I been saying it...The MM act is very slippery and near meaningless even when you do get to the end of the process. Right at the outset when you have just been denied warranty it is utterly useless. The truth is if your talking about the relatively benign bolt ons that most people put on their cars you have little to worry about, especially if you enjoy a good relationship with the dealership. The thing that is important to remember is the bombers warning. "If you want to play you should be prepared to be your own warranty station." The possibility does exist that it may come to that. Thats all Im trying to get across.

 

The tech is the one who calls all the shots.He can choose to look the other way or not

 

Had to put in a plug for Chevy warranty and Progressive (Why is it that all vette owners/posts refer to 'GM' instead of 'Chevrolet'? Latent denial of buying a marque who also makes a Metro...? Just wondering....) Anyhow, I had some front end damage due to a boo-boo (and my visor mirrors were falling off; separate issue covered by warranty) but I had it repaired by a non-dealer shop b/c they would give me a loaner car during the interim. After the repair, I had the car checked out by a dealer service center and they found a few problems the other place hadn't fixed. The dealer (Bay Chevrolet Mobile AL) fixed the remaining problems-- one of which was a cracked leaf spring missed by the first guy--, and also replaced my Blackwing which had been incorrectly reinstalled by the dumb-a$$ doing the first repair. Progressive and Bay covered all the secondary repairs at no additional cost to me, and provided me with a loaner (an '04 Malibu... cool car, NO power...) to boot. Bottom line: My car is back to normal, my admittedly minor mods were replaced via insurance, and the paint job on the fascia looks better than factory! No orange peel! Maybe a bit of depreciation due to the minor damage which I must acknowledge upon resale, but overall I'm the Six Million Dollar Driver. Better than before... [insert echoing ratchet noise here]


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Absolutely false...

 

Installing high flow cats is not illegal. However, the replacement converter must be a "certified emission control system or device which is equally effective in reducing vehicle emissions".

The policy of the EPA is that it will not consider any modification to a certified configuration to be a violation of federal law if there is a reasonable basis that emissions are not adversely affected.

Using O2 sims or turning off your sensors within your computer is illegal because the EPA's definition of tampering is: "Tampering is removing or making inoperable any system or device used to control emissions from a motor vehicle engine".

 

The cats are practically on the engine in stock form. Is it not illegal for them to be repositioned?

 

It is interesting a vendor that sells non GM mods, here in the C6 section where every one of them are almost new cars in warranty is speaking of a act that is meaning less and why GM has published stricter and clear mandate about such vendors and their products.

Non-GM Parts and Accessories (Aftermarket)

Models: 2005 and Prior Passenger Cars and Trucks
2005 and Prior HUMMER H2

The recent rise and expansion of companies selling non-GM parts and accessories has made it necessary to issue this reminder to dealers regarding GM's policy on the use and installation of these components.

When a dealer is performing a repair under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, they are required to use only genuine GM or GM-approved parts and accessories. This applies to all warranty repairs, special policy repairs or any repairs paid for by GM. Parts and accessories advertised as being "the same" as parts manufactured by GM, but not sold through GM, do not qualify for use in warranty repairs, special policy repairs or any repairs paid for by GM.

During a warranty repair, if a GM original equipment part is not available through GMSPO, ACDelco distributors, other GM dealers or approved sources, the dealer is to obtain comparable, non-GM parts and clearly indicate, in detail, on the repair order the circumstances surrounding why non-GM parts were used. The dealer must give customers written notice, prior to the sale or service, that such parts or accessories are not marketed or warranted by General Motors.

It should also be noted that dealers modifying new vehicles and installing equipment, parts and accessories obtained from sources not authorized by GM are responsible for complying with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Certain non-approved parts or assemblies, installed by the dealer or its agent not authorized by GM, may result in a change to the vehicle's design characteristics and may affect the vehicle's ability to conform to federal law. Dealers must fully understand that non-GM approved parts may not have been validated, tested or certified for use. This puts the dealer at risk for potential liability in the event of a part or vehicle failure. If a GM part failure occurs as the result of the installation or use on a non-GM approved part, the warranty will not be honored.

