IMPORTANT! Read before proceeding!
The information contained within this section refers to law only within the United States of America and the territories where the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 applies. Laws vary from country to country and I am not familiar with how they all work. If you're curious about consumer protection laws in your country, do some research and see what you find. Please be aware that I am NOT a lawyer and if you have disputes regarding warranty coverage against your dealer and/or Hyundai Motor America (HMA), you need to speak with a legal professional who specializes in automotive warranties and manufacturer disputes.
Feel free to post questions regarding your warranty coverage below and I'll do my best to answer them. Thank you. Hopefully you find this section helpful and informative.
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Introduction...
It seems that I encounter, almost on a daily basis, members here who have been told by their dealership's service department, in some form or another that the customer needs to do what the service department says or you'll lose your entire warranty. I'm sick and tired of watching good, honest people get swindled by those just trying to make an extra buck and frankly, I'm tired of repeating myself so I'm posting this to have the information out in the open for everyone to see.
Recently I took my Elantra in for a minor repair under warranty and the service advisor kept bugging me to schedule my 30,000 mile service so upon getting home, I cracked open my owner's manual and found it consisted of nothing more than an oil and filter change and swapping out the cabin air filter along with a list of cursory inspections. However the recommendations the dealership made (printed out and stapled to my RO) were far more extensive and totaled nearly $600! Some of the services they were recommending were not listed in the manual at all while others weren't due until 100,000 or 120,000 miles! Others were charging between $60 and $80 for the installation of a $20 part that takes literally two minutes. I plan on swapping out the cabin air filter and doing the oil change myself for a tenth of the cost of the dealer's 30K service.
And while you may be encouraged to perform some of these suggested services, keep in mind that your owner's manual and related service booklet are your guide through long-term ownership and care of your new Hyundai as recommended by the very people who designed and built it. Sit down with your favorite beverage in a comfy chair, open them up and do some reading to educate yourself as to how you drive your car and what it will need when it will need it. Knowledge is power, especially in the battle between man and dealership.
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Frequently asked questions...
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding warranties, servicing, and the law which can be read here.
Q: My dealership claims that they have to perform all of my services or my entire warranty will be voided.
A: FALSE - Nothing boils my blood faster and more thoroughly than this absolutely bald-faced lie. Neither the dealership nor the manufacturer has the legal power to void any one part or the entirety of a warranty for any reason. This does not mean they can't deny coverage but we'll get to that later. Long story short; if any dealership staff tries to intimidate you into a service with the threat of a voided warranty, it's simply that: intimidation.
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Q: I was told that I cannot perform my own maintenance on my car.
A: FALSE - As the service department is by far the most profitable of all the branches of a dealer, this is another steaming pile of dung perpetrated to keep you coming back for your services. You may perform your own maintenance (I do) so long as proper records are kept. And I don't just mean writing it down in the logbook; keep receipts and if possible, log them on an Excel spreadsheet, too. Make your record-keeping absolutely bulletproof and for an extra layer of armor, I strongly recommend using genuine Hyundai filters and parts for the length of the warranty just to remove any chance of doubt regarding aftermarket parts and filters.
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Q: My dealership claims that my factory warranty is only valid at their location.
A: FALSE - Your Hyundai factory warranty is provided to you by Hyundai Motor America and is valid at any of their authorized service centers in all 50 states. Note: This does not apply to any aftermarket or 3rd party warranty coverage you may have purchased, in which case you need to refer to the paperwork that came with that service.
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Q: I denied a list of recommended services based on my vehicle's mileage and the service writer said my warranty would be void if I did not have them performed. Is this true?
A: On the surface, this is definitely FALSE however it can lead to complications. As I've stated before, your dealer does not have the legal power to void your warranty as that is illegal and they cannot require you to purchase a service in order to keep the warranty in effect. However, warranty coverage can be denied (key word, remember it) in the event of a modification or lack of maintenance. Let's take a look at a few hypothetical scenarios.
