A warranty is like a contract between your car manufacturing company and you. It promises for any applicable repairs taking care of your vehicle. As well like a contract if you failed to hold your end, the warranty will be broken. So it is important to know what can be void your vehicle's warranty. Some circumstances can void complete warranty and some are partially like for a specific part
- Modifications: Modifications or aftermarket parts in your car will not effect on the warranty. For instance, you kept a performance part, a cold air intake on the car. Some dealers are used to say if they found it, the whole warranty is void. In fact, it is wrong. Just by simply buying, an aftermarket part and placing them in the car will not void the warranty. The dealers must be proved that the aftermarket part is caused for the repairs before the warranty coverage to deny the warranty. If the reason for a part failure is unclear, the dealer usually charge for the diagnose the vehicle. If the modifications are led to the product repair or failure or aftermarket part is not properly installed, it is the dealers right to void that particular part warranty and you need to pay from your pocket for the repairs. If the modifications are not the cause of repairs, you will get refund.
- Improper fluid usage: Using of improper and dirty fluids will void the warranty. For example, pouring sugar into the gasoline tank, or instead of gasoline using diesel fuel etc. So always make sure that you are using correct fluids in your car as per mentioned in the manual.
- Neglect of some parts: Some people are not aware of what happening to their vehicle and what it needs. Some people may use the car for years without changing oil. In these cases if the car is under the warranty, it will void your vehicle's warranty. Avoid these type of practices at all costs. The dealer will not care for any damage if you failed to take your car for servicing in particular intervals.
- Odometer altering: If your car odometer is replaced or tampered or disconnected, it is not possible to determine the exact mileage by the dealer. This is normally an evidence for a voided warranty. There is no exact way to find whether your car's odometer has been tampered or not. However, through the vehicle history report, the dealer can identify the inconsistencies in mileage between intervals.
- Environmental damage: If the vehicle was damaged in earthquake, flood, fire or any other environmental disaster, the manufacturer will not honor your car's warranty.