Warranty question
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10
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Warranty question Last year I bought a 02 Trans AM it had 2400 miles on it at that point. I honestly didnt know much about the car at the time and it already had some after markey modifications on it. The dealers kinda of rushed my car through and I think they missed them too... when I bought it the car was already dropped and had a few free mods on it.
Now almost a year later last night the Transmission (A4) went out on it when I was driving home. I laugh it off no problem it is still under warranty (only has 19,800ish miles on it). The dealership calls me today and tells me sorry cant honor your warranty your car has been dropped and you have an after market exhaust on it (I have a cut out on it now). I also got a lid and a K&N filter.
recap MY three mods: Cut out, K&N filter, lid.
So my question to you guys is, how in the hell does your exhaust effect your transmission... this gave me SOME horse power but enough to void my warranty on my transmission? I honestly didnt think so but I guess the dealership thinks so. Right now they refuse to work on it but I called their 1 800 number and the lady said she would get back to me about it Wensday.
Any ideas on how to handle this problem would greatly be appreciated.
Now almost a year later last night the Transmission (A4) went out on it when I was driving home. I laugh it off no problem it is still under warranty (only has 19,800ish miles on it). The dealership calls me today and tells me sorry cant honor your warranty your car has been dropped and you have an after market exhaust on it (I have a cut out on it now). I also got a lid and a K&N filter.
recap MY three mods: Cut out, K&N filter, lid.
So my question to you guys is, how in the hell does your exhaust effect your transmission... this gave me SOME horse power but enough to void my warranty on my transmission? I honestly didnt think so but I guess the dealership thinks so. Right now they refuse to work on it but I called their 1 800 number and the lady said she would get back to me about it Wensday.
Any ideas on how to handle this problem would greatly be appreciated.
They need to PROVE in writing that your aftermarket parts caused the transmission to fail. If they can't do that, they can't void your warranty.
1. The SS has a 20 hp performance package that includes a lid and catback exhaust. Does GM not warranty these cars? Of course they do.
2. I can't really think of anything else but this: Ask them if GM really designed the transmission to support a maximum of 320 hp at the crank. Basically, what is the A4 capable of supporting?
Odds are, your service tech DOES NOT know how much hp your car is rated at, so he'll likely BS a number, or tell you I don't know. Then you can tell him, well if you don't what it can support, how do you know my mods caused this? If he tells you 300, which he probably will, then tell him to **** off cause your car is rated at 320. Basically you gotta catch the guy in his own lie.
I hate my dealer.
EDIT: Your car is dropped!! Man, I'm surprised your still able to even start your car!! What the hell does that have anything to do with your trans? Absolutely nothing! Go to another dealership, don't even aggravate yourself with these clowns.
1. The SS has a 20 hp performance package that includes a lid and catback exhaust. Does GM not warranty these cars? Of course they do.
2. I can't really think of anything else but this: Ask them if GM really designed the transmission to support a maximum of 320 hp at the crank. Basically, what is the A4 capable of supporting?
Odds are, your service tech DOES NOT know how much hp your car is rated at, so he'll likely BS a number, or tell you I don't know. Then you can tell him, well if you don't what it can support, how do you know my mods caused this? If he tells you 300, which he probably will, then tell him to **** off cause your car is rated at 320. Basically you gotta catch the guy in his own lie.
I hate my dealer.
EDIT: Your car is dropped!! Man, I'm surprised your still able to even start your car!! What the hell does that have anything to do with your trans? Absolutely nothing! Go to another dealership, don't even aggravate yourself with these clowns.
I don't know where your located but around here at the dealer I work at we don't void warranties for one reason, we need the work, voiding warranty will turn away work some service writers think that you'll pay them to have them rebuild it or replace it and most people won't. I know if it was me and they said "well you have this or that" I'd tell them to go to hell and buy a TCI with a stall converter and everything done to it install tranny cooler inline with the factory cooler and not worry about it again. Anyways if you are anywhere near Oklahoma and want to some good work done under warranty come to Sayre.