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Example 1 - Lack of maintenance in a warranty claim: Let's hypothesize that you bought your car brand new and do not change your oil except every year and 20,000 miles or so despite doing heavy city driving. At 35,000 miles, your oil pressure light comes on so you have the car towed to the dealer where the technician finds that oil sludge has blocked the oil uptake tube and starved the top end of oil, causing valve damage. At the same time, you mention that the radio has also been acting up and you'd like them to take a look at that, too while the car is in the shop. You're the original owner so your car still falls under the 3 year, 36,000 mile coverage for the radio and the 10 year, 100,000 mile duration of the powertrain warranty.
When your dealer submits to Hyundai of the parts that they need to complete a repair under warranty, Hyundai may request maintenance records if they feel the claim is suspicious, abnormal or unsubstantiated so the dealer sends a copy of your service records to the district representative. In this case, the district rep will see that you've only changed the oil once on your car since you bought it and as the technician has found no obvious defect, the failure was caused not by a fault in manufacturing but rather, a lack of maintenance at which point the engine warranty claim will be denied and you will be stuck footing the bill. The remainder of your powertrain remains covered but just not the part that you neglected.
Now a gross negligence of engine maintenance will not cause the radio to fail and as the two are not related and you'll have a nice shiny new radio to listen to while you sit in your car in the driveway trying to figure out how to pay for a new engine.
Example 2 - Modifications:
We all love to personalize our cars but if you read one of the first pages in your owner's manual you will find a hidden little passage that reads 'Do not modify your Hyundai in any way'. Let's elaborate on that and we'll use a common modification (aftermarket intake) with a common excuse as an example.
Let's say you bring your car into a dealership for a check engine light and the technician takes your car back into the shop where upon opening the hood, he sees your non-Hyundai intake. He promptly closes the hood, drives the car back around front and informs the writer of what he's found at which point the writer tells you they won't be fixing your car under warranty due to the modification you've performed and that it is responsible for your issue despite the fact they have not done any diagnostic to prove this fact. You may consider it ludicrous but it's happened. You head home and borrow a friend's OBDII scanner at which point it reveals your fault code as a P0261, low voltage on the cylinder 1 injector.
While an aftermarket intake may trip a check engine light code, especially with today's super-sensitive and highly refined emissions control systems but it certainly would not cause a voltage issue on your fuel injection system.
Moral of the story? Warranty coverage can be denied on a failed item (and only that item) provided that it can be proven that the modification caused the failure. However, speculation is not proof and if they can prove that your E85 conversion caused the injector issue, then the company is off the hook to cover the part as it is no longer original and cannot be deemed a manufacturing defect.
Example 3 - The shadetree mechanic in a warranty claim:
For the sake of simplicity, I'm going to rehash our story from example one regarding a lack of oil changes, or in this case, a perceived lack of oil changes. Your oil pump has failed causing the engine to be starved of oil and it seizes. The technician working on your car sees that the oil in the crankcase appears clean and the oil filter looks new however he can find no record of the car ever having its oil changed there.
In the event you find yourself in a situation where your dealership service records may be a bit threadbare or totally nonexistent, make sure you inform your advisor immediately upon receipt of the diagnosis that you have performed all maintenance yourself and will provide all the receipts and records of those services. When you supply them with your records, the district rep will review them, compare them against HMA servicing guidelines and make a decision to cover your engine under the powertrain warranty. A few days later and you're back on the road, all thanks to fastidious record keeping!
I keep records for all my services in four places; on MyHyundai.com, in the maintenance handbook, on the receipts stapled together in a manila folder and in an Excel spreadsheet. Also remember that many receipts are now printed on heat-reactive paper that will fade and eventually vanish over time so don't hesitate to copy those onto normal paper and keep the two together, just in case.
----------------------------
Thank you...
Hopefully you find this section well-written, informative and helpful. Remember that an informed consumer is a powerful consumer and there's no shame in covering all your bases, especially when it comes to spending and saving your hard-earned money. Finally, always remember that the dealership works for YOU, not the other way around.
Happy motoring, friends.