A good example of non-authorized modification of vehicles is the result of an ever increasing supply of after market devices available to the customer, which claim to increase the horsepower and torque of the Duramax Diesel Engines. These include the addition of, but are not limited to one or more of the following modifications:
• Propane injection
• Nitrous oxide injection
• Additional modules (black boxes) that connect to the vehicle wiring systems
• Revised engine calibrations downloaded for the engine control module
• Calibration modules which connect to the vehicle diagnostic connector
• Modification to the engine turbocharger waste gate

Although the installation of these devices, or modification of vehicle components, can increase engine horsepower and torque, they may also negatively affect the engine emissions, reliability and/or durability. In addition, other powertrain components, such as transmissions, universal joints, drive shafts, and front/rear axle components, can be stressed beyond design safety limits by the installation of these devices.

General Motors does not support or endorse the use of devices or modifications that, when installed, increase the engine horsepower and torque.

These same policies apply as they relate to the use of non-GM accessories. Damage or failure from the use or installation of a non-GM accessory will not be covered under warranty. Failure resulting from the alteration or modification of the vehicle, including the cutting, welding or disconnecting of the vehicle's original equipment parts and components will void the warranty.

Additionally, dealers will NOT be reimbursed or compensated by GM in the event of any legal inquiry at either the local, state or federal level that results from the alteration or modification of a vehicle using non-GM approved parts or accessories.

Dealers should be especially cautious of accessory companies that claim the installation of their product will not void the factory warranty. Many times these companies have even given direction on how to quickly disassemble the accessory in an attempt to preclude the manufacturer from finding out that is has been installed.

Any suspect repairs should be reviewed by the Area Service Manager (District Service Manager in Canada) for appropriate repair direction. If it is decided that a goodwill repair is to be made on the vehicle, even with the installation of such non-GM approved components, the customer is to be made aware of General Motors position on this issue and is to sign the appropriate goodwill documentation required by General Motors.

It is imperative for dealers to understand that by installing such devices, they are jeopardizing not only the warranty coverage, but also the performance and reliability of the customer's vehicle.

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Customers are agreeing to GM's rules while GM is paying for warranty work so they also are stuck with the content in the agreement when buying the car.

The MM act is useless UNLESS the car owner takes the time and cost to win a lawsuit. Until then GM has voided the warranty and the car owner is stuck paying for all repairs until they are proven wrong in a courtroom.

Its not up to GM to prove anything, its up to the car owner to prove the parts they used did not cause the failure which also means they have to prove the vendor product design equals or betters GM's design.

Even if the car owner is correct they still can lose in court if their lawyer stinks and loses the case but in any case to win you have to pay out way more then what the repair costs are and can drag on in court for a long time and may 1st have to sue the dealer who voided the warranty and then from that sue GM.
You could sue GM 1st and then find out in court that GM based their decisions on what dealer told them so case is dismissed and your back suing the dealer so where this is headed is do not think this is a simple process.

Its easy to say the MM act will protect you so buy our products but another when the car owner has been wacked by GM and no deep pockets to sue GM.

 

Just use common sense when adding modifications. Will GM void your warranty for installing a a Borla exhaust system? No, but the factory mufflers and pipes that were replaced are no longer warrantied. Replace your calipers and rotors will not void anything other than the warranty on the rotors, calipers and pads.
Installing a different air filter, as long as it is sufficient to filter incoming air should not void the warranty. However, installing a supercharger will most likely void the engine/trans warranty, and for good reason. It adds pressure to the internal parts of the engine that the engine may not have been designed to take. It adds added HP and torque that the trans may not have been designed to take. Therefore, why should GM pay for your repairs.
Just use common sense, talk with your dealer and see what the service people have to say.
In addition, a dealer cannot void out a warranty, since the dealer did not issue the warranty. The warranty is issued by General Motors (not Chevrolet), and on GM has the legal right to actually void a warranty item. The dealer can report you to the zone rep and/or manager, and then they can recommend the warranty not be paid for that particular part.

 

You got lucky. The Zone manager can make your life miserable. In the case of low oil presure vs headers that's an easy one but others are not. If it wasn't for my service writer swaping out the Hurst shifter I would have got stuck with a 2700.00 repair on my transmission sync gears.