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 465
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From: Edgewood, MD
They can only void the warrenty if the aftermarket part directly effects the part you're trying to get repaired under warrenty. Like they won't warrenty your exhaust anymore because of your cutout which to some degree is reasonable and understandable. But none of your mods affect the transmission. Either fight this dealer and get them to fix it under warrenty, or take it to another dealer that knows what the warrenty laws actually are.
heck some of my friends get dealers who are nice enough to install trans-go shift kits w/ vaccum modulators and still honor the warranty on a SERTA trans from the dealer. That's nice 
matt
matt
I read somewhere about a tsb GM had about a K&n airfilter the oil is suposed to get on the mass air sensor wiring and mess with the shiff some how just trying to remember it off the top of my head been a while since I saw it. But they sould have to prove it, my dealer would never fix anything anyway. Guess when they see them come in the door and think bet he don't do nuttin but hotrod it!A after market product doesn't void a warraty unless it is the cause!You word verses mine. Call a chevy rep a talk to them tell them the car had the mods on it when u bought it an now that it is messed up your dealer won;t fix it B.S u know Also tell them they sould of took it off when they got hte car in if they was worryed about warranty issues! YA may have to clown on there A$$ alittle to also tell everyone ya know not to buy a car from them an if they don't fix it tell them what ya think about them.Sorry get wound up over these issues!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10
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First of all, thanks for all the help somehow I knew these guys were just giving me the run around. I called them today and they start kicking me to their voice mail and I start complaining that I want to talk to a live person over the phone to their front desk. Finally they transfer me to someone in the service department that isnt the usual lady I talk to. This guy listens to my problem gives me some more BS that I am like whatever just start working on my car and get it fixed. Finally this dude is like well let me transfer you to someone else that can help you. They transfer me to the lady that is originally supposed to be my service provider or whatever the hell you call them. And right off the bat she puts me on hold again. When she finally comes back on first thing she does is tell me oh we are going to warranty it!
Seriously what I felt like is that they were giving me the run around the whole time and just stalling me. Honestly though today I didnt have to do to much complaining at all they finally came to their senses and were like... hey dont worry about it! They also realized they were just being stupid about my car having different springs on it they found a problem with my pan hard bar (I really had no idea what this was till they said I had an aftermarket one and that it wasnt installed correctly). I tell him you know since you found this problem and you sold it to me like this I think they should fix it now all of a sudden it wasnt a big deal all that was wrong with it was that it was missing a nut.
I am not going to name names but sometimes houston dealerships are just a pain in the ***.
Again thanks for all the help and input.
Seriously what I felt like is that they were giving me the run around the whole time and just stalling me. Honestly though today I didnt have to do to much complaining at all they finally came to their senses and were like... hey dont worry about it! They also realized they were just being stupid about my car having different springs on it they found a problem with my pan hard bar (I really had no idea what this was till they said I had an aftermarket one and that it wasnt installed correctly). I tell him you know since you found this problem and you sold it to me like this I think they should fix it now all of a sudden it wasnt a big deal all that was wrong with it was that it was missing a nut.
I am not going to name names but sometimes houston dealerships are just a pain in the ***.
Again thanks for all the help and input.
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You know, you should name names, so everyone in Houston can stay away from that place. If I get bad service from a dealer, I sure as hell won't purchase a car there.
Anyway, I'm glad it worked out for you. I was 19 when I got my car, and when I went to the dealer for a failing cat, they gave me some BS about A/F gauge. Aftermarket wiring harness is what the service rep called it. He said they hacked open the cat and the internals seemed fine (BS). My "aftermarket" wire harness must have caused false readings he said. I told him his brain was causing false readings and I never went back there again.
Guess what, same wire harness, and no problem since. Bastards.
Anyway, I'm glad it worked out for you. I was 19 when I got my car, and when I went to the dealer for a failing cat, they gave me some BS about A/F gauge. Aftermarket wiring harness is what the service rep called it. He said they hacked open the cat and the internals seemed fine (BS). My "aftermarket" wire harness must have caused false readings he said. I told him his brain was causing false readings and I never went back there again.
Guess what, same wire harness, and no problem since. Bastards.
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On The Tree
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 108
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From: Republic of Texas - Houston Area
I've got exhaust, a converter, and a tranny cooler ... Champion Chevrolet has never said anything but I've never had drive line problems either. I also bought the car new from them. I've the following repaired/replaced under warranty there ... power window, paint, and the front rotors turned twice. Might try them if you haven't already.