The information contained within this section refers to law only within the United States of America and the territories where the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 applies. Laws vary from country to country and I am not familiar with how they all work. If you're curious about consumer protection laws in your country, do some research and see what you find. Please be aware that I am NOT a lawyer and if you have disputes regarding warranty coverage against your dealer and/or Hyundai Motor America (HMA), you need to speak with a legal professional who specializes in automotive warranties and manufacturer disputes.
Feel free to post questions regarding your warranty coverage below and I'll do my best to answer them. Thank you. Hopefully you find this section helpful and informative.
----------------------------
Introduction...
It seems that I encounter, almost on a daily basis, members here who have been told by their dealership's service department, in some form or another that the customer needs to do what the service department says or you'll lose your entire warranty. I'm sick and tired of watching good, honest people get swindled by those just trying to make an extra buck and frankly, I'm tired of repeating myself so I'm posting this to have the information out in the open for everyone to see.
Recently I took my Elantra in for a minor repair under warranty and the service advisor kept bugging me to schedule my 30,000 mile service so upon getting home, I cracked open my owner's manual and found it consisted of nothing more than an oil and filter change and swapping out the cabin air filter along with a list of cursory inspections. However the recommendations the dealership made (printed out and stapled to my RO) were far more extensive and totaled nearly $600! Some of the services they were recommending were not listed in the manual at all while others weren't due until 100,000 or 120,000 miles! Others were charging between $60 and $80 for the installation of a $20 part that takes literally two minutes. I plan on swapping out the cabin air filter and doing the oil change myself for a tenth of the cost of the dealer's 30K service.
And while you may be encouraged to perform some of these suggested services, keep in mind that your owner's manual and related service booklet are your guide through long-term ownership and care of your new Hyundai as recommended by the very people who designed and built it. Sit down with your favorite beverage in a comfy chair, open them up and do some reading to educate yourself as to how you drive your car and what it will need when it will need it. Knowledge is power, especially in the battle between man and dealership.
----------------------------
Frequently asked questions...
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding warranties, servicing, and the law which can be read here.
Q: My dealership claims that they have to perform all of my services or my entire warranty will be voided.
A: FALSE - Nothing boils my blood faster and more thoroughly than this absolutely bald-faced lie. Neither the dealership nor the manufacturer has the legal power to void any one part or the entirety of a warranty for any reason. This does not mean they can't deny coverage but we'll get to that later. Long story short; if any dealership staff tries to intimidate you into a service with the threat of a voided warranty, it's simply that: intimidation.
---
Q: I was told that I cannot perform my own maintenance on my car.
A: FALSE - As the service department is by far the most profitable of all the branches of a dealer, this is another steaming pile of dung perpetrated to keep you coming back for your services. You may perform your own maintenance (I do) so long as proper records are kept. And I don't just mean writing it down in the logbook; keep receipts and if possible, log them on an Excel spreadsheet, too. Make your record-keeping absolutely bulletproof and for an extra layer of armor, I strongly recommend using genuine Hyundai filters and parts for the length of the warranty just to remove any chance of doubt regarding aftermarket parts and filters.
---
Q: My dealership claims that my factory warranty is only valid at their location.
A: FALSE - Your Hyundai factory warranty is provided to you by Hyundai Motor America and is valid at any of their authorized service centers in all 50 states. Note: This does not apply to any aftermarket or 3rd party warranty coverage you may have purchased, in which case you need to refer to the paperwork that came with that service.
---
Q: I denied a list of recommended services based on my vehicle's mileage and the service writer said my warranty would be void if I did not have them performed. Is this true?
A: On the surface, this is definitely FALSE however it can lead to complications. As I've stated before, your dealer does not have the legal power to void your warranty as that is illegal and they cannot require you to purchase a service in order to keep the warranty in effect. However, warranty coverage can be denied (key word, remember it) in the event of a modification or lack of maintenance. Let's take a look at a few hypothetical scenarios.
