I stopped by the dealership today to get some answers to some questions. I have learned alot from some of you guys from the threads and replys you have posted so maybe you can answer my questions better then they did.
1.) The block heater was an option that I chose to have on my new pickup. From what I understand now is that cummins come with the block heater on their engines, the 80 dollar option while building is just for the cord that runs from the unit to whereever you choose to run it out. I didn't get the cord with mine . I priced the cord at a local autoparts and it is 15 dollars, but the dealer told me that by installing it by myself I may void my warranty. He suggested that I buy one from them and have their technicians install it for a small fee of 100 dollars so that my warranty would still be intact. To me this sounds rediculous, are they telling me the truth or what?
2.) I would like to put a leveling kit on the pickup and the dealer was "uncertain" if this would void any part of my warranty. Will it? I am assuming so if a little cord would. I know that a few of you guys have installed them on your 2010s.
3.) The dvd owners manual will not play in my truck, the dealer says "i dont know why". Any other dvd I put in plays. It will play in my Playstation 3 just fine. This isn't a huge issue, just curious if anyone has had this problem.
The steering "honk" that was in a previous thread has become worse, as in it does it more often now. They cannot get the truck in until next week to actually work on it so i have parked it until then.
I thank you in advance for any insight you can give me on these questions. Not critcizing my dealer just upset that this was the best they could do for me. I am not a mechanic otherwise I wouldn't ask questions like this.

Rusty

 

From what i have heard if something breaks then the dealer has to prove that what u did to it caused it to break. and certain mods may void parts of your warranty but not all of it. My truck plays my manual but not all of it. I can watch the demos on it but thats it i cant search through the pages and find info if i need it. i have to go to the PC.

 

Bull.....

This makes as much sense as them telling you that If you install your own air filter, or change your own oil, replacing your brakes, or add a receiver hitch that you would void your own warranty. Just installing a replacement part will not void your warranty.

Now, I could see if you had a 1000 watt inverter that you installed and then jerry rigged it to boost the flux capacitor and provided 1.21 gigawatts of electricity to the block for a super duper instantaneous block heater, coffee pot, anti theft force field, then yes. They could possibly void your warranty.

Once again, no. If something would happen, then under the Moss-Magnuson act they would have to prove what you did caused the defect or problem. Take it like this.

Lockback: Hey Mr Dealer, My A/C quit working, I think the compressor locked up.

Dealer: Well Mr Lockback, you installed a leveling kit, your warranty is void.

Lockback: Well Mr Dealer, my attorney just doesnt see exactly how a leveling kit will affect the A/C compressor, could you please type up and sign an explanation for me.....

Now, Im not the kind of guy to lawyer up on someone for nothing, but I expect fair treatment. If you install a leveling kit, the kit fails, lets say a weld lets go, and that cause a bunch of ball joints on one side to go out, then yes, they may not be liable to warranty that. There is absolutely no reason they can void an entire warranty for something so simple.

Rog knows me... very well in fact. Id love to walk into your dealer ship and have a little talk with them. Good chance Id be uninvited for life. And Id do it all without ever raising my voice or blood pressure....

Your best bet is to just be honest with them. My truck for example, I have voided just about every warranty but the one covering the paint. What you want to do, you should have no problems.

Ok, thats all I have for now....

Phew!

 

Rusty, I personally would find another dealer.

That Dealership is a headache waiting to happen. I would take my new truck by there though, and explain to the owner why I chose to purchase from another Dealer though.

I believe I would buy a Ford before I would deal with a place like that.

 

I had the dealer where I bought the truck procure and install the leveling kit - just to give me more black than grey should there be a warranty issue later...but the truth is, legally they can't use that old wives tale that any non-OEM part installed voids all warranty - only if the broken part can be proved to be damaged due to the non-OEM part. I never went back to a dealer who tried that "your whole warranty is void" story because I lifted my last truck 5 inches - but I did get great warranty service on various (some big ticket) items later with the lift still there, but by another dealer...

I didn't even try the DVD manual in the truck - just ran it on the laptop...