Will a New Add-On or Truck Accessory Affect Warranty?

When purchasing your new truck, you might be tempted to ask the dealer - Will a New Add-On or Truck Accessory Affect Warranty? Most often the answer you’ll receive from them is an overwhelming yes. The problem is that the majority of service personnel have no idea that denying a warranty due to most accessories or after-market parts is illegal. Let’s take a look at the facts!

1. Truck Accessory Affect Warranty? What’s the Law?

If you haven’t heard of it, you’ll want to look into the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. This law which was enacted in 1975, essentially makes it illegal for the manufacturer to void your warranty. There are two exceptions to this law:

1. If the accessory or part caused a problem that would’ve been covered by a warranty
2. Adding the accessory changed the overall function or performance of your vehicle.

Let’s take a look at an illustration of this. If you decide to put a lift kit onto your truck and it adjusts the rest angle of the axle shaft to an extreme level, you might not be covered if you have a problem with your CV joints. However, adding the lift kit isn’t going to affect your truck’s warranty on unrelated parts such as your engine.

2. Take Inventory of Modifications

Before you decide if you want to take on a modification, make an inventory of what parts this accessory will affect. For example, if you install a K&N air filter and then take your car in for warranty work because the vehicle is stalling, you could be denied. The same air filter modification won’t cause your warranty to be denied if you are having an issue with your Bluetooth equipment. That’s because the air filter couldn’t have possibly caused an issue with your technological system. Knowing ahead of time which parts could be legally denied will help you to determine if the upgraded part is worth the effort.

3. Challenge the Dealer

If you face a circumstance where the dealer wants to deny your warranty claim, you need to get proof. It is within your legal limits to request that they prove to you the root cause of the problem prior to voiding the warranty. You have every right to report a dealership to the FTC if they refuse to do so. Make sure they know you are willing to do this. Chances are they won’t want to go that route and will fix the issue if reasonable.

What do you Think?

So - Will a New Add-On or Truck Accessory Affect Warranty? Probably not! It could affect parts of the warranty and you need to be cautious. Just keep this in mind. Many trucks on the road today feature upgraded exhaust systems, lift kits and of course, bedliners. If all of these people were affected by warranty issues, there would probably be far fewer people adding them on. Most people at the dealerships are not properly trained in the law. It is better if you stop and evaluate the part for yourself before installing it. Take an inventory of what it will change about the truck. Make sure you give consideration to what parts of the truck it could affect. Once you’ve established those answers, you are ready to make a decision if that part is right for you. Then, you no longer have to wonder which truck accessories affect the warranty. You’ll have the answers. You might also need to educate the dealer on the law if the time comes. One of the easiest add-ons you can use to improve the look and capability of your truck is with a Durabak bed liner. This is one way to avoid dealing with warranty issues as your bedliner isn’t going to affect any mechanical parts of the truck. For more information or to purchase your liner, be sure to contact us today.