Warranty and lifts

gatorator · **Posted:** Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:36 pm

Just had a talk with the Service Manager of one of the local Jeep Dealers and he said they would not perform any warranty work on the Drive Train or Suspension if the vehicle has been lifted. The Regional Rep for Jeep was there and he said the same thing. They will honour the Warranty if I put a winch or heavy bumper on it though.

I understand the Suspension Warranty but not the Drive Train Warranty.

Anyone else heard this?

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:43 pm

No because the dealer actually put the lift on my KJ before it was even purchased. they put it on a brand new KJ, they'll honor ANY warranty work at my dealer(s). The one where I bought it and the one closer to my house both do warranty work on lifted or modded jeeps...as long as it is not too extreme I would gather.

broncsrule · **Posted:** Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:47 pm

My dealer put my lift on and warrantied it. I blew a shock and they replaced it. also gave me a POS PT Crusier for a rental. Thay said as long as the lift is under 2.5 inches all warranty applies. Phil Long Jeep in Lakewood, CO.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:06 pm

Tell your dealer and rep to go read this.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=6802

Granted, it might turn into a fight but they can't legally refuse your powertrain warranty because of suspension mods. They can only deny warranty work for anything you changed out. So if you added different springs, they don't have to warranty the springs. Or possibly the other suspension components IF they can prove those aftermarket or modded components caused a failure of factory parts.

shadow · **Posted:** Thu Jun 15, 2006 8:35 pm

I have had service staff at two dealerships (the one I bought the Renny at and the one close to my house) tell me that Chrysler will not provide any warranty service on the suspension and drive train at the very least if I add a suspension lift to my KJ...

That is even if I have them order in the parts and install the lift...

As for the drive train they claimed that the suspension lift will change the U joint angles thereby voiding said warranty...

JJsKJ, I know you have pointed to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act several times but I really would like to hear from more members about their personal experiences with dealerships...

Then there is that whole "I'm Canadian" issue with respecdt to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act...

And yes I know there have been claims that the Canadian divisions still adhere to the Act but that could just be rumour...

Shadow...

gatorator · **Posted:** Thu Jun 15, 2006 9:20 pm

I was told the same thing about the increased pitch of the drive lines. Also the front axle was mentioned but I'm not sure why.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Thu Jun 15, 2006 9:40 pm

gatorator wrote:

I was told the same thing about the increased pitch of the drive lines. Also the front axle was mentioned but I'm not sure why.

There is barely any increased pitch to the rear driveshaft and Nothing changes on the front DS pitch as the front diff doesn't move when lifted. Find out what their concern is over the front diff as lifting it won't add any strain to it and stock KJ's have blown front diffs too.
So, do they take the same stance on customers that have modded or lifted Wranglers? Do they sell any modded vehicles?
If you don't feel like fighting them on this then I don't know what to tell you except maybe shop around at other dealers or wait until your warranty expires before modding. UGH.
Man I hate car stealerships.

BTW, I really don't know about Canadian dealers in regards to the Magnusson-Moss act.

shadow · **Posted:** Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:38 am

JJsKJ wrote:

So, do they take the same stance on customers that have modded or lifted Wranglers? Do they sell any modded vehicles?

#1 Yes and #2 No... The guys I spoke to said any suspension lift...

Keeping in mind that these are in-city dealerships... they are likely more of a Chrysler dealership then anything else...
I am still hoping to find a local dealer who is lift friendly... there is still hope!

Quote:

If you don't feel like fighting them on this then I don't know what to tell you except maybe shop around at other dealers or wait until your warranty expires before modding. UGH.
Man I hate car stealerships.

BTW, I really don't know about Canadian dealers in regards to the Magnusson-Moss act.

Wait until after my warranty??? :shock:

That is 3 years away!!!
I really need to find a lift friendly dealership in my area... heh heh

4wdParakeet · **Posted:** Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:45 am

I haven't heard of this happening with factory warr. but if they really want to be jerks about it putting an oversized tire on your vehicle and you had a transmission failure your aftermarket service contract company will try and deny your claim everytime. Thier thought process is the bigger tires increase the load on the transmission due to the greater rolling resistience. Go too a Jeep dealer not a Chrysler dealer that sells Jeeps. If you can find one where there are lifted jeeps in the employee parking.
If you see that you know they are lift friendly.

Parakeet

RespectMyLibertay · **Posted:** Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:52 am

My front wheels keep disengaging when I am accelerating uphill in any 4x4 mode, and I was wondering if the dealership would give me a hard time doing any warrantee work on the powertrain (whatever the problem may be, definitely not suspension). If they claim they don't have to service said problem under warrantee because of my lift, can I argue that they must prove my lift causes the problem? I mean just cause the lift may cause stress/failure to the u-joints, can they void my entire powertrain warrantee where my problem likely resides?

bavfc3364 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 16, 2006 8:35 am

I worked for diamler dealers for years and have seen them warranty suspension parts on lifted vehicles. The only way they can not do it under the guideline is if the lift caused the part faliure. Keep in mind thta some dealers think that it voids the warranty but Diamler CHrysler has no way of voiding the warranty unless they can prove that what you have done to the vehicle will further damage the vehicle and has caused the problem that you have had.

