There are very few things that can reassure us when we buy a new car, and one of those is a good auto warranty. While your warranty can be a great source of reassurance for the moment, helping with repairs when you may not be able to afford them on your own, it can turn into something of contention at a time when the dealer says that the warranty has been voided.
How can you avoid this costly mistake? This short article will discuss a number of common reasons that a manufacturer will cite for why they will not honor a warranty.
Reckless Driving
This includes off-roading, overloading the vehicle and racing. Even a vehicle that is designed to be driven at high speeds or off-road could be denied their warranty coverage, so may sure that you think twice before you take part in risky activities with your vehicle.
Maintenance
Most warranties will require a vehicle to be regularly serviced. This can mean if your engine fails due to dirty oil buildup, the repairs will not be covered under the warranty. Even though the vehicle might be under the warranty, getting the oil changed every regularly is something that is covered under the requirement of regular maintenance. You do not have to necessarily have it maintained at your dealer, but ensure that you keep receipts for personal records.
Not Reading Fine Print
One important thing you should do is read the fine print of your vehicle warranty. Many warranties will contain conditions that are not listed in an article like this so you will be losing money if you violate them, even if it is accidentally.
Salvage Title
When any vehicle is found as a total loss, the original title will turn into a salvage title. An insurance company will not allow a warranty to be eligible on a salvage title. It does not matter if the vehicle has been repaired because insurance companies will no longer think of it as valuable enough to receive warranty repairs.
Aftermarket Modifications
This specific condition of warranties can often be very confusing for a consumer. While people may think that this means they ca not make alterations to a vehicle at all, there is a certain act named the Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975 that says the dealer has to prove the aftermarket modification led to the problems for the part or modification to cause the warranty to void.
Environmental Damage
Warranties, no matter where you get the vehicle or warranty, will not cover any damage caused by nature. And this will include environmental disasters like floods, fires and earthquakes.