UltraAvant

I was wondering if anyone has ever had a run-in with the dealer trying to void his or her warranties because of ECU upgrades, or any other mods to their cars? If so please feel us in on which dealer your were at, and what was the outcome. I think it would be a good idea to know which dealers to avoid.

PeteH

however, a dealer could make the argument that modifications to a certain system on the car caused that system to fail.

For instance, if you instal aftermarket springs and shocks and a month later a control arm bushing goes bad, the dealer could say the non-Audi suspension parts are the culprit.

Further, if all you do is instal a chip and the same bushing goes bad, the dealer has no argument and must replace the faulty part under warranty. The dealer may try to tell you the chip voids all warranty on the car, so keep a copy of the Magnusson-Moss (sp?) Act in the front seat of the car.

PeteH

PeteH

Go to this site and use the section titled "Find US Code Materials by Title and Section" to find Title 15, Section 2302.

Or go directly to Title 15, Chapter 50 in the next section down and read the entire code.<ul><li><a href="http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/">http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/</a</li></ul>

George @ BostonAudi

Dealer can't void the warranty at all, its a policy with AoA...

Audi2Ody

I've only heard of idle threats to discourage modifications. Never heard of an actual voiding.

George @ BostonAudi

Its twisted legelease, but generally it doesn't apply. Its intent is to protect your car's warranty when you excercise your right to get scheduled maintennance done by a 3rd party. AoA can't force you to get your paid scheduled service done by a dealer, nor can they void your warranty for using equivalent aftermarket parts when doing that maintennance.

It doesn't apply to aftermarket modifications to a car, and generally it doesn't apply to Audi's because AoA pays for your service, so if AoA wanted to void your warranty for bringing your car to Pep Boys for its 5k service, they can -- because they're not charging you to do it yourself.

Aftermarket tuners tend to wave Magnusson-Moss around, but it doesn't really apply to the stuff they're selling. Then again, most tuners don't tell you that chipping your car is illegal in many states. (Its illegal to modify the emissions system of a car -- which includes the ECU and exhaust -- with hardware that isn't "approved")

Steven Lin

>AoA pays for your service, so if AoA wanted to void your warranty for bringing your car to Pep Boys for its 5k service, they can -- because they're not charging you to do it yourself.

We're all basically getting a pre-paid service contract with the car. Just because it's pre-paid gives Audi the right to cancel neither it nor the warranty if we choose not to use it.

The service contract (aka Audi Advantage Maintenance Protection program) is guaranteed because it lists no right to cancellation. The warranty _is_ guaranteed by the Magnusson-Moss act.

papyrus

Dealer has voided warranty on my chipped 2.7T... Turbo is gone... they want $5400 to fix it. They will not honor the warranty because it is chipped. I've been trying to talk to the OTS for many weeks now. THey are giving me a SERIOUS run-around. Audi of North Atlanta in Roswell, GA. Would highly recommend steering VERY clear of them.