Can the warranty be voided because the CAT is removed?

 

In a word, yes.

Really, they should only void those things which that affects like the emissions warranty, but I suppose they could make a case that you changed the back pressure characteristics of the whole exhaust flow and that might harm the engine. And let you prove that's not the case.

All the while answering to the Feds why you violated federal law by removing a mandatory piece of emissions equipment.

I'm not even sure they're allowed to work on the vehicle if EPA mandated equipment has been tampered with or removed.

 

Maybe the guys that gave me a hard time on another thread about how the dealer cannot void your warranty will help you pay for your lawyer expenses.

Just had to put that in there, nothing against you. I just hope those guys read this thread.

The dealer can and will void warranty on your whole vehicle for trivial things. Had it done to me also with my 99. This time I'am a little smarter, leaving it stock, if anything goes wrong with the truck during warrenty DC will pay and there is no way they can get out of it, the truck is stock and will remain that way.

 

that is what happened to me with my ford and the head gaskets. I am still fighting with the fraud motor company about my $6000.00 head gaskets!! with the new dodge I have asked the service manager about every mod I have planned and have gotten the ok from him on just about everything.

 

i wouldn't bet the farm on it

 

The warranty is only good if you need a repair and the warranty repair can be voided if the modification you performed was the cause of the failure. Notice how I said warranty repair, they cannot void an entire drivetrain warranty if you change to bigger tires. Only the repair that you are seeking and then only if the "bigger tires" caused it. The burden of proof lies with the dealer.

There is a good explanation here
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/...#Magnuson-Moss

 

The service mgr. , his boss and the owner of the dealership can and most times do say it's ok to mod this and that but they do not hold the warranty. DC holds the warranty and will most likely shoot down any claims that they prove to be the direct result of the mods that the dealership gave the OK for. Just my 0.75 worth.

 

I think the dealers are in bad standing with DC and are trying to document voided warranties to DC to show them that they are doing their job to "make sure the public doesn't make warrantee claims as a result of abuse or modifications." They have to keep their numbers up. Too many claims and not enough voided warrantees means they are not doing their job. jmo

 

The CAT isn't a federally mandated piece of emission equipment on the 2004.5. Dodge put it on there. I could be wrong but the federallies start mandating diesel emissions in 2007.

There might be a state or two, like the Peoples Republic Of California, that mandate it.

 

California, and New York are two huge markets that mandate stiffer requirements for emissions. It's come to stand that the manufacturers try to design around those requirements.

 

so is it required by the warranty?

 

Legally they can not void your warranty unless they proved that it caused the failure. If your ECM dies, they can't void the warranty on the cat. I had a dealership tell me that my sound system voided my warranty. After asking him several questions on how my radio could cause my fuel pump to die or my tranny to crap out and him not being able to answer them with a decent excuse, he replaced the fuel pump under warranty. Sometimes you just gotta stand up for yourself. It's really hard for me since I'm only 19. Everyone keeps trying to screw me.

 

Herb, could you clarify what you meant by your comment?


Do modifications at your own risk, From personal experience DC can and will void your warrenty even on small issues. It all depends on how hard they want to play hard ball.

 

04.5 CAT is an EPA (i.e. federally mandated) piece of equipment for all 50 states.

The same is true for 2007.

I hope your dealer (service manager, owner, whoever) put all that in writing.

I can see it now, "I never said that".

 

Well I have been looking at Federal and EPA regs and laws for two days now and I still dont know for sure. Removing or doing modifications that do not meet original equipment manufacturer installed emmission equipment seems to be illegal by Federal law. I assume that this is all any vehicle manufacturer would need to void any and all warranties for a vehicle. Does not matter if it is needed to meet state or local emmission regulations. Even the owners manual has "Void Warranty" statements on every other page it seems.

I have decided to see how fast I can make mine go, therefore I am sure that there is not much if any left of my engine & drive train warranty. If DC wants to fix something that breaks, fine, if not I will.