how do i not void the warranty?

[khabboub]

i really want to upgrade my camaro. just little things, like exhaust and intake, but is there anyway i can do this without voiding the warranty. would i have to have a certified gm mechanic install them? for instance can i buy the injen intake and put it on myself without voiding the warranty?

[ColtonB2]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Welcome to an addicting site full of knowledge, a sea of infromation avalible with just one click.
Try using the search button before you start a new thread, and you'll find most of your questions are probally answered already. But don't be afraid to post.

As for your question...you can install a CAI yourself and it absolutely won't void your warrenty. Exhaust won't you hurt either. Stay away from that magic word 'tune' and you should be fine with the warrenty with only bolt-on's

edit. oh yeah and plan on spending alot on your camaro. THE MOD BUGS GET YOU!

[Mindz]

shorty headers, intake, exhaust, wheels, stripes and other cosmetic mods. That's about it. cam, tune, long tube headers, supercharger, turbocharger, all will void the warranty

[Russell James]

I've had headers on numerous cars and never had a warranty issue. Same with CAI's.

Couple of red flags to avoid - Don't show up for warranty work with an aftermarket calibration in the ECM. If you want to do tuning, research that what you are doing can be reversed. Power adders like superchargers... forget about the warranty. Same with mechanical mods like cams... warranty, done.

Exhaust and intake should be more than fine. Best thing to do also is stop by your dealer that will be doing the service work and ask if you can run a couple questions past the Service Manager. Tell him/her what you would like to do to get their opinion of what they think of your ideas. Most will be perfectly fine. If someone seems to be a bit prickish about mods, then you will know to show up 100% stock if you need warranty work. So just keep everything you take off handy for a reinstall someday if needed. I.E. don't sell the cats to a junk yard.

[TwoEcho]

Originally Posted by Russell James

I've had headers on numerous cars and never had a warranty issue. Same with CAI's.

Couple of red flags to avoid - Don't show up for warranty work with an aftermarket calibration in the ECM. If you want to do tuning, research that what you are doing can be reversed. Power adders like superchargers... forget about the warranty. Same with mechanical mods like cams... warranty, done.

These computers will show the tune even if you reverse the tune back to original. Hell, these computers will show if you swap back and forth between a tuned one and a stock one. Basically, if you tune your engine, GM will find out and your warranty is toast. As for CAIs and headers and whatnot, it is more a question of what your dealer says is ok. Some dealers say exhaust doesn't void the warranty, others say it does. I would contact the dealer and ask what they consider to be ok...

[Chief Bob]

Contact a trusted dealer or a GM rep

[CLEAN]

One thing to remember is that it's not an all or nothing proposition. If you put a supercharger on your car and break an axle because of the extra power, it won't be covered. But if you put an exhaust on and your power window stops working, then it would be covered. The only things that you lose the warranty on are things that broke because of something you did.

[ron10]

don't touch the engine except to clean it!

[GaryTucker]

Originally Posted by CLEAN

One thing to remember is that it's not an all or nothing proposition. If you put a supercharger on your car and break an axle because of the extra power, it won't be covered. But if you put an exhaust on and your power window stops working, then it would be covered. The only things that you lose the warranty on are things that broke because of something you did.

This goes for cosmetic mods too. If you take off a door panel to put in a new speaker or a new color accent bulb...and you break the panel...guess who's baby that is? I'll give you a big hint...It's not GM! If you decide you need some painted stripes on your car and then the paint starts to bubble on the hood (factory paint, not the stripes)...same answer as above.

If more people would go into modding their car with the realization that a bumper-to-bumper warranty only extends to the items you leave OEM...these questions would never need to be asked.

[Dave Coyle]

Your best bet if you are worried about it is to just drive your car the way it is and do nothing to it until the warranty runs out.

[Grinder19]

Wish my local dealer understood this a little better. I have American Racing headers installed and had a few items for them to look at under warranty....oil seeping from oil cooler and gurgling noise from glove box.

Well, they state that the headers voided my warranty on the powertrain therefore the oil issue won't be covered....btw, I found this problem when I was under the car installing the headers!

Then they stated that the noise is due to my headers causing rattling....nothing to fix. BS I declared and even pointed out the TSB out there for just my issue...which, oh by they way, I took to them back in Nov to fix....and they didn't. All they did was the HVAC reprogramming. I literally had to tell them to look up the past work they did and pointed out the TSB. The idiot had the audicity to say that the TSB wasn't a recall so they didn't have to do it.

Never in my life have I met a service department so incompentent and one who didn't want to listen to what the customer was explaining. Really was disheartening. So, when I get back from my business trip on Friday, I'll pick up my car and never step into that dealership for anything again. Off to "interview" other dealers in my area.

I only wish I could take my car to the local former Pontiac, current Buick, GMC dealership for warranty work. They've been rock-solid for my other vehicles.

[thiggin2]

Originally Posted by Grinder19

I only wish I could take my car to the local former Pontiac, current Buick, GMC dealership for warranty work. They've been rock-solid for my other vehicles.

Why not?? Have you asked them?? We are only a Chevy Dealer and we work on all GM veh, even under warranty.

[JohnInSoCal]

Originally Posted by Grinder19

Well, they state that the headers voided my warranty on the powertrain therefore the oil issue won't be covered....btw, I found this problem when I was under the car installing the headers!

Then they stated that the noise is due to my headers causing rattling....nothing to fix.

this is a perfect example of the difference between the moss warranty act theory and the real world. In the real world the dealer/GM decides what is and what is not covered under warranty and if your mod had anything to do with it. You are always at the mercy of the dealer and GM. They don't have to prove squat, they simply say "in our expert opinion your mod caused the problem", case over. Unless you decide to sue them, hire an expert, and a lawyer, etc. Everybody needs to keep this in mind with mods, having a good relationship with a competent dealer is the most important thing here. The moss act isn't worth the paper it's written on for the most part.

[Grinder19]

Originally Posted by thiggin2

Why not?? Have you asked them?? We are only a Chevy Dealer and we work on all GM veh, even under warranty.

I'll inquire about that again. In Feb of last year, I was chatting with the service manager about the Camaro and asked about bringing it there for work. I thought he said he can't do warranty stuff on it. Maybe I heard him wrong.....sure hope so.

Originally Posted by JohnInSoCal

this is a perfect example of the difference between the moss warranty act theory and the real world. In the real world the dealer/GM decides what is and what is not covered under warranty and if your mod had anything to do with it. You are always at the mercy of the dealer and GM. They don't have to prove squat, they simply say "in our expert opinion your mod caused the problem", case over. Unless you decide to sue them, hire an expert, and a lawyer, etc. Everybody needs to keep this in mind with mods, having a good relationship with a competent dealer is the most important thing here. The moss act isn't worth the paper it's written on for the most part.

I totaly agree with you John....I've got all sorts of people telling me to invoke the moss warranty act but I know it is futile. And even if I did and they were now receptive to do the work, I have absolutely zero confidence in their workmanship. Additionally, in this free market, why let them make money from mother GM for cost reimburstments for the repairs. Nope, I've got other dealers in the area, it just becomes more of an inconvience having to travel outside my local communit to get the job done.

And you know, I also understand that I'm not going to get coverage for an issues I may have regarding my exhaust. I did the mod, therefore, I'm accepting the bill for any future issues with that system.