Just wondering what kind of modifications would void a warrantee

[atrvekvltdad]

I was thinking of doing a rear wiper delete and it got me thinking, would something like that void the warrantee?

 

[PittPa]

I was thinking of doing a rear wiper delete and it got me thinking, would something like that void the warrantee?

I guess won't void the warranty if its not even there! This is the first I have ever heard of this, by chance, what for?

 

[atrvekvltdad]

I guess won't void the warranty if its not even there! This is the first I have ever heard of this, by chance, what for?

I just think it looks slick. And when I thought about my last vehicle, a dodge van, I realized that I very rarely even used the rear wiper, so I thought it would be a pretty easy mod to do that wouldn't alter my ride too much, but would still look good.

 

[PittPa]

I just think it looks slick. And when I thought about my last vehicle, a dodge van, I realized that I very rarely even used the rear wiper, so I thought it would be a pretty easy mod to do that wouldn't alter my ride too much, but would still look good.

I get the idea, Just don't think a big honking family haulin SUV is going to get much of a change with the removal of one rear wiper. There is plenty of other stuff that is present also. But, hey, thats my thinking.

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[atrvekvltdad]

O

I get the idea, Just don't think a big honking family haulin SUV is going to get much of a change with the removal of one rear wiper. There is plenty of other stuff that is present also. But, hey, thats my thinking.

Oh ok. I won't do it then.

 

[Katy_Tell]

O

Oh ok. I won't do it then.

I agree with Pittpa. I hardly think that mod would void a warranty, and is not worth doing. There are so many other mods that could be done that would have more of an impact than just visual. With that said, from limited experience, it seems the rear window on the Telluride does not collect as much road splash, as my current CR-V, (and previously, the Pilot). So, it may not NEED the wiper. And, if you decided to remove it, you could also give the rear window a good coating of Rain-X to help with visibility (beading process). Can the wiper be reinstalled?

 

[Ferg42995]

2 questions to consider:
1) might it impact future value at resale?
2) does your state require annual vehicle inspections and if so, could this cause your vehicle to fail it’s inspection?

 

[atrvekvltdad]

No offense to anyone who's replied so far but uh, I don't really care whether you think I should do it or not, or whether you think it would make much of an impact or not. I'm not asking for approval. I know what I want to do. I simply wanted to know if pulling out the motor would be the kind of thing that would void my warranty. Thanks for the input though I guess.

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[Frohoss]

No offense to anyone who's replied so far but uh, I don't really care whether you think I should do it or not, or whether you think it would make much of an impact or not. I'm not asking for approval. I know what I want to do. I simply wanted to know if pulling out the motor would be the kind of thing that would void my warranty. Thanks for the input though I guess.

Why not ask Kia directly instead of taking anyones word on here? Not sure what you were expecting other than opinions.

 

[jw_tx21]

No offense to anyone who's replied so far but uh, I don't really care whether you think I should do it or not, or whether you think it would make much of an impact or not. I'm not asking for approval. I know what I want to do. I simply wanted to know if pulling out the motor would be the kind of thing that would void my warranty. Thanks for the input though I guess.

Google: Magnuson Moss Warranty Act and do some reading to find your answer.

You can also search the same terms on this forum - some good posts in other threads.

 

[Tellmeride]

Rear wiper delete, lmao, is this a thing? Oh boy I’m becoming an

 

[2020Telly]

You can do aftermarket upgrades and modifications all you want and it will not void your warranty coverage until you have a problem and ask Kia to fix it if they can prove that the problem was caused by your modification. So if you do a rear wiper delete and have no electrical issues or rear hatch problems then you are in the clear. But if you do the delete, remove the motor and find a leak in the door, the lift gate struts or the power liftgate stops working or some other electrical actuator problem, then you go to Kia and ask for a repair under warranty at that point they may have a case that your modification may have affected one of those components. You aren't going to be turned down for your 10yr/100K mile powertrain warranty if you remove the rear wiper and have a problem that isn't connected in any way to the rear wiper. In the same spirit, if I modify my suspension and then have my shocks go bad, I'm probably going to get static from Kia if I ask them to replace some component of my suspension, but under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act that still should not give Kia free reign to refuse taking care of an electrical or engine problem under warranty. That federal law is meant to protect consumers from being taken advantage of and it's also the protection to allow people to get oil changes and regular maintenance outside of the dealership and still be covered under warranty.

The item you might need to confirm is if you can pass your state's inspection. Some states stipulate that if you have a wiper it must function, but you may not be required to have a rear wiper. So if you remove it and they then determine that you don't have it so it's okay that it doesn't function then you are in the clear. But function is also a definition that is less stringent with the owner than it is the manufacturer. I once built a kit car and a functional front wiper could mean a hand operated wiper. If your state inspector doesn't see a rear wiper and doesn't care that there was once a rear wiper and still passes you then you are fine. But if someone interprets the rules differently and assumes because it once had one that means that you must still have a functional one then you run into a problem.

