How Are Aftermarket Parts Covered By Warranty laws?
Full Question:
Answer:
There is, however, no requirement that a warranty be given nor that any product be warranted for any length of time. Thus the Act only requires that when there is a written warranty, the warrantor clearly disclose the nature of his warranty obligation prior to the sale of the product. One of the most important provisions of the Act prohibits a warrantor from disclaiming or modifying any implied warranty whenever any written warranty is given or service contract entered into.
This means that, under the provisions of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975, an automotive dealership/carmaker cannot void your warranty because your vehicle has been modified with aftermarket parts. They (the manufacturers) have to prove that the failure was the direct result of the installed aftermarket part.
Legally, a vehicle manufacturer cannot void the warranty on a vehicle due to an
aftermarket part unless they can prove that the aftermarket part caused or contributed to the failure in the vehicle (per the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2302(C)). For best results, consider working with performance-oriented dealerships with a proven history of working with customers. If your vehicle manufacturer fails to honor emission/warranty claims, contact the EPA at (202) 260-2080. If federal warranty protection is denied, contact the FTC at (202) 326-3128.Before installing anything aftermarket on a vehicle that has a warranty in place, check with your dealer/carmaker to see if there are parts/systems available for your particular vehicle from the manufacturer that would provide for the vehicle's warranty.
For further discussion, please see:
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/15/2302.html
http://www.impalaclub.com/naisso/magmoss.htm
