Dealer Says non-MOPAR Lift Kit Voids 100% of Warranty!

Dirt_Diggler said:

One easy way to avoid this problem altogether would be to, once the lift is done, keep all the OEM parts that are switched out (wheels, shocks, springs, ect) and if you ever have to bring the Jeep back to said dealer you could re-install them prior to going to the shop. This is assuming you only go with a BB 2" lift. If your having your lift work done by a local shop ask them ahead of time if they could help you out with this to avoid any problems with you dealer trying to pull a fast one and void said warranty.

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That's quite a bit harder than it sounds.

First of all, this wouldn't actually undo any damage caused by your mods. So if the dealer suspects you've installed/uninstalled mods, they can still point to that as the reason to deny your claim. You can fight the denial if you like, but now "when the truth comes out" you're going to have to admit you're a liar who tried to trick them by uninstalling your mods.

Second and more immediately, if you want a shop to do the reinstall of old parts, they're going to want to get paid. Regardless of whether it's installing a new lift or reinstalling old parts, it's basically the same job. The $400 or so you pay to uninstall your budget boost--and the $400 or so you'd have to pay after the warranty work is done to reinstall the BB again--would likely cover quite a bit (or all) of whatever the potential warranty issue is.

You could of course do the uninstall at home, though even a BB is going to take you at least four hours. Then you'll need to take your Jeep in, hope to get the warranty work done, and then you'd need to spend another four hours reinstalling the mods. Ugh.

Third, mods often beget other mods. Your new tires probably won't fit once you remove the lift. So those would have to revert to stock too. So you'd be paying a shop or spending hours upon hours reverting everything you needed to revert.

Fourth and finally, some mods really aren't "undoable." Nobody would undo a regearing, for example. And if you've regeared, you probably CAN'T go back to stock tires without running insane RPMs everywhere.

So while this sounds good in theory and may work for some small mods, it's realistically not a viable option for serious mods.

Riccochet said:

My point was that if you can't afford to fix it without the warranty then you probably shouldn't mod it while it's under warranty.

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But my point is that this seems to be conflating two issues. And once you parse them out, logic cuts the other way.

The first issue is: Should I mod at all? If you have no financial cushion to account for the impact of your mods, then I say you shouldn't mod at all--whether under warranty or not. This is so because you can't predict whether damage caused by mods will get warranty service or not and if the bill falls upon you, you can't afford it.

The second issue is: If I'm going to mod, then when should I do it? If you must mod, then I say logic dictates that you SHOULD do it while it's under warranty. This is so because then at least there is the CHANCE that if the mods cause damage, you could get warranty coverage. By contrast, if you wait until the warranty has expired to install the very same mods and they cause damage, then there is NO CHANCE you will get warranty coverage.

In other words, the only way to guarantee that you won't get any assistance repairing damage caused by mods is to make the mods outside of the warranty period.

HEY out there,
I'm a newbie here but this is what I got from "horse's mouth" dealer called "The New Chrysler" dealerships here in PDX (Portland, OR)
I'm just presenting a verbal quote: "The New Chrysler is now discouraging us from actually recommending "Lifts" and/or partners who do them (my guess is it is for liability reasons). continuing - "MOPAR does have an approved lift package featuring FOX RACING shocks and springs and body-mounts, etc..."
LATER, upon my mention of a 4" Mopar kits the answer was: "MOPAR does indeed make a 4" lift kit, but the only ones that are fully-approved and available for install are for the 2007-2010 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED. They have information on a 4" MOPAR Lift for the 2012, but they are still not available because they are trying to iron out some issues with them. They are "available", but they "are not really available" (corporate double-speak). Also, until the issues are worked out, we would certainly not install them even if we could get them, for liability reasons.

I know this all sounds a bit convoluted and vague, but that is the best I can come up with for you."
can anybody translate this into a commonly understood language, please??????
from another dealer I got this: "So the factory warranty will NOT be affected if you go with manufacturer (Mopar) lift. And YES you would have the 3year or 36k mile warranty coverage AND the 5 year or 100k power train warranty coverage."
so, hopefully this muddies up the waters some more; I know - things are different and weird in Oregon, but not to the corporate extent...
summary: it sounds to me that Mopar is their (Jeep included) "approved" part supplier that makes manufacturer of the Jeep comfortable with installing post main production. (because of quality, shape, form, smell, etc...)
my personal opinion - for a BRAND new Jeep, just ordered form the factory to lose any kind of warranty would not be wise = so, I'd go with Mopar just to keep the warranty. after that - free!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh, don't forget 5 year or 100k power train warranty coverage.
ANY mods that affect drive train = void the warranty.
So, it sucks pretty much in terms of choices for lift if you ORDER your Jeep and you CARE about the warranty coverage.
thanks for your time, that's all I know.

refuse2age said:

HEY out there,
I'm a newbie here but this is what I got from "horse's mouth" dealer called "The New Chrysler" dealerships here in PDX (Portland, OR)
I'm just presenting a verbal quote: "The New Chrysler is now discouraging us from actually recommending "Lifts" and/or partners who do them (my guess is it is for liability reasons). continuing - "MOPAR does have an approved lift package featuring FOX RACING shocks and springs and body-mounts, etc..."
LATER, upon my mention of a 4" Mopar kits the answer was: "MOPAR does indeed make a 4" lift kit, but the only ones that are fully-approved and available for install are for the 2007-2010 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED. They have information on a 4" MOPAR Lift for the 2012, but they are still not available because they are trying to iron out some issues with them. They are "available", but they "are not really available" (corporate double-speak). Also, until the issues are worked out, we would certainly not install them even if we could get them, for liability reasons.

I know this all sounds a bit convoluted and vague, but that is the best I can come up with for you."
can anybody translate this into a commonly understood language, please??????
from another dealer I got this: "So the factory warranty will NOT be affected if you go with manufacturer (Mopar) lift. And YES you would have the 3year or 36k mile warranty coverage AND the 5 year or 100k power train warranty coverage."
so, hopefully this muddies up the waters some more; I know - things are different and weird in Oregon, but not to the corporate extent...
summary: it sounds to me that Mopar is their (Jeep included) "approved" part supplier that makes manufacturer of the Jeep comfortable with installing post main production. (because of quality, shape, form, smell, etc...)
my personal opinion - for a BRAND new Jeep, just ordered form the factory to lose any kind of warranty would not be wise = so, I'd go with Mopar just to keep the warranty. after that - free!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh, don't forget 5 year or 100k power train warranty coverage.
ANY mods that affect drive train = void the warranty.
So, it sucks pretty much in terms of choices for lift if you ORDER your Jeep and you CARE about the warranty coverage.
thanks for your time, that's all I know.

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The factory warranty applies to the jeep as it left the factory, and doesn't cover anything you change (eg, lift components) or anything damaged by what you change (eg, factory driveshaft ruined by lift components). The warranty otherwise remains intact.

Mopar versus TeraFlex, etc and dealer-installed versus owner-installed, etc all makes no difference.

That's the deal until the language in your warranty manual or the mopar performance parts catalog changes. Dealers are notoriously "confused" on this topic (often on purpose, I believe), and what a dealer says to the contrary is irrelevant. Simple as that.

If you don't believe me, pick up the mopar performance parts catalog--which sells the mopar 4" lift--and note the small print stating that the parts come with no warranty whatsoever. Then pick up your warranty manual and again note that it similarly states that performance parts added to the jeep aren't covered.

Go ask the dealer you spoke with for written documentation from Chrysler supporting what he said. My prediction he won't be able to provide anything.