Yes, it is--it is precisely true.

Mag-Moss makes no distinction between appearance and performance modifications to a vehicle. In fact, Mag-Moss makes no distinction in aftermarket parts at all. As far as the law is concerned, a wiper blade and a supercharger are equally protected--Regardless of what the modification is to the vehicle, if the modification was not responsible for the failure there is coverage.

The burden is on the party providing the warranty to prove the cause of the denial--not the consumer.

If you're treated otherwise, go to www.ftc.gov and file a complaint. Things will be settled in short order.

-Fatz

 

Some dealers are more generous than others...some dealers are stupider than others. A SVT dealer a friend of mine worked for would warranty Cobras with blown motors that still had the nitrous bottle in the trunk or big ol' nasty Vortech and ATI blowers hanging off them. Either return your vehicle to stock before you seek out warranty work, or fess up to the service manager and tell them what really happened. You might be surprised.

 

Misleading once again, here is the truth:

 

Now, quoting from my Ford Warranty Guide I received when I bought my 2003 Lightning, here is what it states is NOT covered:

The following is a few things but not everything

Therefore, in black and white in your manual it “clearly” states to you, the consumer, you can NOT add aftermarket performance enhancing items to your vehicle and then expect Ford to honor the warranty.

Ford can deny warranty coverage legally and the “ACT” will do nothing for you since Ford will have the “ACT” on their side…

To many people are mislead about this act and think they can do what ever they wish. Truth is you can do what ever you wish, its your vehicle EXCEPT if you play YOU PAY…

And that my friends IS the truth about the “Magnuson Moss Act”…

 

No, You're believing what you've been told; not the law.

Contractual language, no matter how precise, cannot supercede statute. In other words, you can't hold someone to a term that is illegal.

The language "ALTERING or MODIFYING the vehicle – including the body, chassis or COMPONETS – after the vehicle leaves Ford’s control" is a wonderful example of this because it is invalidated by Mag-Moss.

Often people are mislead about warranty language because of the inherent 'truth' about things written. The assumption is made because it is written, it must be true. This is the furthest thing from the truth.

The only way Ford can legally avoid their warranty is to prove a causal connection between the modification made, and the failure caused (Mag-Moss). The alternative is a simple Bad Faith execution of a contract lawsuit that brings punitive and exemplary damages into play. In other words, your local plaintiffs attorney won't be sueing for the $5000 car repair, He'll be suing for millions to help ensure the company will discontinue the unfair behaviour.

THAT my friends IS the truth about the Mag-Moss act. There's alot of mis-information on the internet; be careful out there!

-Fatz

 

Exactly, as I have stated you still have it wrong. Read the act and understand the act and then only will you be able to give people the proper advice regarding the act.

It has nothing to do with ”believing what I have been told and not the law” it is quite the opposite, as I stated before:

Pay particular close attention to the wording in BOLD and then go read your warranty manual from Ford, which mine states:

Right there in black and white and that is what you need to make clear to people about the “ACT” which is they are NOT protected by the “ACT” to do as they please but rather they need to pay attention to what exactly is written in their warranty from the manufacture, in this case, Ford.

It amazes me how many people believe they can do what they want and think they have some kind of legal protection, or more unbelievable, how they think they can go and fight Ford on an issue and think they have any chance of winning a case with against the “big boys” only to find out what they thought was the law wasn’t due to ignorance and “believing” someone on a website.

The truth is this:

Alter or modify your vehicle at your own risk, understand ALL the fine print in your warranty as well as know, like the back of your hand, the local, state and federal laws as they may or may not apply to you. Bottom line, if you don’t have a boat load of cash and a team of highly skilled lawyers don’t start whining when your warranty is denied because of stupidity, it is YOUR responsibility to know what you can and can not do in order to maintain your warranty….

 

These are a few sections right from the Magnuson Moss Act

Note the underlined bold and italic print above which states in layman terms that IF Ford writes into their warranty no alterations and/or modifications can be done to the vehicle and if they are then what ever systems they affect will NOT be covered under warranty.

In other words the owner is chit out of luck and this act will NOT protect you since Ford is in their rights.

 

Another section from the Magnuson Moss Act
This section pretty much sums it up in which it states that as long as the manufacture writes their warranty for the ordinary person to understand the act will NOT help you. Since Ford’s warranty is quite clear ”No alterations or modifications” Ford is in the clear to void the part of the warranty the owner “may” have caused damage due to an aftermarket performance part.

Very simple…

 

I don't think the answers you were refering to were stupid at all....in fact I think if you take your truck in for a warranty claim with an aftermarket item or mod in place that is directly associated with the problem area you are STUPID. I don't care what the "ACT" says its a lot easier to avoid all the BS and return the truck to stock in most cases than fight to have a warranty claim honored. If its an easily reversable mod (and what could be easier than an aircleaner swap??) just return it to stock and nothing will be said.

I had a 2/4 Belltech drop installed on a 99 QC Ram and with less than 3000 miles on the pioion bearing went out...it had nothing to do with the drop and infact there was a DSP for that problem on my truck. But low and behold the dealer refused to honor the warranty becaue it had been lowered. Well after fighting them and getting both my lawyer and Belltech (they really came to bat for me) involved they agreed very reluctantly to fix it. It would have taken about 5 hours to take the drop kit off and return it too stock....as i was I probably spent 20 hours fighting to have it fixxed (and a hell of a lot more stress).

 

Sooo your saying that the first couple of posts at the start of this thread were intelligent, well thought out responses to the proposed question. Even in light of the MUCH more useful information that was posted after?
Makes me wonder who is stupid!

 

Magnusson-Moss act aside, practically speaking in my experience, the only negatives in regards to warranty coverage I've ever seen were denied claims for mass air sensors, due to over oiling and contaminating the mass air sensor. Which is what the original topic of this post was, if I remember right.

 

tbird, I don't know you, but by reading your posts I imagine you as an old woman with NO sense of humor. You probably work in some sort of low level office position where you must provide some sort of spin on otherwise exciting stuff. In other words, lighten up and have fun, you are MUCH too serious. It's a damn AIR FILTER! We're not discussing rocket science here!

 

If you want to find out about me then click my profile. I've been around cars since I was 16 (34 now), I restore classic cars in my spare time (budget allowing). All my buddies have trucks, that's how I became interested in the truck scene. I got tired of being left out of the fun because I drove a car. You can ride as a passenger but it doesn't compare to driving your own rig.

As for being too serious, there must have been some merit to my original post. Based on the information that's come out of it, 3 pages worth. If nothing else it's been used to start some conversation.

I mean seriously, if I were an old woman, would I be asking questions about performance upgrades?

 

The first response was TAKE IT OUT BEFORE YOU CARRY IN FOR A WARRANTY REPAIR. After reading all the other back and forth crap I think the first post hit the nail on the head....take the damn thing out and replace it with the stock unit and it wont matter what the Moss Act says or what your owners manual says or whatever. Remember the K.I.S.S. rule.....KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.

 

With posting the entire letter, here is what K & N has to say about it.

http://knfilters.com/warrantyletter.htm