A Soon To Be Official Update: GM Warranty on Aftermarket Tuned or Calibrated Engines
03-27-2008, 05:00 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
A Soon To Be Official Update: GM Warranty on Aftermarket Tuned or Calibrated Engines
A GM bulletin will be distributed to Dealers shortly.
This post is for those who have 100% bone stock Corvettes and want clarity on the tuning issue.
GM's New Software:
GM is rolling out a new procedure that can identify when a non-GM calibration has been installed in a vehicle. The new process checks a log to see what calibrations have been added. If the calibration does not have an official GM part number it, it is instantly identified as a tune or other calibration not supported by GM. If the log contains a GM part number the process digs a little deeper to find a series of numbers buried in other modules. This confirms that the part number is not a mask for a non-GM calibration. If the calibration is found to be a NON-GM calibration, as from a tune, GM is advising dealers that the warranty repair on the powertrain will not be honored. The dealership will need to provide proof if a powertrain failure has occurred that the calibrations are GMs before any repair is performed.
Furthermore, since GM can not determine what the impact of a non-GM calibration effect will have on the entire powertrain. GM will void the remaining powertrain warranty. This means engine, trans, drive shafts and differential will no longer be covered. This process has been tested on different Corvettes and other GM vehicles including Diesel's. The process correctly identifies cars with non-GM calibrations.
This also addresses those that think re-flashing the ECU before taking it back to the dealer is not detectable…..it is.
Owners, if you have not installed a tune or engine modification, don’t do it if you value your warranty. The consequences are giving up the 5 yr 100,000 mile powertrain protection. If you have a tune already installed then be upfront if you encounter a problem.
NOTE: If anybody has had a true problem with a 100% bone stock car under normal driving conditions and needs further assistance feel free to PM me.
It goes back to the old saying; if you want to play you have to pay......or be willing to at some later date.
Mike
This post is for those who have 100% bone stock Corvettes and want clarity on the tuning issue.
GM's New Software:
GM is rolling out a new procedure that can identify when a non-GM calibration has been installed in a vehicle. The new process checks a log to see what calibrations have been added. If the calibration does not have an official GM part number it, it is instantly identified as a tune or other calibration not supported by GM. If the log contains a GM part number the process digs a little deeper to find a series of numbers buried in other modules. This confirms that the part number is not a mask for a non-GM calibration. If the calibration is found to be a NON-GM calibration, as from a tune, GM is advising dealers that the warranty repair on the powertrain will not be honored. The dealership will need to provide proof if a powertrain failure has occurred that the calibrations are GMs before any repair is performed.
Furthermore, since GM can not determine what the impact of a non-GM calibration effect will have on the entire powertrain. GM will void the remaining powertrain warranty. This means engine, trans, drive shafts and differential will no longer be covered. This process has been tested on different Corvettes and other GM vehicles including Diesel's. The process correctly identifies cars with non-GM calibrations.
This also addresses those that think re-flashing the ECU before taking it back to the dealer is not detectable…..it is.
Owners, if you have not installed a tune or engine modification, don’t do it if you value your warranty. The consequences are giving up the 5 yr 100,000 mile powertrain protection. If you have a tune already installed then be upfront if you encounter a problem.
NOTE: If anybody has had a true problem with a 100% bone stock car under normal driving conditions and needs further assistance feel free to PM me.
It goes back to the old saying; if you want to play you have to pay......or be willing to at some later date.
Mike
03-27-2008, 05:08 PM
#3
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St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10
Just sounds like another way to save money on their end. Even though they know the tune didn't cause a problem, they'll just say sorry, you're SOL. We don't have to pay.
03-27-2008, 05:10 PM
#5
Team Owner
Well,I guess they're taking all the fun out of tinkering!!
Still,430 horses and 424 lb ft.of torque and a VARARAM should do nicely!!
...and I guess a supercharger is out of the question!
Still,430 horses and 424 lb ft.of torque and a VARARAM should do nicely!! ...and I guess a supercharger is out of the question!
03-27-2008, 05:21 PM
#6
Safety Car
That's it - I'm a spectator only from this point forward.
03-27-2008, 05:22 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
seems logical. They warranty their work and their configuration, if you want to monkey with it, go ahead, just don't expect someone else to fix your problems.
My warranty expired on Monday, let the engine mods begin!
My warranty expired on Monday, let the engine mods begin!
03-27-2008, 05:26 PM
#9
Burning Brakes
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I do not blame GM. A manufacturer's warranty is based on a set of parameters and they cannot be responsible for tuning outside their performance envelope.
Owners are free to do whatever they want, but they have to understand this and accept the responsibility. Pretty fair, I think.
Owners are free to do whatever they want, but they have to understand this and accept the responsibility. Pretty fair, I think.
03-27-2008, 05:35 PM
#11
What's the authoritative source? Where did you get this? Did you write it yourself? Do you have a link?
A GM bulletin will be distributed to Dealers shortly.
This post is for those who have 100% bone stock Corvettes and want clarity on the tuning issue.