---
Example 1 - Lack of maintenance in a warranty claim: Let's hypothesize that you bought your car brand new and do not change your oil except every year and 20,000 miles or so despite doing heavy city driving. At 35,000 miles, your oil pressure light comes on so you have the car towed to the dealer where the technician finds that oil sludge has blocked the oil uptake tube and starved the top end of oil, causing valve damage. At the same time, you mention that the radio has also been acting up and you'd like them to take a look at that, too while the car is in the shop. You're the original owner so your car still falls under the 3 year, 36,000 mile coverage for the radio and the 10 year, 100,000 mile duration of the powertrain warranty.
When your dealer submits to Hyundai of the parts that they need to complete a repair under warranty, Hyundai may request maintenance records if they feel the claim is suspicious, abnormal or unsubstantiated so the dealer sends a copy of your service records to the district representative. In this case, the district rep will see that you've only changed the oil once on your car since you bought it and as the technician has found no obvious defect, the failure was caused not by a fault in manufacturing but rather, a lack of maintenance at which point the engine warranty claim will be denied and you will be stuck footing the bill. The remainder of your powertrain remains covered but just not the part that you neglected.
Now a gross negligence of engine maintenance will not cause the radio to fail and as the two are not related and you'll have a nice shiny new radio to listen to while you sit in your car in the driveway trying to figure out how to pay for a new engine.
Example 2 - Modifications:
We all love to personalize our cars but if you read one of the first pages in your owner's manual you will find a hidden little passage that reads 'Do not modify your Hyundai in any way'. Let's elaborate on that and we'll use a common modification (aftermarket intake) with a common excuse as an example.
Let's say you bring your car into a dealership for a check engine light and the technician takes your car back into the shop where upon opening the hood, he sees your non-Hyundai intake. He promptly closes the hood, drives the car back around front and informs the writer of what he's found at which point the writer tells you they won't be fixing your car under warranty due to the modification you've performed and that it is responsible for your issue despite the fact they have not done any diagnostic to prove this fact. You may consider it ludicrous but it's happened. You head home and borrow a friend's OBDII scanner at which point it reveals your fault code as a P0261, low voltage on the cylinder 1 injector.
While an aftermarket intake may trip a check engine light code, especially with today's super-sensitive and highly refined emissions control systems but it certainly would not cause a voltage issue on your fuel injection system.
Moral of the story? Warranty coverage can be denied on a failed item (and only that item) provided that it can be proven that the modification caused the failure. However, speculation is not proof and if they can prove that your E85 conversion caused the injector issue, then the company is off the hook to cover the part as it is no longer original and cannot be deemed a manufacturing defect.
Example 3 - The shadetree mechanic in a warranty claim:
For the sake of simplicity, I'm going to rehash our story from example one regarding a lack of oil changes, or in this case, a perceived lack of oil changes. Your oil pump has failed causing the engine to be starved of oil and it seizes. The technician working on your car sees that the oil in the crankcase appears clean and the oil filter looks new however he can find no record of the car ever having its oil changed there.
In the event you find yourself in a situation where your dealership service records may be a bit threadbare or totally nonexistent, make sure you inform your advisor immediately upon receipt of the diagnosis that you have performed all maintenance yourself and will provide all the receipts and records of those services. When you supply them with your records, the district rep will review them, compare them against HMA servicing guidelines and make a decision to cover your engine under the powertrain warranty. A few days later and you're back on the road, all thanks to fastidious record keeping!
I keep records for all my services in four places; on MyHyundai.com, in the maintenance handbook, on the receipts stapled together in a manila folder and in an Excel spreadsheet. Also remember that many receipts are now printed on heat-reactive paper that will fade and eventually vanish over time so don't hesitate to copy those onto normal paper and keep the two together, just in case.
----------------------------
Thank you...
Hopefully you find this section well-written, informative and helpful. Remember that an informed consumer is a powerful consumer and there's no shame in covering all your bases, especially when it comes to spending and saving your hard-earned money. Finally, always remember that the dealership works for YOU, not the other way around.
Happy motoring, friends.