Oil Voiding My Warranty

[SnakeEyes87]

I took my car to the Ford Dealership today to get it serviced. I told them I wanted Mobile 1 15W-30 put in and to also change the transmission fluid to Mobile 1. I had no sooner got back to work when I got a phone call from my service manager. He told me that putting anything else other than Motorcraft products in my car voided my warranty. I had never read this before. Is there any truth behind this? If my engine just blows up, and they want to find a reason to blame it on me, can they tell Mobile 1 from Motorcraft in the engine?

Thanks

 

[OverToad]

I'm of the understanding that as long as the motor oil your using meets their minimum specs, your safe. This was told to me by my service advisor.......

 

[2F2F]

What is up with Ford? A few years back, Longo Toyota, El Monte, CA, replaced my turbo under warranty even after they discovered an aftermarket ECU and HKS EVC. 1991 MR-2 Turbo. Thinking aloud to myself: Should I have waited for the supercharged IS430...?

 

[03DOHC]

Originally posted by SnakeEyes87
He told me that putting anything else other than Motorcraft products in my car voided my warranty.

Tell them to put that in writing and then take it to the BBB. They can't do that, as long as the lubrication meets or exceeds the mfgr's specs it's OK. Now if you put straight 120W in your engine and you toast it you're screwed.

 

[03Sssnake]

Time to find another dealer... That service writer is FOS I 2nd the BBB or better yet call Mobil and tell them that a ford dealer claims that using their product will void your warranty... Thats like ford telling you what brand of gasoline to use... They simply can't tell you what brand of oil to use. Ask the those assclowns if they are going to pay for all of your oil changes, if not STFU I'll use the oil I want to, thank you very much....

 

[RKANYZ]

Only reason I can think of to void warranty is because oil is 5/30 and our engines call for 5/20. I'm not sure if its legal or not. Still doesn't sound like a good reason to void warranty. Our motors used to take 5/30 a couple years ago. Not like the whole modular engine family has been completly redesigned since the switch.

 

[davidmax]

Every one I met at local Ford dealers make Chevy look like M Benz. Very dissapointed.My rear spoiler gasket is 3-5 months past due and when I order parts they blow.
I would also tell you that I am using MO 1 5-30 perhaps Fords rational is 20w VS 30w.A 30 w will rob a bit of hp VS a 20w but with Ford oil I would feel safe as it is designed for the car.At Xtreme we are recomending ford 5-20 SHM and other tuners are using pure synthetics.Dave S.
PS Ridiculous

 

[stangsx2]

oil

find a diff dealer. ive been a service writer for 19 yrs! oil if it meets manufactuer spec its good! call ford cust service and complain.hearing this makes me HOT!!! :gt:

 

[Cobra-R]

Re: Re: Oil Voiding My Warranty

Originally posted by 03DOHC
Tell them to put that in writing and then take it to the BBB. They can't do that, as long as the lubrication meets or exceeds the mfgr's specs it's OK. Now if you put straight 120W in your engine and you toast it you're screwed.

I agree, make them put it in writing and go from there. What they are doing is illegal.

 

[mosconiac]

Find another repair shop immediately (don't forget to tell them you are doing just that). They are trying to take advantage of you.

Think about this...if they would lie to you about something so fundamental as an oil change, what do you think they will tell you when it comes to a major repair???

BEWARE.

mosconiac

 

[jtfx6552]

He is trying to take advantage of you. Warranties are definatly not brand specific. Wheter they can void your waaranty for different weight oil is a whole other issue. As Cobra'03 showed the only reason Ford is specifing 5-20 is for emmisions and gas mileage reasons, which imho is BS. There is a post that shows a section reprinted from EPA documentation, where the EPA is telling the car companies to say that only the recommended oil will work, and says specifically to tell customers that synthetics are no good.

Why not post the dealers name and the service writer name and phone number. That way some of us can call and give him sh!t for fun during the day, "So let me get this straight, only motorcraft oil is good...???"

Anyway, I'm not sure whether your post was a typo (15W-30) but I would (and am using) 5W-30 Mobile 1.

 

[ZXnVS]

Ford knows very well that 5W-30 is better for your engine than 5W-20, and they also know it could be easily proven in court. I don't think you'll have any warranty problems, although your dealer is an idiot and you might have to go elsewhere.

 

[Joe Lynch]

I hope the 15W-30 was a typo. If it wasn't then the oil you requested is too thick for cold starts. Even a 10w-30 is too slow to oil the valve gear on starts. Use 5W-30 or 5W-20. I have been using a 5W-20 Amsoil in my drag race/street 99 Cobra and the 2001 SuperCrew parts/tow truck for nearly two years. I'll have it down in February to change rods/pistons and I bet it will look like new. Those of you that want to use 5W-30, go ahead, but 5W-20 is sufficient and quicker than the 5W-30. I'll take pics while I have the engine apart.
Joe Lynch

 

[03_Snake]

Amsoil Explains it ALL

Read this:

http://www.performanceoiltechnology.com/ford5w20.htm

Don't accept the BS dealt out by your dealer, and change where you get the car serviced ASAP. If they will mess with you on oil, who know what they will try with a real mechanical problem.

Just my $0.02 US

 

[mmars]

The Magnuson-Moss Act explicitly states unless the dealer provides the oil change for free, they cannot void your warranty for using another company's products, as long as the products you are using meet or exceed the auto manufacturer's specifications.

I own a Contour and keep a copy of the act in my glove box...

--Matt

 

[Supersonic vert]

I'm using Amsoil 5-20 full synthetic

 

[mmars]

Here's what the ACT says:

Section 102(c): "Tie-In Sales" Provisions:



"Tie-In Sales" Provisions
Generally, tie-in sales provisions are not allowed. Such a provision would require a purchaser of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under the warranty. The following are examples of prohibited tie-in sales provisions.

In order to keep your new Plenum Brand Vacuum Cleaner warranty in effect, you must use genuine Plenum Brand Filter Bags. Failure to have scheduled maintenance performed, at your expense, by the Great American Maintenance Company, Inc., voids this warranty.

See:

http://www.mlmlaw.com/library/guides/ftc/warranties/undermag.htm

--Matt

 

[SnakeEyes87]

Opps, that was a typo, I mean't 5w-30. I really am thinking of finding another dealer. They aren't SVT certified anyways. It greatly surprised me that they would even say that the oil would void my warrenty since they are totally stupid on most other things (took the 3 days to change a fog light). I will try the service of the actual dealer they bought my car through, although they were really reluctant to even sell me the car. If all else fails, I'll start changing the oil myself. I got even more pissed with them when I got in the car and found a small oil mark on my suede!

Them even making the remark that something as small as oil could void my warrenty got me really flaming and thinking with great seriousness about purchasing a new PCM for my car to use with my chip.

Thanks for all the responses and clearing the air on the dealer BS that was given to me!

Chelsea

 

[i8u]

Originally posted by SnakeEyes87
I got in the car and found a small oil mark on my suede!


Chelsea

They have plastic seat covers they they use to prevent this sort of thing! I would have been pissed too! Are they going to take care of it?

As said before..... The oil just has to meet the min required specs by ford. Find a different dealor that you can trust.:beer:

 

[Cobra'03]

Absolute hogwash! That dealer is clearly either a moron or an extortionist, or both.