Hey all, 2021, WRX, bought it new from the dealer last may. Since then I put a remark exhaust (muffler delete) on it, sounds great. But now im a bit worried taking it back to the dealer for any servicing. I just had an independent mechanic do an oil change & set up new TPMS sensors. I dont want to take it to the dealer & have them say, oh the muffler delete void warranty, blah blah. So I have 2 questions that stem from this...
1. How do dealers react to this type of stuff?
2. Lets say I spin a bearing in 2 years from now (still under warranty) but ive been getting my oil done at a different mechanic who has proper documents, will they accept that as proof that the engine was properly maintained?
Thanks guys/gals, sorry for the double question but they relate to each other.
Depends on the dealer. Simple exhaust mods like mufflers don't really affect the performance of the engine, at least not like having somebody tune the PCM. The rev limiter will stop the motor from over-revving, with or without the muffler, for example. If they determine a failure was caused by the modification or an aftermarket tune, they will not honor the warranty. If you were to remove the rev limiter and had the engine grenade on you, then that's your problem, not theirs, because you removed the safety factor. They can also see how many times the computer in the car has been flashed, in case someone does something like this and claims it failed on the stock tune. Find out from your dealership what they consider an acceptable modification. The Ford Performance dealer down the road from me says they allow some PCM tunes, providing it does not deviate from certain fail-safe parameters installed by Ford. I don't fully believe that, but I don't plan on trying it out. Haha. Generally, tolerance of modding is very limited.
Yeah not touching anything with the engine for now, keeping it as a daily for awhile, thanks!
What voids warranty?
whatever is stated in the terms of the warranty contract (usually a booklet that comes with the car along with the manual. Can also be found online). Make sure you read all the fine print.
1. How do dealers react to this type of stuff?
I haven't had an issue, but there's no guarantee they won't try to deny your claim. Do your best not to help them.
2. Lets say I spin a bearing in 2 years from now (still under warranty) but ive been getting my oil done at a different mechanic who has proper documents, will they accept that as proof that the engine was properly maintained?
Let me put it this way ...
If you change your oil according the Subaru recommended schedule, with the Subaru recommended oil, and cover everything in the Subaru service manual procedure, then they would have a very hard time proving that oil changes cause the bearing to spin. Shops will often advertise that they do "warranty approved service".
US Law actually forbids Subaru from denying a warranty claim based on false premises.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson%E2%80%93Moss_Warranty_Act
Does that mean that a dealership won't try to pull a fast one on you, despite being wrong? No, there's no guarantee of that. Just be prepared.
Since then I put a remark exhaust (muffler delete) on it,
That's a bad idea if you ask me. Messing with the exhaust system gives them all kinds of ammunition they can use against you.
Thanks for the detailed response! Will read it exactly to see what they allow/ dont allow, & will prep my car accordingly before I bring it back. I just wanted a good tone & sound, I wont be touching the computer, turbo or anything else.
BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP! doesn't sound good. It's just annoying to everybody around you.
Actually, it doesn't have the brap sound. FA20 does not sound like an EJ motor. Twin Scrolls seems to affect the sound. Car sounds very mild under 4k rpms, and its idle is hardly any louder than what is was from the factory once its warmed up for 30 seconds. Only cold starts & WOT sound loud. It in fact does sound good, that's come from guys who have 350's, 383's, 396's & 455's (not jdm fanboys)
I have no idea what you just said. The less noise the better. I don't need to draw attention to myself.
Thanks for your opinion on that!
Most vendors, be it vehicles/electronics/whatever, will try to get out of warranty repair especially on big ticket items. It's better to wait until the warranty expires before doing mods. Just my opinion. I've been tempted to do mods on items that are under warranty but held myself back. Having non-dealer servicing can be risky - especially if you don't maintain a detailed maintenance record.
Just a thought. Read your warranty and find out.
Was looking to see if anyone had a similar experience, but thanks for the advice!
Why the down vote? Seems like an obvious answer to help you.
It was to cancel the upvote that was an accident.