What Voids a Car Warranty?

A warranty is a guarantee of quality. It’s the promise that you will have a working product for its intended purpose, at least for a certain period of time. If your car fails to meet this standard and needs repairs, likely, your warranty won’t cover it. The following are common ways your car may void the manufacturer’s or dealership’s warranty.

Total Loss

A total loss is a vehicle damaged so severely that it can’t be repaired and resold. In this case, the insurance company will declare the car a total loss and pay you for its value as scrap metal.

When an insurance company declares your vehicle a total loss, it also voids any remaining warranty coverage on your vehicle’s powertrain (the engine, transmission, and drivetrain). This means that if something goes wrong with those parts of your car later on, they won’t be covered under warranty because they were previously damaged in an accident.

Altered Odometer

As you may have guessed, odometer rollback is a form of fraud. It’s illegal and punishable by law. Odometer tampering is also known as “rolling back” or “clocking,” and it’s one way that unscrupulous car dealers, with poor dealer management practices, can inflate their sales prices by selling cars with lower mileage than they actually have.

When you buy a car with rolled-back odometers, you could pay thousands more than the car’s actual worth. This could be especially problematic if mechanical problems with the vehicle weren’t disclosed when you purchased it.

Improper Maintenance

You should maintain your vehicle according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. The frequency of service is determined by how old and how much you drive, but it should be at least once a year for regular maintenance.

If you don’t get regular check-ups and servicing, your car could develop problems that would void its warranty. The problem might not appear until after the warranty expires, so ask about any potential risks before purchasing used cars Calgary with an expired warranty.

Severe Environmental Damage

If you live in a place where it snows, or if you live in an area that’s prone to flooding, then you are going to want to be careful about the level of damage that you allow yourself to cause. If your car has been submerged in water or left in the snow for long periods, it may not have a warranty anymore.

However, if you live in an area that doesn’t get snow and rarely floods, this shouldn’t be as much of a concern.

Aftermarket Alterations

If you want to upgrade your car’s performance, appearance, or safety, aftermarket parts are a great way to do it. But what happens if those parts fail?

Many people don’t realize that aftermarket alterations can void the warranty on their vehicle. If you install new tires or an engine upgrade without checking with the manufacturer first, you could be out of luck if something goes wrong later. This could lead to an expensive repair bill or even a total loss of value for your vehicle if its original condition wasn’t preserved during installation.

In conclusion, it’s important to understand that every manufacturer has their own warranty policy, and what voids a car warranty will vary from brand to brand. However, there are some common themes for all vehicles (like rust) across the board. If you want information about your vehicle, check with the manufacturer directly.