Hi folks, Here is the problem, The dealership where I bought my truck told me if I superchiped my truck they would void my warrenty and I would have to pay for all repairs myself. And they seemed upset when they saw I had installed the K&N filter. So what should I do, Superchip and say screw the warrenty or should I say forget the chip. or Superchip it and fight tooth and nail to keep my warrenty?

 

Hi Headless,

You should do what you want to and with your vehicle (as long as you don't cause damage of course!), and find a new dealer, immediately. In addition, you should also familiarize yourself with the actual law that governs the effect of parts on vehicle warranties, to which *all* dealerships have to abide, regardless of what they threaten you with up front. And these dealerships that try to pull this crappola will never tell you the truth of what your legal rights are, and the last thing they want is for you to ever find out.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act makes it absolutely *ILLEGAL* for them to do that. There are numerous provisions to this act, but basically it states that prior to the denial of any warranty claim (no entire vehicle waranty can be voided for an aftermarket part and they know it, that is pure myth), the automaker must first *prove* that the aftermarket part in question actually caused damage to the vehicle, and that it was the sole cause of a related parts failure. They must also prove that had the part not been installed, the related part or parts would not have failed, and that is very strong legal protection. Here is a link that will tell you more about this, this is a link to the SEMA website, of which this website is a member: http://www.sema.org/fedleg/warranty

SEMA (Specialty Equipment Marketing Association) is who we can thank for getting the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act passed back in 1983.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is not meant to put the automakers on the hook for anything and everything done to a vehicle; it simply sets forth a set of basic "fair play" rules, that protect both the consumer *AND* the automaker. In other words, if you do something to that vehicle that causes actual *damage*, then that warranty claim would not be paid, and rightfully so. So it gets down to a matter of just what does the part do to the vehicle? And as long as it does not cause damage, your warranty coverage remains intact, and that is the *law*, regardless of what some clown at a dealership tells you.

Also, should any dealer ever try to do something like this once any aftermarket part is actually installed, you can ask them for the name and phone number of their Ford "Zone Representative", or Zone Rep. , as they are referred to, and every Ford dealership has a Zone Rep. These Zone Reps know the law, and that usually stops such shenannigans right there. If they won't give you the name & number of their Zone Rep, Ford will, just call the toll-free Ford customer service hotline in your owner's manual. No dealer who tries to intimidate and/or lie to their customers like this should be supported, either by buying vehicles or having your vehicles serviced there, frankly they should be forced to stop telling people these things, or face going out of business. While it is absolutely illegal for them to actually *do* anything like this, there is no specific law on the books that makes it illegal for them to *threaten* you with this type of action, and they know it, and that is why they do it.

There are thousands of Ford dealerships who do NOT play this game, good reputable dealers who care about their customers and their vehicles, and value their business, and abide by the law.

And by the way, this applies to your K&N air filter as well, it does not void your warranty either.

Best of luck to your & your truck,

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

[This message has been edited by Superchips_Distributor (edited 08-30-2000).]

 

Mike,
THANK YOU! I looked at the SEMA site and made things a lot more clear. Also, I am going to contact The Ford Hotline, cause most of the Ford dealerships here in TN are well either money hungry or plain stupid. So I'm going to the horse's mouth for answers and do a lot of complaining! And if I find all the right answers I want, I'll be contacting you for a superchip Thanks!

 

Mike can't the Superchip just be taken out and the computer cleared before you take it in for any warranty work. Also just take out the K&N before any warranty work.

------------------
2000 HD F150
1998 FXDWG 95th Anniversary Model

 

My dealership loves hotrods. What's up with these other guys? Mine's been in there chip, k&n, mobile one, etc and noone muttered a word about it except "That's a nice truck!".

 

HI F-150HD,

Yes, you're absolutely right, and we do advise removing it prior to service, whether it's warranty service or not.

We say that simply because while the Superchip being attachd will not interfere with diagnostics, where they connect the vehicle to the SBDS system at the dealership; but what will happen is the technician will get an error code telling him/her that the computer's internal eprom chip is not functioning, and because that is not a replaceable part, to replace the computer! This is Ford's design, and happens anytime you engage that circuit with the J3 male connector. Removing the Superchip disengages that circuit, so the internal factory eprom chip instantly turns back on, and no more error code. Most techs do not know how that ciruict works, unless they're into performance chips, as Ford gives them as little info as possible, and they can do that simply because they are no serviceable parts inside the Ford computer. So with all of that inmind, it's just easier to tremove it prior to service. We leave ours in our vehicles here at Performance, but that's only because we know how that works, and have gone to the techs at our dealership and "trained" them on this.

