Warranties, Modifications, And Ford.

[All Hat No Cattle]

Just for general information.

On other Ford Forums there are ongoing heated discussions about modifications to Ford vehicles, and how those mods could affect the Warranty.

The debates are on how these Ford Warranty conditions could, or could not, be a detriment to coverage.

I bring this up because I noticed that some forum people are doing some lowering of vehicles, changing wheels and tires, etc.

Current Ford owners have definitely had warranty problems due to mods.

Decide for yourself what the info below means.

Damage Caused by Alteration or Modification
The New Vehicle Limited Warranty does not cover any damage caused by:
• alterations or modifications of the vehicle, including the body, chassis,
electronics or their components, after the vehicle leaves the control of
Ford Motor Company

• tampering with the vehicle, tampering with the emissions systems or
with the other parts that affect these systems (for example, but not
limited to exhaust and intake systems)

• the installation or use of a non-Ford Motor Company part or software
(other than a certified emissions part or software) or any part or
software (Ford or non-Ford) designed for off-road use only installed
after the vehicle leaves the control of Ford Motor Company, if the
installed part fails or causes a Ford part to fail. Examples include, but
are not limited to lift kits, oversized tires, roll bars, cellular phones,
alarm systems, automatic starting systems and performance-enhancing
powertrain components or software and performance “chips”.

Your vehicle may allow, enable or facilitate the use of certain non-Ford
Motor Company software. Ford is not responsible for the functionality
of such software. Ford may disallow, discontinue or modify your ability
to use such software at any time without prior notification or incurring
any warranty or other obligation. Non-Ford Motor Company software
may be governed by End User License Agreement or warranty
provided by the software provider. For Ford Motor Company software
see End User License Agreement found in the Owner Manual.
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Now, if you have the philosophy that "If you want to play, you have to pay", ignore this post.

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[buzznwood]

It is amazing in this day and age how magnuson-moss still seems to be an alien concept to people in reagrds to what you change and how it impacts your warranty ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Motomax]

“if the installed part fails or causes a Ford part to fail.”
Seems like common sense to me… I don’t understand why this shows up on every car forum.
The law mentioned above protects you. Read it, understand it, and don’t let dealers try to screw you. If you’re really smart, you’ll hold on to the stock parts to swap back to and avoid this whole game in the first place.

 

[All Hat No Cattle]

It is amazing in this day and age how magnuson-moss still seems to be an alien concept to people in reagrds to what you change and how it impacts your warranty ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Good info. Google "Magnuson-Moss Act' to really find out what this law actually means.

After you get thru pages of lawyers, and after-market parts suppliers defending their parts, you should wonder this.

How much are these lawyers going to charge to take on your case?

What is happening with your broken vehicle, that the dealer says is not a warranty problem, while you are going to court?

This is simply a heads up, to hopefully spare people from learning the hard way.

How does The Magnuson Moss Act effect warranty disputes?

The Act makes it easier for consumers to take an unresolved warranty problem to court. In addition, the Act encourages companies to use less formal, and therefore less costly, alternative to legal proceedings. Such alternatives, known as dispute resolution mechanisms, often can be used to settle warrant

 

[benk016]

If Ford denies a warranty claim for a modification, they have to prove the mod is the cause of the issue. They can't deny a claim on charging issues because you lowered the car.

 

[mkhuffman]

On other Ford Forums there are ongoing heated discussions about modifications to Ford vehicles, and how those mods could affect the Warranty.

The members of this forum are much smarter than those in the other forums. We don't argue about such silly things.

 

[EELinneman]

If Ford denies a warranty claim for a modification, they have to prove the mod is the cause of the issue. They can't deny a claim on charging issues because you lowered the car.

Umm, for a $22,000 part if the battery needs replacement, they sure as hell are going to say you damaged it by lowering the car and it will be up to you to prove them wrong. You cannot afford to sue them into submission and everybody knows this.

I am a bit surprised regarding them listing a cell phone as causing failure. Is that why PaaK is so flakey - it's the damn cell phone and not our software!