All that said, I don’t practice law, I just try to practice common sense.

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[Katy_Tell]

I was thinking of doing a rear wiper delete and it got me thinking, would something like that void the warrantee?

My apologies. I interpreted your statement, ‘I was thinking…’, to mean you had not decided and was open to opinions. Got it wrong.

And,

Great answer 2020Telly. Comprehensive. It gave me a better understanding of how a warranty could be affected. Thanks.

 

[Ferg42995]

No offense to anyone who's replied so far but uh, I don't really care whether you think I should do it or not, or whether you think it would make much of an impact or not. I'm not asking for approval. I know what I want to do. I simply wanted to know if pulling out the motor would be the kind of thing that would void my warranty. Thanks for the input though I guess.

I apologize if my questions came off as being judgmental. I truly was trying to be helpful as you make your decision and choices. Enjoy your car and whatever modifications and accessories you choose!

 

[Retired-TELCO]

FYI! DO NOT RE-FLASH THE ECM! Any mod's that have you do that; think about the mod first. because it will null you warranty.

 

[Chowell]

No offense to anyone who's replied so far but uh, I don't really care whether you think I should do it or not, or whether you think it would make much of an impact or not. I'm not asking for approval. I know what I want to do. I simply wanted to know if pulling out the motor would be the kind of thing that would void my warranty. Thanks for the input though I guess.

I say go for it. Coming from the "import" "euro" car scene myself I say any MOD is a good mod. You will always find someone that will hate on it and throw shade but **** em it's your car. But like 2020telly said so be cautious of your states laws on passing inspection. If you do decide to go thru with the wiper delete please take pics. I am all about trying to clean up the exterior of my Telluride too. I will say there always has to be a first person to do any/every modification so why not put your stamp on it and claim it right. Just my 2 cents

2020Telly correct me if I am wrong please I was under the understanding that when you do a modification on your vehicle that Magnuson-Moss warranty act basically states that only the parts directly connected to the modified part can have the warranty voided ie. Lift kits, lowering suspension only voiding suspension parts, and God forbid anything having to do with programming/tuning you may as well kiss the entire warranty goodbye.

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[Retired-TELCO]

And isn't Chowell a ray of sun light upon this site.

 

[2020Telly]

And isn't Chowell a ray of sun light upon this site.

I didn’t see it that way.

 

[2020Telly]

FYI! DO NOT RE-FLASH THE ECM! Any mod's that have you do that; think about the mod first. because it will null you warranty.

ECM mods are illegal in California but not necessarily in all states. There are some places that will tune and provide documentation and if you run into problems offer to get you back into spec for your warranty. The ECM and ECU are set from the manufacturer assuming everyone lives in the same climate and driving conditions. If your air conditioner stops working after an ECM mod, for example, and you suspect it’s the ECM, you can buy one off of eBay for the Telluride for a little over $300 and you are back to stock.

Your warranty is only voided if the manufacturer is able to correlate your reported problem with your modification. (Ironically whenever you have a problem a dealer sometimes says they can’t reproduce it, go figure.) If I have a problem with my engine misfiring the warranty is not void if I put a lift on. If you are considering a modification then it’s likely something you are willing to pay out of pocket for and the warranty is not as big of a deal.

The 10y/100k mi warranty from Kia covers the powertrain (engine, transmission, axles, driveshafts). The bumper to bumper is 5yr/60k mi, but there are things like the infotainment that aren’t covered under bumper to bumper, I think that’s only 3yr/36k mi. So if I modified my stereo and broke something now at over 40k mi I’d be paying out of pocket anyway.

In my opinion if rear wiper delete isn’t enough and you want to rip the roof off and make a convertible go for it! You paid for it, it’s your right to do what you want and if your state allows it. Just don’t go to the Kia dealer and say the AC isn’t cooling or you have excessive road noise. But if you have powertrain issues on your new convertible Telluride, your warranty is still valid if you have less than 100k miles.

 

[Chowell]

And isn't Chowell a ray of sun light upon this site.

Apparently you must be new to being a member of a "car forum". What is said isn't meant to please everyone and everyone is entitled to an opinion positive or negative. I don't expect what I say to be the little ray of sunshine to brighten people's day. I voice my opinion like everyone else.

But honestly I'm not sure where you are seeing that what I said was that unpleasant to sensitive ears. If it pertains to me telling atrvekvltdad to **** what everyone else thinks I'm sorry you couldn't handle that. But it's his car which I'm sure like most of us he paid a decent sum of money for so let him do as he pleases with it. In reality no one on here's opinion means squat at the end of the day it's about each individuals personal happiness with themselves and their vehicle. SORRY that some of us like to stick out a little from the other everyday tellurides driving up and down the road. That way maybe just maybe what we have done to our cars will inspire a child or even another adult to take the risk to do something off the wall to their car just to be a little different.

That's my rant I hope you have a great day and enjoy your run of the mill same as everyone else telluride.

#cantstaystock