any warranty work if the owner has “edited” the program.

I am glad Ford and the dealers do void parts of the warranty due to others “editing” the original program. If Ford and dealers “had” to repair problems because of owners “editing” the original program those cost WOULD get passed on to the consumer…

You gotta pay to play…

I don't think that's true - they WILL do warranty work if you've got a tune. If you've screwed your car up BECAUSE of the tune, however, they likely won't fix it under warranty (nor should they).