Does a Lift void the warranty??

[XSWATGUY]

Ok,
So I was back at the dealers today talking with their manager who told me that if I lift the FJ, it will void the warranty. He was kind enough to say that they could put on a "leveling kit" for about $900.00 that would not affect the warranty.

First, Does anyone know if this is in fact true and second, What is the difference between a lift and a leveling kit?? I'm begining to think I'm a victim of some smooth taking car salesmen...

 

[Runner Ryan]

Don't trust ANY salesmen. The vast majority try to get away with everything. I spoke to the service manager at one of the dealers, and he told me that a "mild" lift and tires would be fine. I never did get it in writing, though. Besides, a lift can't void the warrentee on, say, the radio, or the exhaust, etc.

 

[noah91fj80]

The only way you should be able to void your warranty is if a part failed, and the manufacturer could show that it was caused by the lift you installed.

 

[BC_FJC]

I found this web page on the SPECIALTY AUTO PARTS CONSUMERS BILL OF RIGHTS http://www.tap1.com/oldsite/Warranty_Info/warranty_info.html

as far as I can tell the sales guy is full of BS

 

[michaelknight]

FOS

I talked with the two dealers in my area and both said " it would not void the warrenty". The "hack" into the system to be able to run A-Trac and the locking rear diff would most definetly VOID the warrenty. Any comments on this. michael

 

[Corey]

My dealer is AOK with the lift.
I also pointed them to Alex's A Trac/locker hack, and they are cool with it if I do it.

 

[Runner Ryan]

I talked with the two dealers in my area and both said " it would not void the warrenty". The "hack" into the system to be able to run A-Trac and the locking rear diff would most definetly VOID the warrenty. Any comments on this. michael

I heard that this is done from the factory on the Limited Edition models. Can't see how they could void it for that.

 

[firetruck41]

I talked with the two dealers in my area and both said " it would not void the warrenty". The "hack" into the system to be able to run A-Trac and the locking rear diff would most definetly VOID the warrenty. Any comments on this. michael

They can deny a warranty claim, if the modification is what affected the claim, ie. you do the ATRAC hack, and your brake caliper breaks on half, they can not deny the claim, another exanmple: you do the ATRAC mod, and the dash burns up from a wire that shorted out from you cutting the wire harness, they could deny the claim. I am not a lawyer, that is just how I understand the warranty rights work.

 

[Corey]

I heard that this is done from the factory on the Limited Edition models. Can't see how they could void it for that.

In fact all FJs have it now starting in November.

Several have confirmed this over on fjcruiserforums site.

 

[numtel]

They can deny a warranty claim, if the modification is what affected the claim, ie. you do the ATRAC hack, and your brake caliper breaks on half, they can not deny the claim, another exanmple: you do the ATRAC mod, and the dash burns up from a wire that shorted out from you cutting the wire harness, they could deny the claim. I am not a lawyer, that is just how I understand the warranty rights work.

I would think that if your brake caliper broke and you did the atrac hack they could deny sense the traction control functions by using the brakes. I get your point though.

 

[FirstToy]

There is a law called the Magnusson Act (or soemthing like that). dealers cannot deny warranty claims b/c of mods you do. It's like others said, if you didn't mod it, they have to warranty it.

In fact many dealers are putting in lifts on new trucks- "turnkey modded trucks" because they see the potential there.

 

[Corey]

My dealer is now doing it, it is nationwide available to any Toyota dealer.
I can not remember the outfit, but my dealer gave me a brochure a few weeks back.

You can order it with:
OME lift
Coils of your choice depending on what you carry up front such as:
ARB bumper
Warn XD9000 winch
ect, ect...

Also custom tires, wheels you name it, the dealer can get it prepped for you that way.

 

[Spektrum]

Dealers in my area said the same thing. "If WE do the work, then the warranty will be fine"... Then they quoted me $10,000 for a 3" Skyjacker lift, 285/75/R17 tires and a bumper. After I stopped laughing in his face I called a saleman buddy of mine at a competing Toyota dealership and he told me that any work I did at, say, an off road shop would NOT void my warranty. Problem in my mind is, the guy who quoted me that price was the "off road guy" at that particular dealership. Looks like shadyness runs deeper than the sales floor....

BTW, a local off road specialty store quoted me $4,700 for the same equipment. So, screw the dealership. They're out to rip you off even AFTER they have your $$$ from your fresh FJ purchase. Though I'm not sure how some of the 6" lifts will affect warranty, if they require cutting of any kind like Pro Comp's.

 

[LandCruisers4Life]

I had also read about this "Act" which prohibited companies from voiding your warranty for swapping out OEM for Performance parts, such as lifts and other such items which increase the performance of your vehicle for its intended use. Lifts and tires etc should fall under that easily.

As far as the ATRAC mod goes, the vehicle should have come that way from the factory from the beginning. I think Toyota should recall all FJ Cruisers that do not already have this feature and install it at the dealer to keep it legit.

 

[tburrell]

Dealer installed OME ...

FWIW ... the dealership I got my FJ from installed the 3" OME lift kit for the same price as Slee Offroad (I asked the salesman if he would match the price thinking he'd laugh at me -- but he said, "We can do that."). This had the benefit of getting both the lift kit and new tires all at once (they gave me $50 / tire for the original tires). So the day I drove my FJ home I had the 3" lift and 285/70/R17s. When asked about the warranty, they said the service department might squirm about things like the alignment. If that happens, though, the sales guys said they'd "go to bat" for me with the service department.

Last note: they did say that any after-market mods would only affect the warranty if it was determined that the mod or the way the mod was installed caused whatever problem you're having. In my case, they said since they installed the lift kit, they'd have no one to blame but themself if something went wrong (However, I've had a problem or two since then and I'll do my best to never bring my FJ back to them) ...