 

[benk016]

Umm, for a $22,000 part if the battery needs replacement, they sure as hell are going to say you damaged it by lowering the car and it will be up to you to prove them wrong. You cannot afford to sue them into submission and everybody knows this.

I am a bit surprised regarding them listing a cell phone as causing failure. Is that why PaaK is so flakey - it's the damn cell phone and not our software!

They can't just deny it. They would still have to diagnose the problem to find what caused it. Then they would have to somehow tie that your modification.

If you lowered your car, and then had to have a battery replacement, the only way they could deny that for your lowering mod would be if you hit something and busted the battery. And that would be an insurance claim not warranty, modification or not.

 

[Blanked]

 

[All Hat No Cattle]

The members of this forum are much smarter than those in the other forums. We don't argue about such silly things.

Now that is funny. Hey, guys, I'm not selling anything.

But this is what Ford says, and that is not debatable. If they can deny a warranty claim that they decide is caused by a mod, they will. And they have.

Ignore them at your own risk.

Reasons for warranty denial may include the following:



The vehicle has not been properly maintained.

• The vehicle concern was caused by improper operation.
• The vehicle has been modified.
• The warranty has been voided.
• The title has been branded.

https://www.ford.com/support/how-tos/warranty/warranties-and-coverage/why-was-my-warranty-denied/

No, it doesn't obligate the dealer to do ANYTHING. It obligates YOU to SUE Ford (the company denying the claim) to force Ford to provide evidence that those parts COULD have caused that damage. Ford's evidence is beyond simple, the part was replaced with an aftermarket replacement that does not meet the factory specifications. Your air filter example causing it to throw a rod isn't likely to ever happen in the real world, but it's beyond easy (and logical) to show that his parts were designed to increase power over factory specification and in doing so, that warranty is void. It takes a lot of money to try to prove a claim - more money than it's worth generally. The only people that would take that risk are those with a stock car (meaning OEM equivalent replacement parts - not performance parts) that have a legitimate case. MM provides absolutely ZERO coverage in this situation.

 

[SnBGC]

There is a banner somewhere in the PTS system that directs technicians to report vehicle modifications they might observe while the car is in for routine service or recall procedure. They are entered into a drawing for awards of some kind (cash, tools etc). There is a list of modification types that qualify for the award. Things like suspension and air intake mods are on that list.

I don't know how many techs actually take the time to report stuff though. I bet most don't bother.

 

[BMT1071]

There is a banner somewhere in the PTS system that directs technicians to report vehicle modifications they might observe while the car is in for routine service or recall procedure. They are entered into a drawing for awards of some kind (cash, tools etc). There is a list of modification types that qualify for the award. Things like suspension and air intake mods are on that list.

I don't know how many techs actually take the time to report stuff though. I bet most don't bother.

I bet customers that are huge PITA are more likely to get reported. ??

 

[macchiaz-o]

I bet customers that are huge PITA are more likely to get reported. ??

I bet this includes customers with an assigned Customer Relationship Manager. ?

 

[markboris]

I also think a lot of this has to do with the dealer and even the relationship you have with a dealer.

My 2014 Escape was 6 months old when the left front seal when out on the CV shaft. I had changed out the front springs, struts, sway bar and brake rotors. They could have denied the warranty repair but didn't as it had nothing to do with any my mods. It is possible it might have had something to do with it but they know me and all the cars I bring in for warranty repair I have modded.

My Focus RS had an issue which would erratically have a slight hesitation when at full throttle between 3000-4500 RPM. I had replaced the waste gate, exhaust, intercooler, CAI, BOV, spark plugs, and it even had a tune (which all my cars have). It had something to do with the temperature air sensor which I had to relocate since adding a CAI. After working with Mishimoto on this issue we got it figured out. My dealer didn't charge me for the diagnoses and finding the issue. Not sure what or how they charged Ford but they did. I think it pays knowing a dealer for almost 30 years and buying all your vehicles from them.

 

[zvez]

It is amazing in this day and age how magnuson-moss still seems to be an alien concept to people in reagrds to what you change and how it impacts your warranty ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

magnusson moss act is a huge deal for motorcycle owners, that's how I learned about it many years ago.

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