chip & warranty?

H

hihosilver2k

New member
My last post was that the dealer might give me a new engine, now they are saying it prob wont be covered because of the chip i had on the truck.
Before I took it in for service I reset the ecu using the neg. battery cable technique.
The dealer said that the ecu holds all info and they be able to tell everything about anything i've ever done to my truck.
Is this true?
They are waiting for some ford specialist to come and see weather to void the warranty.
Am I screwed or what? does anyone know anything about this?
Thanks, tigger
 
"The dealer said that the ecu holds all info and they be able to tell everything about anything i've ever done to my truck.
Is this true?"

I wouldn't believe that.

Did you take the truck in with the chip installed? Couldn't a tech examine the contacts and see if they had been cleaned, perhaps for chip installation? If they had then couldn't they void your warranty for misuse? Search the posts, does this seem to be a current trend? Couldn't you approach another dealer and possible see a parts specialist about a new processor? And then with processor in hand a$k the driveability tech to in$tall and code it to you truck (PATS,ect). If all this were to happen wouldn't your truck appear never to have a chip installed like the day it left the factory?

Just thinking outloud in print.
 
Here's what I know - I went and asked when I took my truck in for routine service.

The local dealer here sells chips, pullies (pulleys???) , traction bars, etc and will install them on your truck. Here's the punch line. They will warranty the part they install on your truck for 12/12, however, if you bring it in for engine warranty work AFTER THEY INSTALL THE CHIP (or pulley) THEY SOLD YOU IN SAID TRUCK... they will outright void your engine warranty.

I believe that Ford (for reasons unknown to me) has given the dealers WAY too much latitude in voiding warranties and may even be encouraging the regional/area reps to void warranties to save themselves engine repair money "legally".

If I choose to mod my truck, I understand I do it on my own. The "pay to play" syndrome. But there is some kind of limit here... To believe that any modification, however minor, will result in a voided warranty will eventually drive business away from Ford and into the arms of the competition (course there IS NO truck competition :D ).

About 10 miles away, the local BMW dealer will sell and install Dinan performace parts on your BMW and the parts AND the car warranties remain intact and the car still qualifies for extended warranty purchase. They will NOT extend this latitude to parts not sold AND installed by them. (Again, I asked the service manager.)

My wish list (Hello, FORD?) is that Ford Corporate would publish a list of performance modification parts that THEY (Ford) will sell and install without messing you over on the warranty. Failing that, creating or adopting a "sister company" that would do the sales/work for them and Ford would continue to honor the powertrain warranty and the "sister company" would warrant the aftermarket parts.

Please, please don't think I'm trying to flame or smart off. I just wonder if anyone else feels the same way. And if, just possibly, there is someway to get Ford to take notice and at least meet us (performance drivers of "expensive" performance vehicles) part way (in the middle) on these issues. At the very least there should be some communication mechanism between the customers and Ford to try to work out some arrangement on these issues.

I love these trucks, the smile is huge and the thrill is wonderful. I'd like to put in a 2 way chip with one side for a "bypass" or only stock (or only slightly better than stock) performance -- daily driver mode -- and the other, to be used maybe at a maximum of 5% of the time, to be a more agressive street program. This is my daily driver and it works perfectly for that "as is", but for those occasssions when I need/want it, a little bit better would be a LOT better....

With respect to all.....
 
just say they do void me, what am I looking at paying here?
Not a whole new engine? Right?
Just a repair?
Oil in two cylinders, Rings? Valves? What?
All they have is plugs fouled w/oil!
Please tell me what else could be wrong w/ my engine from using Superchips.
Tigger
 
Call JDM. A superchips chip is not supposed to void your warrinty. Ford dealer in my town will put in a superchip. They will not cover a Diablo chip.
 
I think if they do void the warranty, I'd ask for a very specific explanation as to what about the Superchip caused the exact failure. Get it in writing and make them be specific.

Don't let them pull a "Don't know what did it, but it was the chip that caused it".

Good luck.
 
