Does adding an aftermarket LIFT void your warranty?

[Mark S.]

I guess it depends on your definition of "winning".

That's true. I was speaking in a strictly financial sense. We pay a lot of money for the warranties on our vehicles. A claim denial is like losing money.

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[Eddie W.]

I’m in the process of having a 1.5” ReadyLift lift/level kit installed on my BS Outer Banks. Yes, any lift that can be tied by Ford to failure of any & all things suspension related can void a warranty, HOWEVER, with that said.. I’ve had two different installers advise me that potential warranty issues typically arise with larger lifts. 3”, 4”, 5”, etc. - Not a 1.5” level. In fact both mechanics (middle aged guys who’ve been at it awhile, & specialize in Jeep/truck modifications) said they had never seen a warranty issue with a smaller, 2” or less lift/level. Naturally, it’s a bit of a roll of the dice, but hopefully this info mitigates some of your fears.

 

[Folkman]

I’m in the process of having a 1.5” ReadyLift lift/level kit installed on my BS Outer Banks. Yes, any lift that can be tied by Ford to failure of any & all things suspension related can void a warranty, HOWEVER, with that said.. I’ve had two different installers advise me that potential warranty issues typically arise with larger lifts. 3”, 4”, 5”, etc. - Not a 1.5” level. In fact both mechanics (middle aged guys who’ve been at it awhile, & specialize in Jeep/truck modifications) said they had never seen a warranty issue with a smaller, 2” or less lift/level. Naturally, it’s a bit of a roll of the dice, but hopefully this info mitigates some of your fears.

My lift was installed by the Customs shop at my dealer. They have a Pro Perf. shop. They said only the new parts are not covered. The existing left in parts are covered to the extent the new parts did not cause them to fail.

The HRG warranty coupled with the Pro Shop warranty ends up making it a wash in that sense. Meaning I am still basically covered.

 

[SgtT11B]

It will only affect the parts that were replaced or caused the OEM parts to fail. If you put a lift on the vehicle and the engine or tranny fail they aren't going to deny warranty coverage due to a lift.

 

[Poolmanz Sport Bronco]

News Flash...HRG just came out with a 2.5" lift.

 

[69cuda340s]

@Also, would the Badlands locking rear diff fit in a maverick? will you be offering that as a factory option if so? and could I be a beta tester for it?

The Maverick Tremor has a locking rear diff from the factory. My guess same part has Badlands. But those diff are controlled by some computer in the vehicle so would need all the parts to get it integrated.

 

[Saboga]

Having Ford honor your rights might require a court of law. Only if they deny the claim and you assert that the aftermarket part did not cause the failure.

When we signed all the paperwork to get our Bronco Sport, there was an arbitration agreement in there. If you signed one as well, you might not have the option to sue. An arbitrator would decide the dispute.

 

[RSH]

I would say if it's determined that the lift has caused undue stress to the CV joints or driveline and they were damaged, the answer would be yes, denial of warranty.

Now this can be fairly subjective, a number of dealers or their suppliers add aftermarket parts and asessories to new vehicles which include lifts, wheels and tires with no mention of these items voiding the factory warranty.

It may or may not be an issue depending on the warranty claim.

 

[69cuda340s]

I usually wait till my warranty is over before I mod any new vehicle. A while back a dealer around me would get new Base Sports, send out to local shop for lift, wheels, leather then put on lot priced like a loaded Badlands and they were selling. Warranty? Yeah wink nod as long as you took it back to that dealer maybe....

 

[ohiooutdoors]

I feel like I've read this somewhere before...


This is correct. There are negative consequences (fines, assignment of plaintiff attorney fees, etc.) for a manufacturer that denies a warranty claim based on the customer's use of aftermarket parts, so if it does deny a claim you can be pretty sure it believes the denial will stand up to scrutiny. The dispute process is lengthy and complicated—many people seek the help of an attorney to figure it out. Something most people don't know is that you are required to participate in the BBB Auto Line program, which is essentially an arbitration process.

The following can be found in your warranty guide:



To me, the absolute best way to win in this situation is to never put yourself in a position where a warranty claim may be denied. The first step in that process is to make sure you buy a vehicle that suits your needs rather than one that doesn't with the hope you can modify it to do so. Second, if you absolutely MUST have a modification make sure the parts you install come from a reputable vendor with a good track record, especially a record that shows they stand by their product when it comes to defects and failures. The last step is to simply not install any aftermarket parts until your New Vehicle Limited Warranty no longer applies.

Had this happen with my FRS. I changed the oil on my own and had an aftermarket header on at the time. Engine went and they denied the claim.
They said that they could do an investigation (hold car, do oil testing, tear down engine etc) and if the claim is still denied I would have to pay for it.

Ended up having a local shop replace the engine so i had a receipt. For shits and giggles the guy tore down the blown engine. Valve spring failure was the cause.

Sure enough 3 years later subaru and toyota had a recall for the valve spring issue.

 

[Jrl]

And this is a fear I have... meaning how dealerships might promise you the moon, but recant when push comes to shove....i.e. warranty work. Well already looking like an aftermarket lift will be placed in the "maybe not such a good idea...category"

Well unless I hear otherwise from FORD themselves I suppose I'll be saving a few bucks on that upgrade and slightly smaller tires, ha!

I am keeping mine stock and going with a 235/70/17 tire 30 inch tall .

 

[Blue oval fan]

It will only affect the parts that were replaced or caused the OEM parts to fail. If you put a lift on the vehicle and the engine or tranny fail they aren't going to deny warranty coverage due to a lift.

This.

Everyone in here worrying about a 1.5in lift, dealer probably won't even notice. Throw in a engine tune and bigger turbo, yeah then you will get pushback. If your stock engine pops or water pump starts leaking they aren't going to point at a measley 1.5in spacer lift. Heck some extended service contracts even allow up to a 3in lift without voiding anything.

 

[Mark S.]

Everyone in here worrying about a 1.5in lift, dealer probably won't even notice.

Not necessarily. This Maverick owner was denied warranty coverage for a driveline issue because he had installed a leveling kit. A lift changes suspension and driveline geometry, specifically it changes the angle the CV joints operate at. The greater the angle the greater the stress on that part. I think it would be very hard to argue against a warranty claim denial for a CV replacement on a vehicle that had a lift kit installed, no matter how small.

Heck some extended service contracts even allow up to a 3in lift without voiding anything.

I don't think you can compare a warranty provider that specifically INCLUDES coverage for a given modification with Ford's New Vehicle Limited Warranty that specifically EXCLUDES coverage for modifications.

 

[69cuda340s]

Varies dealer to dealer. Will dealer adhere to voiding policy and laws? Maybe maybe not depends on dealer. Should a lift void warranty? Maybe for suspension/steering related maybe. If dealer decides to void warranty and flags it in the Ford system which follows vehicle VIN forever yeah go get a lawyer and good luck fighting Ford.

Majority of Ford dealers don't want to do warranty work on unmodified vehicle. So if they see a mod they might try to use it as an excuse to deny fixing.

 

[Blue oval fan]

Moral of the story is if you have to even ask the question about voiding any part of the factory warranty just don't bother. That sums up most BS owners. My Ford dealer is pretty mod friendly. A cv being damaged by a leveling kit? I find that hard to believe, so should the dealer.

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