I have a 2005 350Z and was wondering what I am able to modify my Z with without voiding my factory warranty. I was thinking about getting nismo parts but I would have to get them installed at a dealerhship and pay ridiculous labor costs.
Also can i get an aftermarket exhaust put on by a shop and that not void my warranty as well
What can I do to my Z without voiding my factory warranty?
Most basic bolt-ons will not void any warranties.
In any case Nissan North America would have to prove your part is responsible for the failure, or at least show a resonable expectation that is was responsible.
Sometimes thats very easy to argue for them, for example a Twin Turbo kit will void your entire Powertrain warranty and right fully so..(ie engine, flywheels, driveshaft, tranny, LSD, spline drives)
An Intake wont void anything except possbly your MAF warranty if the intake involves mouting it in a non stock location or some modification to its mounting.
Mods generally safe ,even if you have a strict dealer, (meaning other than Nissan not warrantying the non Nissan part, they generellay wont void anything else):
-Exhaust-LSD-plenum and/or plenum spacer-upgraded oil pan-oil pan spacer- Upgraded radiator-Wheels/Tires-Rotors brake pads-Headers-Flywheel clutch combos (if Nismo parts themselves are even still warrantied)-Steel braided brake lines-grounding kits-Carbon fiber hoods
Examples of popular Mods that will void warranties ( unless your delear feels generous)
-Cams ( even Nismo)-Springs can void your 12k Tire /alignment warranty-Body Kit if damaging paint or mounted with drilling can void corrosion waranties-Any form of forced induction (SC, Turbo) will void powertrain warranties-ECU reflash may void the willingness of some dealers to solve drivability problems for you, technically voids engine warranty as well but havent heard of such a problem case yet
There are more examples but I hope this gives you a general idea.
And individual dealership policies <do> differ, sometimes they will cover stuff that is really voided and both customer and dealer knows it.In other cases a dealership hurting for profuit margins will try to honor as little warranty as possible and latch onto even minor mods as an excuse to deny coverage.If in the wrong you can usally go to another dealer but that service manager will see a note "warranty denied" on your VIN record from the previous dealer.. Not giving you a good start.
Fred..
In any case Nissan North America would have to prove your part is responsible for the failure, or at least show a resonable expectation that is was responsible.
Sometimes thats very easy to argue for them, for example a Twin Turbo kit will void your entire Powertrain warranty and right fully so..(ie engine, flywheels, driveshaft, tranny, LSD, spline drives)
An Intake wont void anything except possbly your MAF warranty if the intake involves mouting it in a non stock location or some modification to its mounting.
Mods generally safe ,even if you have a strict dealer, (meaning other than Nissan not warrantying the non Nissan part, they generellay wont void anything else):
-Exhaust-LSD-plenum and/or plenum spacer-upgraded oil pan-oil pan spacer- Upgraded radiator-Wheels/Tires-Rotors brake pads-Headers-Flywheel clutch combos (if Nismo parts themselves are even still warrantied)-Steel braided brake lines-grounding kits-Carbon fiber hoods
Examples of popular Mods that will void warranties ( unless your delear feels generous)
-Cams ( even Nismo)-Springs can void your 12k Tire /alignment warranty-Body Kit if damaging paint or mounted with drilling can void corrosion waranties-Any form of forced induction (SC, Turbo) will void powertrain warranties-ECU reflash may void the willingness of some dealers to solve drivability problems for you, technically voids engine warranty as well but havent heard of such a problem case yet
There are more examples but I hope this gives you a general idea.
And individual dealership policies <do> differ, sometimes they will cover stuff that is really voided and both customer and dealer knows it.In other cases a dealership hurting for profuit margins will try to honor as little warranty as possible and latch onto even minor mods as an excuse to deny coverage.If in the wrong you can usally go to another dealer but that service manager will see a note "warranty denied" on your VIN record from the previous dealer.. Not giving you a good start.
Fred..
Also:http://www.nissanusa.com/m/cma...y.pdf
Were it states:
Owner's warranty responsibilities: you should also be aware that Nissan may deny you warranty coverage if your vehical or a part has failed DUE TO abuse, neglect, improper maintenance or unapproved modifications. They fail to qualify what an unapproved modification is though.
(Caps by me)
That means youre mods have to have caused the failure, And theywill have to show that.
Were it states:
Owner's warranty responsibilities: you should also be aware that Nissan may deny you warranty coverage if your vehical or a part has failed DUE TO abuse, neglect, improper maintenance or unapproved modifications. They fail to qualify what an unapproved modification is though.
(Caps by me)
That means youre mods have to have caused the failure, And theywill have to show that.
Also the Moss-Magnusson Act puts the burden of showing your mds caused a failur on the manufacturer.
Of course if you have a really long list of mods and your dealer doesnt like you enough to do the extensive warranty work on yiour car ( were they wont make much at all) they may decide to not cover it even if technically and by law they have to.
They know if they just keep saying "no" most consumers eventually will give up..
On the otehr extreme I have a SuperCharger with 400hp and my dealer told me (after I gave a ride) they cover just about anything up to a broken engine ( cuz that would have to be due to the SuperCharger).
But other parts of powertrain, that they could choose not to warranty, like tranny, or spline drives, they will still cover.
So in summary: We can only tell you what they say and what they have to do...but if they really dont like the expense, they can latch on to things that dont void a warranty, but use it as an excuse to deny it anyway..
Rare, but it <does> happen.
Of course if you have a really long list of mods and your dealer doesnt like you enough to do the extensive warranty work on yiour car ( were they wont make much at all) they may decide to not cover it even if technically and by law they have to.
They know if they just keep saying "no" most consumers eventually will give up..
On the otehr extreme I have a SuperCharger with 400hp and my dealer told me (after I gave a ride) they cover just about anything up to a broken engine ( cuz that would have to be due to the SuperCharger).
But other parts of powertrain, that they could choose not to warranty, like tranny, or spline drives, they will still cover.
So in summary: We can only tell you what they say and what they have to do...but if they really dont like the expense, they can latch on to things that dont void a warranty, but use it as an excuse to deny it anyway..
Rare, but it <does> happen.
Re: (Ekim7878)
A common factor I use to determine weather we should lean to warranty or not is the professionalism of the install. If the work looks clean and done by a technically competent person I will lean toward the warranty coverage. If it look like a complete amature installed it, I will lean toward the not covered side. This is because I do not want to work with someones hack work i.e. stripped/crossthreaded bolts, missalignment of parts because they were simply bent out of the way for the mod. There is no reason myself as a tech should have to deal with that when the manufacturer is paying at such cut rates that I already come out upside down in my pay just doing it as if it were original assembly. This is were alot of the judgement call on warranty comes in. Freds S/C was installed and tuned professionally. Chances are little was damaged or destroyed during the install which means tear down and assembly of any repair will not be at much of an additional chore to do the work.
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