Ford does not make or aprove any chip. ANY chip can void your warranty. Dealers can not void your warranty BUT can call Ford to have a rep come out and inspect to have it done. As far as mods according to the warranty anything done that alters the way the vehicle came from the factory can void a warranty on the part/damage that may have acured from given part ie chip/ engine failure, line mod valve/trans failure etc. The pcm does not store all info. If you dissconected the battery for long enough they will find nothing. Many dealers sell and or install after market/ performance parts but do as so a dealer not as Ford.
Steve
 
Ghostrider

This is no flame so please do not take it that way. Ford already has a list of performance parts. Just look on your window sticker.This truck for all purposes is a modified F-150. They also already have people that will install these mods called SVT. Again this is no flame nor do I mean to be a smarta$$ . When I bought my L .I had no intentions of ever doing any kind of mod. I bought the 6 year extended warranty for $2600 and also the service contract for $500. Nieve as that may seem at the time I had no intention of ever modding my truck.I think (could be wrong) the majority of people that buy a vehicle would not put performance mods on. Now that I have found the light through NLOC and F150online I have one some stuff to my truck and will be doing more at my own risk. Do not expect ford to build a 380 hp vehicle that has no equal and say lets see how much farther people can take it and we will pay. Ford already did there r&d they have an idea what the limit was before they approved the truck.
just my $.02
 
I kinda agree with the above comment about dealer installed superchips. How can they void the warranty after doing that? And after reading Magnuson-Moss (sp?) they can't void the entire warranty anyway. .02
 
vinman

No offense taken. I'm here to learn, and usually don't speak up due to my mechanical retardation.

You make some very interesting points and I haven't thought of it in just that light before, so I owe you something for the education. (Please don't misunderstand, I'm serious here.:) )

I guess if the rules were applied evenly all round I could handle it a little better in my mind. I, too, never had a dream that I would want more power out of this monster, but I do. I also know that I can't depend on Ford to pick up the pieces, I broke it, I pay.

But the fact that the rules aren't applied evenly, and that a dealership (which I FEEL represents Ford, even knowing in my head that they are just another business that basically "rents" the Ford signs) can shaft you by selling you a part and installing it (and I might add, had I not asked first, I probably would not have a warranty now) and then (as MYREDTOY points out (thank you, also)) call the rep and have him void your warranty for work THEY did (again, the implication is that if the dealer does the work it's covered by warranty) just boggles my mind....

I'm sure that some may think of this as a "cry baby" attitude. But I am really sold on this equality thing, and think it needs to be carried out everywhere, fully, not just when and where some group of people see fit.

Ok, rant off, I'll crawl back in my hole now.

Thanks to all for the education and input. This is about the only way I can learn things.......

Respects....
 
I think what is happening is Ford is getting tight about the money that is spent on warranty repairs. Dealers may be getting stuck with paying out of their pocket for unapproved repairs. So when a dealer gets a broken engine they call it in to Ford for approval, Ford sends a rep out and checks it out. Ford area reps can do whatever they want. If they want to void your warranty they will.

If your warranty is voided get the reason in writing. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commision, State Attorney General. The more complaints the FTC gets the more likely it is that as a group we can prove Ford is voiding warranties against the Magnuson-Moss Act.
 
Ghostrider

I do agree with you that the dealer sells you the mods then puts the mod on and then voids your warranty. Whats worse is you can not even deny the mod was done. The dealer has the info.IMO that is just unbelievable.We do have to have a us against them attitude. I am keeping my extended warranty but am cancelling my service contract.I do not want prying eyes on my truck every 3000 miles. Plus it takes to long to take off and put on mods every time I want my oil changed.
 
Vinman -- I am in total agreement with you. I think you've made a wise decision with the service contract. I'm not putting many miles on my truck, so when I get close to warranty expiration time I will have a hard decision to make. I can tell you this, if Ford continues to allow (and I find it difficult to believe they aren't aware of what their dealers and reps are doing with these engines) and/or encourage these warranty tactics, no matte how much I love this truck (and I do love my truck) I may have to go to a dealer/vendor that is more mod friendly, or at least will tell you up front what the rules are and apply those rules to all....

Thank you again for your input....
 
1BAD99L said:
If you would have had Ford install their own chip from Diablo. Your waranty would have been fine.
Click to expand...
How did you find out about this, do they have this stuff in there parts department. I am going to be looking at some L's on Monday, so I am have to check the parts out. :D
 
chips

Ford does not sell, nor do they endorse, Diablo chips, or any chips for that matter. If you've got a dealer that turns a blind eye to your mods, that's cool, but don't post and mislead other people. Fact is, if you want to do mods, you have to think long and hard about it, and find out what your dealer thinks about it. If your dealer is cool about it, fine, mod to your hearts content.
 
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