Has GM specifically said it does not void warranty? Or, is it just that the Range is not detectable once it’s removed so the dealer would not know it was ever used?

That’s kinda what I thought. However, I imagine if someone files a warranty claim for their transmission and GM has evidence that a device like Range has been used then GM could argue it voids warranty. I haven’t looked into GM’s written warranty language so I don’t know what it says about using aftermarket devices like Range.

I remember when I bought my BMWs there was a sticker in the car that said any aftermarket electronic devices would void warranty.

I wonder if anyone told the dealer they had been using a Range. Probably not intentionally.

I might be interested in getting a Range but I certainly do not want to do anything to risk my warranty. Color me cautious when it comes to cars these days with all the fragile electronics.

Thanks for your responses.

It seems to me that AFM, where half the cylinders are deactivated, causes unnecessary and excessive wear on certain parts. I’ve read that it can increase oil consumption. AFM is quite seamless but I would prefer more user control where it would go into V4 mode only when cruising on the highway or when I want it to. I wish that on auto transmissions that AFM was only active in Eco Mode like it is on manual transmission equipped cars.

I know I can use manual mode and shift with the paddles to keep it in V8 mode but I find paddle shifting to be silly and unfullfilling.

I would think that given all the things car computers record and store that GM would be able to know if AFM was disabled via Range or by any other plugin device. Dunno.

I agree that GM should change the software to turn off AFM except in ECO mode for the A8 but I would not hold my breath for that. They probably want to get the best MGP without the driver having to do anything.

V4 mode is active in all modes except manual or M mode, you can read it in the manual and tell by driving it.
The manual transmission V4 is only active in ECO mode. They should of done the same to the automatic A8, really who desires a sports car that runs like 4 cylinder car in which they turn the Corvette into when V4 is engaged?
It will be really hard to get GM to correct this but with enough persuading, just like in the Apple issue, it can be done.
Only 2 real choices, Ranger or reflash, either way warranty is in jeprody. Or one could just run it like it is and hope the TC will take the beating until it’s been replaced numerous times under warranty or until you trade it in.

Tinker, your assertion that the Range jeopardizes the warranty is simply not borne out by the thousands of units in use by Corvette and various other GM owners. I too have searched the web numerous times to find any examples where GM has denied warranty service due to a Range being used, and I have been unable to find any such. If you do know of any links that show otherwise, please help out the community by posting these.

Your absolute correct Ram_g,
By playing devils advociarI am attempting to show that by using a Range or by reflashing with a tuner and ONLY turning off the AFM, that I don’t believe that warranty would be denied. What would be the difference? It would not be hard for GM to read the ECM and know that 4V was inoperative over a period of time before a claim and surly they could dig a little deeper and tell if the ECM was re-flashed or a Range was used.

While the dealership would be hard pressed to read the deepest parts of the ECM reporting code, GM would not. The ECM knows when something is connected to the buss line, either a scanner, a Range or a programmer and logs it in the deepest part of the code. I see examples of this at work all the time on the electronics that we design and build.

This being said, I don’t believe GM would deny warrant to anyone if only the AFM was shut down by any means. Like you said, there has not been any known case of it happening.