Modified Vehicles - Warranty Exclusion
Group 01Warranty
Bulletin Number
01 03 97
Woodcliff Lake, NJ
April 1997
Product Engineering
SUBJECT:
Modified Vehicles
The New Vehicle Limited Warranty and Emission Warranty provide coverage to the BMW vehicle against defects in materials and workmanship. The proper understanding and interpretation of these warranties is vital to maximizing customer satisfaction and maintaining confidence in the product and the BMW organization.
The following is a reprint of BMW's policy on vehicle modifications.
Warranty does not apply to the following:
"Modification of the vehicle or installation of any performance accessories or components attached to the vehicle which alters the original engineering and/or operating specifications or which result in damage to the other original components, electrical interference, electrical short, radio static, water leaks and wind noise."
In addition, warranty coverage may be null and void in the following situations:
"This warranty shall be null and void if the vehicle identification number has been altered or cannot be read, if the odometer has been replaced or altered and the true mileage cannot be determined, if the vehicle has been declared a total loss or sold for salvage purposed, or if the vehicle has been used in any competitive event."
In general terms, the BMW warranty on a component is void due to a modification where the modification, alteration or installation of an aftermarket part was directly responsible for the failure.
Installation of an aftermarket part or accessory does not necessarily void the vehicle warranties. The scope of possible alterations is very large and therefore a listing of all situations would be impossible. Common sense must prevail and in a questionable situation the retail center staff should ask for assistance by calling the Warranty Department. Additional information on the retailer's responsibilities can be found in Service Information bulletin 00 35 89 (1976), 00 08 90 (3028) and the Warranty Policy and Procedures Manual.
For example, a vehicle with a modified engine control module still retains all warranties provided and may in fact have additional warranty coverage from the aftermarket supplier. A repair is not covered by the BMW warranties if the modification has contributed to or was directly the cause of the failure.
When unknown, modification of a vehicle can complicate troubleshooting and may result in multiple repair attempts. Over the years, BMW NA has been supplied with the Vehicle Identification Numbers of some vehicles which have reportedly been modified. These VINs have been entered into BMW's computer and will provide you with the message to "Call the Warranty Department" when inquired upon using "Delivery Date Inquiry" or "Vehicle History Inquiry" via the BMW Dealer Communication System (DCS).
The purpose of flagging the Vin is not to be mis-interpreted. By obtaining the details of the modification, an easier diagnosis of the vehicle can often be made. The Warranty Department will define, based on the information supplied by the BMW retailer, whether or not the modification should or should not be covered under the BMW warranties.
Please call at any time for warranty guidance on the issue of modifications to BMWs.