promoting products that void warranty - Page 2 - Diesel Forum

POWERSTROKE RACER · 10-31-2002, 03:41 PM

Mark,Smokey
How do explain the Ford authorized dealers that sell aftermarket products namely chips on a brand new vehicle with the modification listed on the invoice and also warranty any problems that come up without question?
As a consumer one should not have to read between the lines it should be spelled out in black and white.
It's vary obvious that there is no clear answer to this question as so many dealers have different interpretations of what the warranty manual says.

Mark Kovalsky · 10-31-2002, 03:50 PM

Dealers are separate companies from Ford Motor Company. They can do what they want, within certain limits.

If Ford finds out that they are honoring warranty claims that they should not be honoring, Ford can (and has) pulled the franchise. Then they are not Ford dealers any longer.

Obviously some are honoring warranty claims on modified vehicles. Ford has been getting tougher about this because there have been warranty claims paid that should not have been paid.

rheaman · 10-31-2002, 04:10 PM

Amen!
That's my only gripe. This grey area crap. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

AQHArider · 10-31-2002, 04:36 PM

Grey ares exist so that people are allowed to use their own judgement. Jeez, do we have to have every detail of our lives spelled out? I wouldn't want to live like that. No room for experimentation and improvement. With risk there can be great reward or miserable failure. I love America.

rheaman · 10-31-2002, 04:48 PM

<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
Grey ares exist so that people are allowed to use their own judgement. Jeez, do we have to have every detail of our lives spelled out?

[/ QUOTE ]
Hold your horses. . . hahaha
I wasn't asking for a life plan. Just a warranty on a $40,000 truck that was a little more consistant. As has been posted, some dealers allow, sell and or install chips and continue to warranty the trucks. Others void a warranty for questionable reasons. I would like it to be one way or the other. Not hit and miss. So far as I know my warranty is intact. Service writer asked if I had a chip. I don't, never have had . . yet. Not sure why he asked considering I was there for a routine oil change. He also questioned the exhaust brake. I pointed out they had done the install and nothing more was said.
The way the warranty is written was no mistake. I'm sure they put plenty of research into it with the lawyers. My interruption of the warranty is this, you will be covered until they decide you aren't or 36,000 miles, which ever comes first. Anyway, that's what I think.

CountryCruizer · 10-31-2002, 05:56 PM

If a particular dealer sells and installs aftermarket products , then that dealer
must honor the warranty . Others may do it as a courtesy , but not a requirement .

A Ford franchise is not required to honor another Ford dealers policy , regardless
of the sales contract - that contract is between the buyer and seller .

This policy is a sales and marketing tactic to generate additional sales and revenue
with a small amount of risk .

If the buyer does not understand the policy , then do not buy the vehicle .

If you bought a chip from a Ford dealer , did you received anything in writing that
states that the accessories and subsequent warranty will be honored by another dealer ? !

I agree that there are problem dealers and incompetent technicians , but there are many
problem customers as well .

Why do some aftermarket retailers make false claims about a product ? $$$$$

RonThomas · 11-01-2002, 08:37 AM

The Magnuson Moss was written to prevent voiding the warranty if you use aftermarket replacement parts that meet the manufacturers specs. In other words, you can use Delo 400 oil or Rotella, or whatever, as long as the Ford specs are listed on the back. And you can change it yourself, or let Jiffy Lube do it, you don't have to take it to the dealer. And if there is a failure, they have to prove that your replacement parts failed and caused the failure before they can void your warranty.

The M&M does not apply to exhaust brakes or performance chips that do not meet Ford's specs.

And if anything is specifically mentioned in your Owner's Manual as voiding your warranty, then it will void your warranty, regardless of what it says on the package. My Owner's Manual has the exact text that Smokey quoted above. That means to me that exhaust brakes or performance chips will void my warranty, just by being there. Even if no failure occurred.

If a Ford Dealer installs one of these parts, and then fixes a failure under warranty, he had better be paying for it himself (or his insurance), and not charging it to Ford, because if Ford finds out, they will yank his dealership, for fraud. In other words, charging Ford for repairs that they would not pay for if they knew what it really was.

Ron

Bob Shaw · 11-01-2002, 01:05 PM

Maybe we could hire the Clinton Law Firm. If he can get half of the country to believe that a B.J. is not sex, maybe he could get Ford or the dealers confused enough about whether a chip or turbo brake is indeed a modification. Uhh, please define stock, sir.... or I did not add a chip to my truck. No sir! (OthrHog did, but I didn't!). [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

NIBROC · 11-01-2002, 09:47 PM

AMEN BROTHER! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Oh! Is a BJ sex? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

RigBoy · 11-03-2002, 12:57 AM

JVencius<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
Isn't it impressive how much stuff you can find out when you actually read the WHOLE owner's manual?

[/ QUOTE ]
I've often wondered how many people have actually read the manual cover to cover. Not just checked the capacities or fuse locations.

tomswell · 11-05-2002, 01:47 AM

the saga continues ... the Dealer in Santa Cruz is still holding firm on no coverage on my bad 4R100 stating that if we hadn't been flagged by a "confused by chip" dealer in Ashland Oregon we would get coverage locally. I take it that Oasis is some sort of bad boy list held by Ford's Data Base. BTS crate has been ordered. I'm not having luck asking our dealer to remove the bummer. To say nothing about re-installing. How can I find the Frankenstines "Warranty Goody ..." msg posted 1/15/02. It inspired me to consider trying small claims court as Brian believes the low gear clutch failure has no relationship to a chip or ebrake. If there's even a remote chance of geting compensation due to lack of proof that aftermarket hrdware was cause of failure I want to put them to task.
Beware of Oasis Dbase. Read between the lines of your manual. Chips kick butt ... all three trucks have'm. Choose your dealer carefully.

rheaman · 11-05-2002, 01:59 AM

You might stand a chance recovering in part if not in whole in small claims court, provided you can get a letter on company stationary from BTS that the failure was not caused by a chip but by whatever.
Ford will probably contend that the presence of a chip alone was reason enough to void the warranty, irregardless of the transmission failure.

BOL

JazzBass · 11-05-2002, 07:57 AM

RigBoy:

I have. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I actually enjoy reading manuals. I must be weird or something. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

For all:

Surprisingly enough, we still have warranty on our '97 and will until July 2003 or 12,000 more miles. I would love to do some stuff, but won't be. Yes I have an K&N filter on the truck, but it had it already when we bought the truck. The fins look fine and everything looks good. When I get a chance, I will be replacing the air filter with something Ford likes a bit better and be putting on an open intake after the warranty is up.

As regards the gray area stuff, I kinda lived by this motto which applies in pretty much all aspects of life, including trucks and warranty:
<blockquote>In reply to:<hr />
If in doubt, do without.

[/ QUOTE ] If something has a chance to void the warranty or it has done so in the past, then don't do it. It's safer that way.

Just my .02
JazzBass

aaronisbad · 11-06-2002, 10:08 AM

A local Ford dealership here in town is actually an authorized Banks dealership. This is confusing the heck out of me and I am so tempted to get on installed just to see what happens with my warranty. Oh hell wait a minute my pickups both have over 100,000 miles [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Just thought I would open up a new can or worms for yall :P