GM's New Software:
GM is rolling out a new procedure that can identify when a non-GM calibration has been installed in a vehicle. The new process checks a log to see what calibrations have been added. If the calibration does not have an official GM part number it, it is instantly identified as a tune or other calibration not supported by GM. If the log contains a GM part number the process digs a little deeper to find a series of numbers buried in other modules. This confirms that the part number is not a mask for a non-GM calibration. If the calibration is found to be a NON-GM calibration, as from a tune, GM is advising dealers that the warranty repair on the powertrain will not be honored. The dealership will need to provide proof if a powertrain failure has occurred that the calibrations are GMs before any repair is performed.
Furthermore, since GM can not determine what the impact of a non-GM calibration effect will have on the entire powertrain. GM will void the remaining powertrain warranty. This means engine, trans, drive shafts and differential will no longer be covered. This process has been tested on different Corvettes and other GM vehicles including Diesel's. The process correctly identifies cars with non-GM calibrations.
This also addresses those that think re-flashing the ECU before taking it back to the dealer is not detectable…..it is.
Owners, if you have not installed a tune or engine modification, don’t do it if you value your warranty. The consequences are giving up the 5 yr 100,000 mile powertrain protection. If you have a tune already installed then be upfront if you encounter a problem.
NOTE: If anybody has had a true problem with a 100% bone stock car under normal driving conditions and needs further assistance feel free to PM me.
It goes back to the old saying; if you want to play you have to pay......or be willing to at some later date.
Mike
This post is for those who have 100% bone stock Corvettes and want clarity on the tuning issue.
GM's New Software:
GM is rolling out a new procedure that can identify when a non-GM calibration has been installed in a vehicle. The new process checks a log to see what calibrations have been added. If the calibration does not have an official GM part number it, it is instantly identified as a tune or other calibration not supported by GM. If the log contains a GM part number the process digs a little deeper to find a series of numbers buried in other modules. This confirms that the part number is not a mask for a non-GM calibration. If the calibration is found to be a NON-GM calibration, as from a tune, GM is advising dealers that the warranty repair on the powertrain will not be honored. The dealership will need to provide proof if a powertrain failure has occurred that the calibrations are GMs before any repair is performed.
Furthermore, since GM can not determine what the impact of a non-GM calibration effect will have on the entire powertrain. GM will void the remaining powertrain warranty. This means engine, trans, drive shafts and differential will no longer be covered. This process has been tested on different Corvettes and other GM vehicles including Diesel's. The process correctly identifies cars with non-GM calibrations.
This also addresses those that think re-flashing the ECU before taking it back to the dealer is not detectable…..it is.
Owners, if you have not installed a tune or engine modification, don’t do it if you value your warranty. The consequences are giving up the 5 yr 100,000 mile powertrain protection. If you have a tune already installed then be upfront if you encounter a problem.
NOTE: If anybody has had a true problem with a 100% bone stock car under normal driving conditions and needs further assistance feel free to PM me.
It goes back to the old saying; if you want to play you have to pay......or be willing to at some later date.
Mike
03-27-2008, 05:38 PM
#14
Safety Car
I do not blame GM. A manufacturer's warranty is based on a set of parameters and they cannot be responsible for tuning outside their performance envelope.
Owners are free to do whatever they want, but they have to understand this and accept the responsibility. Pretty fair, I think.
Owners are free to do whatever they want, but they have to understand this and accept the responsibility. Pretty fair, I think.
if you change the engine management I don't see why they should be liable
03-27-2008, 05:39 PM
#15
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The fact that GM will deny vast portions of your warranty coverage because of a tune should not be a surprise to anyone (not that I'm clairvoyant but I've said as much all along). I mentioned previously that my dealership was aggressively checking diesel trucks a while back for the so-called ‘tuning chips.’
It sounds like GM will now routinely check for evidence of altered tuning parameters when you take your Corvette in...if the checksum doesn't verify that's it.
I can't blame GM for doing this...they spend a fortune providing warranty coverage on the products they design and engineer...not their products which have been (performance) altered.
You're right...if you want to play be prepared to pay.
It sounds like GM will now routinely check for evidence of altered tuning parameters when you take your Corvette in...if the checksum doesn't verify that's it.
I can't blame GM for doing this...they spend a fortune providing warranty coverage on the products they design and engineer...not their products which have been (performance) altered.
You're right...if you want to play be prepared to pay.
03-27-2008, 05:40 PM
#16
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Fine with me. GM isn't going to warrant my set up anyway
03-27-2008, 05:42 PM
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That is a deal breaker for me if true. Good friend is a service tech which may be my saving grace...
I have an 08 with a vararam in the mail. I think it would be reckless of me to lose a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty to gain 15-20 HP with a tune.
Chris
I have an 08 with a vararam in the mail. I think it would be reckless of me to lose a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty to gain 15-20 HP with a tune.
Chris
Last edited by akeyzoo; 03-27-2008 at 05:48 PM.
