warranty cancellation process

[fordmasterdieseltech]

well everyone, ford just sent out a dealer bulletin to all dealers regaurding aftermarket add on tuners and programmers so beware

To: All Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealerships
Subject: Aftermarket Modifications – Warranty Cancellation

BACKGROUND
Aftermarket companies (referred to as "tuners") attempt to increase an engine's torque and power output beyond the design limits which may cause powertrain failures. This is often accomplished by modifying the engine calibration (referred to as "chipping") but may also include modifications or adjustments to other components. Per the Warranty Guide that is provided to the customer and the Warranty & Policy Manual, failures resulting from modifications are not warranted by Ford Motor Company.

All powertrains are subject to warranty cancellation if a modification causes a failure. For the 3.5L EcoBoost technical service bulletin TSB 10-2-6 was published to enable your technicians to determine:

If a powertrain failure resulted from an unauthorized modification
If the engine, transmission, or entire powertrain warranty should be cancelled
Per the inspection process included in this TSB a Ford Motor Company inspector may assist with this analysis. When the inspection process clearly indicates that a failure was caused by an unauthorized modification/alteration the repair should not be completed under Warranty and, using the following process, the vehicle's remaining Engine, Transmission, or Powertrain warranty should be cancelled.

WARRANTY CANCELLATION PROCESS
To initiate a warranty cancellation on an affected vehicle, submit a warranty cancellation request form through FMCDealer.com. This on-line form can be accessed as follows:

FMCDealer.com
Select Parts & Service tab
Select Warranty Administration & Parts Return
Select Warranty Cancellation / Reinstatement Request Form
Complete and submit this form on-line.
Once the warranty is cancelled an OASIS message will advise all dealerships that the vehicle is no longer eligible for warranty coverage.

[BigRobRN]

Uh Oh.
If you use an SCT tuner and you return your truck to stock, they can't tell, can they?
Are they going to be able to now?

[fordmasterdieseltech]

there are numerous ways to tell if a tuner has been ran, electronically and physically. Ive seen many piston tops with extremly wide star patterns on every cylinder ect.

[Jake]

Can they legally do that? I mean cant they only just refuse a claim for something that was directly caused from the aftermarket part? I believe the Magnusson Moss act.

[14mins]

Warranties are going to become a thing of the past from dealers. They are all going to go to as short a period as possible and then deny all they can. As long as the finance arm is not eating to many repos. The automakers are pretty smart after being so dumb for a long time. Thanks to the tax payer bailing them out (except Ford) you will see less rebates and higher prices since we allowed them to dump all the crap and get a lot leaner. As usual the consumer with take it in the $$$.

I do not even blame them on the warranty part

[choctaw]

Originally Posted by fordmasterdieseltech

there are numerous ways to tell if a tuner has been ran, electronically and physically. Ive seen many piston tops with extremly wide star patterns on every cylinder ect.

Doesn't the pistons have a star pattern even without tuning?

[hypersnyper694788]

hmmmm , what kinds of failures will cause them to search for tuners?

[14mins]

I just read the other day that the new onboard diagnostic computer is the new get out of jail card for manufactures. They can pull info from it that details what was going on right before the crash ( a little off subject but if you say the gas pedal was stuck and caused you to run into the back of a semi they will be able to tell if that was truly the case or not) If they can do that they will also be able to tell you exceeded the recomended turbo boost, fuel pressure, timing and more. The more tech we get the more it will end up biting you in the end.

[boredandstroked]

Originally Posted by fordmasterdieseltech

well everyone, ford just sent out a dealer bulletin to all dealers regaurding aftermarket add on tuners and programmers so beware

To: All Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealerships
Subject: Aftermarket Modifications – Warranty Cancellation


...TSB 10-2-6 was published to enable your technicians to determine:

If a powertrain failure resulted from an unauthorized modification
...

Any body that can post this TSB for us to see "what" they are checking?

And as for the star pattern that has been coverd countless times, all of em have it, but with some tuners it can appear greater. Still very subjective, but if you get a tech that sees ALOT of piston tops and pays very close attention he may be able to tell. When I had the heads off one of mine I compared it very closely with another truck that wasn't tuned and mine was actually less apparent and smaller on the star pattern. And I ran Insanity for a long while on it. SO not a good indicator but maybe just another piece of the puzzle to put the evidence together against a truck they suspect of being tuned. All of this warrenty vs. tuner stuff is going to get very interseting in the next few years I suspect.