Car warranties are one of the most important things that build trust and give the owner peace of mind. Most cars come with a 1-3 year comprehensive warranty, and they get a 6-month to a 1-year warranty for spare parts. If your car malfunctions or breaks down within this time frame, the manufacturer will repair it free of cost and even replace it in some cases. Multiple brands sell extended warranty packages that help customers have a worry-free drive for up to 10 years! However, all of it can go to waste if you do something that will void the warranty. Here’s a list of things you should never do if you want to keep the car warranty intact!
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Playing with the wiring
Electronic modifications are the most common kinds of mods we do to our cars. For many, these shops are the first place they drive to from the showroom! Well, plug-and-play electronics are safe, but you need to ensure that no internal wiring is being hampered. The slightest twitch in the original wiring will lead to your car warranty going down the drain.
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Structural changes
This is a tricky one. There are no defined metrics or even rules on what level of structural changes are allowed. According to the Indian government, no changes are allowed, and we should stitch to that rule. Something as small as a third-party bumper or a spoiler may kill your car warranty. According to manufacturers, these changes play with the structural integrity of a car and also hamper safety. Therefore, avoid any structural changes to your vehicle.
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Modifications to the engine
This is pretty straightforward. Any modifications to your engine bring along a slew of red flags to the warranty. Engine mapping, adding turbochargers, or even exhausts in some cases may void the warranty. Some things that don’t hamper your car warranty are OBD Devices and air filters.
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Changes in wheel and tire sizes
This is one of the most common modifications countless people make to their cars. Yes, bigger wheels and wider tires look cool, but they kill the car warranty. The main reason behind this is that OEMs tune the suspension units considering a certain wheel and tire size, anything apart from these sizes will directly affect the suspension.
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Irregular maintenance
Something a lot of people miss out on in regular maintenance. A lot of car owners who don’t drive a lot think that a service is not required because the car is not being used. Well, it doesn’t work like that. Missing out on servicing your car can most certainly lead to a breakdown. But it will most definitely lead to your car warranty being void. This is one of the first things OEMs check if you try to claim the warranty on your car.
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Aftermarket CNG kits
Today, a lot of cars like the Baleno, Ertiga, Celerio, etc come with a factory-fitted CNG kit. However, installing a third-party CNG kit is still very popular as it is cheaper and readily available. You should be aware that going for an aftermarket CNG kit will definitely void the car warranty.
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Using the wrong fuel
We all know that putting in the wrong fuel can be horrifying for your car, but it is also something that kills the car warranty. Well, it happens rarely but there have been cases where customers have tried to claim warranties when their car broke down because of the usage of the wrong kind of fuel. Always be sure that a diesel car gets diesel, and a petrol car gets petrol!
These were some of the key things you must keep in mind to keep your car warranty intact. What would you like to read next? Let us know in the comments below!