What can you get away with? Warranty Question

I searched around and found some hit or miss threads.

Basically, we just bought a 2021 TRD OR DCSB brand spanking new. My girl actually bought the truck; I wasn't there and she purchase the 100k warranty on it. Drive/power line, etc. I realize after reading some of the fine print what it covers etc.

Now, that we have it of course I enjoy to light mod. it. Pretty sure KDX tune would void some it, lifting it? probably? Adding armor?

Guess in short question what has been your experience or been denied something? Like hey you put a bumper on and your transmission bombed and good luck chuck.

Dealer to dealer type thing? Slide under the radar? Put back to stock before taking it in?

 

The tune likely voids warranty, Toyota offers a lift that would not affect warranty. Unsure on armor, probably depends of if you remove or modify any factory peices

 

Never touch the ECU. That will auto-void a lot of the warranty.

I have a lot of "minor" mods on min, including armor, and I haven't voided the warranty (Yet, every dealer is different). As long as you stay away from the ECU and/or the main suspension components, you should be okay.

 

The lift is one of the items, I don't mind the factory lift spes, but I don't want the new grill (suppose I could sell it) but rather build my own lift .

Oh well, we will see.

 

Just my perspective/opinion: its a dealer to dealer type thing, and they do need to be able to link the mod to the issue. If you put on a bumper, and the radio stops working, they'd really have a hard time denying the warranty claim with a straight face. I did the KDMax tune on ours (it is AMAZING), and have literally no worries about warranty issues for the following reasons: 1. It's a Toyota, 2. If something blew up and I was concerned the dealer would dig deep into the computer (i.e. the transmission blew), I'd flash back to stock before taking it in (not knowledgeable enough to know if this would 100% alleviate any red flags, but better than not doing anything), 3. It's a Toyota.... Would I flash the Germans, heck no.....I wouldn't have safeguards 1 and 3

Congrats on your new truck !

 

Drive/powerline would is main concern. Suspension I suppose I would just sort out myself if an issue.

 

Ha, funny part is I have no issue flashing our BMW and GTI doh! (but they are paid off, no warranty and my mess)

 

Very well said! I'm not going to take off my steel bumper, after market rims or aftermarket grill just because I take it to the dealership for an oilchange or if there's a warranty recall about the radio/seatbelt, etc...

 

Lift will void suspension and driveline components.
ECU will void all kinds of things. Armor and big tires will void axles, brakes and bearings.
It's fair though. Toyota designed it to work with stock configuration. Can't expect them to warranty driveway warrior mods.

 

Ya, I get it.

 

Just don't take it off road

 

I KNEW I should had her buy the sport model!!

 

Tell your girl I said, "congrats on her new truck".

 

You can fight it if the issue is not caused by your modification. Wether or not the dealer makes your life hard about it is up to them specifically.

tune and lift means you better not go back saying your wheel bearings are shot or your engine is burning oil. But your tailgate falls off? Certainly covered under warranty.

 

:lol: I will, it's a long story.

 

What are you scared of voiding? Are you worried that putting LED dome lights in the truck will void the entire powertrain warranty? If you lift it and a leaf spring breaks, the leaf spring manufacturer should warranty the spring within their warranty window...Toyota won't warranty it. If you lift it and the engine floats a valve...Toyota will have to prove that the lift caused the valve to float. Everyone is so scared to tune a truck or put permanent modifications on a truck.....don't buy the truck then. I'm modding the hell out of mine with no worries because I do my research and don't put junk on my truck. I say go for it!!

 

Toyota has to prove nothing. It's up to you to prove your mod didn't mess something.

 

It wasn't your question

But how about cancel the extended warranty.

Wait a couple of years then decide if you want the warranty....

 

First I’ve heard of this. I’m going off experience. Had a 2016 mustang heavily modded and tuned. Shit a transmission at 6500 miles. Ford covered every last penny for a warranty swap because they said they couldn’t prove the modifications caused the damage to the transmission.
Had anyone actually had a warranty claim denied by Toyota due to modifications?

 

It depends on the mod and if it's installed correctly. Typically the dealer has to have concrete proof that your install/modification led to the failure of a part or system on the truck. Your warranty won't be voided completely for a mod, the mod will simply lose it's factory warranty for that specific mod or system. So if you replace your headers with some aftermarket brand and they fail, Toyota won't warranty it; the company you purchased from will have to replace the headers through their warranty.

The only time you can mod the truck and maintain full warranty on the truck is through Toyota, while using TRD or Toyota parts. Because the parts or purchased from Toyota and designed by Toyota, they're engineered straight from the source to work perfectly with your truck.

All in all, if you want to mod your truck, don't be afraid to do so. Just know the risks of doing so, and know the company's brand, reputation, and warranty that you plan to modify your truck with.