2005 kj 2.5 lift 245/75/16 gdyr mtr

Video Guy · **Posted:** Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:53 am

This is just the kind of crap that makes me want to delay lifting my KJ until my extended warranty expires. (70,000 miles, I think. Only 30,000 to go. :roll:

) My life's hectic enough; why should I set myself up for more controversy?

Lucky for me, however, I found a lift-friendly dealer only 5 miles from my home. Kahlo Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Noblesville, IN sells and installs Skyjacker lifts. Until recently they sold/serviced only Jeeps, so I'd be very surprised if they tried to deny warranty coverage of the drivetrain due to an aftermarket suspension. This dealership is not exactly cheap. They quoted me $425 to install a $210 spacer lift :shock:

That's $85/hour x 5 hours! But with all the problems I've read lately about spacer lifts, I'm beginning to think they're not worth the trouble. So for now I'll stick with 235/70R16 and put my "extra" money toward skids and tow hooks. If I get the money saved, I'd rather purchase a high-quality spring lift.

T.J.

RespectMyLibertay · **Posted:** Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:13 pm

Hopefully we all can avoid BSing with dealerships by asking them to prove that our lifts cause whatever the problems is that we think should be covered by our warrantee. Its seems it is illegal to void an entire warrantee unless a mod causes damage/stress/malfunction to the full area of coverage. I'm not gonna let them tell me they can't fix my T/Case or front diff, wherever the problem lies, because of my lift, because there's no way it is caused by my Frankenlift, unless my CVs are the reason my front wheels keep disengaging. This is the only powertrain component affected by the lift up front, I think. Correct me if I'm wrong, please.

mikekj_cda · **Posted:** Sun Jun 18, 2006 11:40 pm

JJsKJ wrote:

Tell your dealer and rep to go read this.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=6802

Granted, it might turn into a fight but they can't legally refuse your powertrain warranty because of suspension mods. They can only deny warranty work for anything you changed out. So if you added different springs, they don't have to warranty the springs. Or possibly the other suspension components IF they can prove those aftermarket or modded components caused a failure of factory parts.

Don't want to steal the thread; Q. Does anyone know if this Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act has a Canadian cousin? Trying to inquire at a few dealers in Alberta and BC and no one returns my calls or e-mails

I guess that's their ansewer on installing a lift or even the warranty impacts here?
Will be phoning DC Canada sometime this week to get some horse's mouth info.

Any fellow Canucks out there please chime in, or if I missed an existing thread please let me know. Thanks.

-Mike

longarm · **Posted:** Mon Jun 19, 2006 6:36 am

I had a "Clunk" or "pop" noise comming out of my front end. The dealership replaced my upper balljoints and right side front cv boot. They couldn't figure the noise. This is on my 05 CRD. It ended up being a busted motor mount. Friggin idiots!

shadow · **Posted:** Mon Jun 19, 2006 9:30 am

mikekj_cda,

Let me know what DC Canada has to say... I am very interested....
I have been meaning to phone them myself... just not enough hours in the day...

gatorator · **Posted:** Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:10 pm

Good News

I called another Jeep Dealer in a small town nearby and they not only said the Warranty would be honoured but they would actually install the Frankenlift so that I would not have trouble with other Dealers.

It seems that half there mechies are Jeepers.

I guess they got another customer. :lol:

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:53 am

When you are considering bringing a liberty in for service, it's a good idea to be upfront about the lift BEFORE bringing it in. I assumed that if a dealership denied the warranty I could just bring it to another dealership. WRONG. The first dealership put a block on the warranty (just the front suspension), so the next dealership that looked at my jeep was not able to warranty it because the block was there. Not sure how to remove this "block", apart from removing the lift entirely. I now have a lift-friendly dealership, but they can't do anything, because the block is already there.

FL RENNY · **Joined:** Mon Nov 07, 2005 4:30 pm **Posts:** 458

I just got my KJ back 2 hours ago from having the front diff replaced along with the front drive shaft and other parts. They said they front diff was comming separated from the front axel! They said they RRO OTT lift I put on my jeep was ok because it's the same type lift DC makes for the libby...? Which is cool by me b/c I just paid $100 instead of $3000. So I guess if it would have been the full suspension replacement lift they would have voided the warranty.

mb818 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:59 am

i'm sorry, but that pisses me off to think that a dealership would warrant an OTT spacer lift and not a coil replacement like Rusty's, BDS, or 4WD Hardware... none of these lifts put any extreme angles on the driveline at all, and Rusty's coil lift is the only one i know of that doesn't relocate the strut...

Mark

Warranty and lifts

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