Good point!

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

I took my truck to my dealer his head mechanic asked what I had done to it, when I told him that I had put a K&N air filter flowmaster muffler and superchip he asked if he could drive it, after he drove it he now has all the same stuff as I do.. He Loved it!

 

Hi Headless,

You're very welcome!

One thing to remember when you contact Ford, don't expect them to ever tell you to go ahead and install the Superchip or any other aftermarket part of any kind, a number of people have done that, and they always reply with their standard response. Which is something to the effect of "we do not advise making any aftermarket modifications to your Ford vehicle....blah blah blah".

Good luck & have fun,

------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

 

Right on Mike! My dealership also knows I have a chip and K&N filter..and does not have a problem with it.

I hate dealerships that lie and try to pull this stuff.

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2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, LEV, Superchip, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55 rear, class III towing package with heavy duty cooling package, Heavy duty shocks, 4 wheel disk ABS, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, factory leather wrapped steering wheel, FORD bedliner, FORD black tubular cab steps, K&N air filter, mar-hyde rubberized undercoating, Modine climate filtration system, Bugflector II, Mobil 1 oil and filter, Build date 7/00



[This message has been edited by Dustoff (edited 09-01-2000).]

 

Mike, actually Ford was more helpful, they said I could go ahead and install it, but if I had to have repair work done and the chip caused the repair work that only then would my warrenty be void. The said also that they service department would have to prove in writing and examination that the chip caused the problem to begin with.
I have never ever heard of a Superchip causing problems have you? Well if you have please let me know okay dokey?

 

"Headless Horseman"
Another bit of info for you, Ford is now selling K&N Filters, through their parts departments, only difference I know of is they are blue.

------------------
2000 F-150, XLT, SPORT 4X4, BRIGHT RED/DARK GRAPHITE, SUPER CAB,
SHORT BED, 5.4L, AUTO, 3:55LS, TOW PACKAGE, HD COOLING/ELECT, SKID PLATES
SPORT CLOTH SIX WAY POWER CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS, CONSOLE, SINGLE CD,
CRUISE,ESOF,REMOTE KEYLESS, FORD SNAPLESS TONNEAU COVER, FORD BEDLINER,
FORD MOLDED SPLASH GUARDS, FORD BODY COLOR CABSTEPS,
MODS: CATCH ALL FRONT MATS, LUND DEFLECTOR, FORD VENT SHADES,
GIBSON SWEPTSIDE CATBACK,
K&N GENII FIPK,
FORD HITCH COVER

NEXT: SUPERCHIP!!

 

Horseman,

I just bookmarked the SEMA site Mike Troyer posted for my own future reference. We all should have this information handy.

My dealer is the same ........ call 911 if the service department knows you have performance mods but I haven't had to deal with it to date.

If the MM Act was not law then you could be forced to use Ford oil and filters only available from the dealer as an example. However, it does not cover "abuse" if you know what I mean.

And Red Sport is correct, Ford sells K&N air filters as an "accessory" for chrissakes! So, just take good care of your truck like you're supposed to and you won't have a problem now that your zone rep has clarified all this for your dealer.

------------------
Dunbarton "The Middle Aged Kid" '99 XLT SC SB 4x2 4.6 auto 3.55 ls The occasional Z-71 Eater! Wedgewood & Denim, SuperChipped, Airaid FIPK, HD electrical and cooling, power seat, Rhino Liner, Extang Classic tonneau cover, Mobil 1. Man, I got it all! (New Jersey)




[This message has been edited by Dunbarton (edited 08-31-2000).]

 

Hi Headless,

Now it's my turn to say THANK YOU!

I was absolutely delighted to see that you apparently spoke to someone at Ford who knows what their obligations under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act actually are! And the response you posted is exactly correct, so it looks like you reached someone in the know, and I can't tell you how happy that makes us.

I'll bet your dealership is going to *love* you telling them what FoMoCo's official response was, and what their obligations under the law are, especially about Ford selling K&N air filters themselves, I forgot all about that, they're selling K&N air filters colored blue. If they don't capitulate, you can take it right to the General Manager of that dealership, and next to the owner of the store (dealership) if that doesn't help, as you now have Ford's response, and they have to abide by that. Not because it's Ford's response, they had to abide by that anyway under the provisions of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, we're just glad that Ford gave you accurate information, they usually don't say anything other than their standard "we do not advise..."

Good for you!

Oh, I forgot to answer your question: no, properly installed Superchips do not cause problems or damage to your vehicle. If they did, we'd be out of business pretty quick!
------------------
Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Event Organizer

[This message has been edited by Superchips_Distributor (edited 09-01-2000).]