DIY Car Maintenance: What You Can (and Can’t) Do Without Voiding Your Warranty is something that causes confusion for a lot of people. We want to save money and feel confident about our abilities to care for our cars. But there’s that nagging feeling. You know that feeling, right? What if you tackle a repair or upgrade yourself only to find out you voided the warranty? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. In this post, we’ll explain everything you need to know about DIY car maintenance and your warranty.

Understanding Your Car Warranty

A warranty protects you from costly repairs on specific components for a certain timeframe. The terms and conditions can feel overwhelming. But it basically boils down to an agreement between you and the car manufacturer or dealer. They promise to fix or replace covered parts if they fail under normal conditions during the warranty period. This gives you peace of mind and protection against unexpected expenses.

Different Types of Warranties

There are different types of warranties, such as bumper-to-bumper, powertrain, stated component, and more. Each type of warranty offers different coverage. It’s important to read the fine print.

Make sure you understand the specific details of your particular warranty. This way you’ll avoid any surprises when you need a repair.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act: Your DIY Friend

Let’s talk about your rights when it comes to DIY car maintenance. Back in 1975, Congress passed a very important law for vehicle owners: the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act of 1975. This federal law exists to protect consumers.

One of the best things about the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is that it prevents dealerships from completely voiding your warranty simply because you did some work on your vehicle yourself. A dealership must prove that any aftermarket equipment you installed actually caused the need for repairs. If they can’t prove this link, they can’t legally deny your warranty coverage.

Think of it like this. You change your own oil and later on, there’s a problem with your car’s alternator. It’s unlikely that DIY oil changes caused the alternator problem, right? This is where the Magnuson-Moss Act protects you.

The dealership can’t blame the alternator problem on you, but it does get a little complicated sometimes. Knowing what you can and can’t do yourself requires a closer look. This is especially true for car owners that plan to sell their vehicle once the factory warranty is up.

DIY Car Maintenance You Can Probably Do

Good news. This is the part a lot of DIYers love. Certain car maintenance tasks are generally considered safe to do yourself. This means they are unlikely to void your warranty. Here are a few examples.

Basic Maintenance

  • Changing your oil and oil filter.
  • Replacing the air filter.
  • Swapping out spark plugs.
  • Changing your windshield wipers.

These tasks are routine maintenance. Almost any car owner who feels comfortable doing so can do them. As long as you use parts that meet your car manufacturer’s specifications and keep accurate records of your work, your warranty should be protected.

The key is being able to prove you used the correct parts if something does go wrong. Would you feel confident showing a mechanic or service manager your receipts? Even a simple oil change can be documented if you save the receipts. Many auto parts stores now have an option to provide your email address for an emailed receipt or will keep your information on file if you’re a rewards member.

Non-Mechanical Upgrades

  • Installing interior accessories like seat covers or a new stereo system.
  • Adding exterior accessories like roof racks or bug deflectors.
  • Changing out your car’s tires as long as they are the proper size and load rating for your specific vehicle.

These modifications are largely cosmetic. They shouldn’t impact any major mechanical or electrical components of your vehicle.

DIY Car Maintenance That Might Raise a Red Flag

Now it’s time to talk about some of those repairs and upgrades that often live in a bit of a gray area. The best advice? Tread carefully. Some modifications can potentially cause a warranty dispute if not done correctly or if the parts you use end up damaging related components.

And believe it or not, a dealership service manager CAN tell if a part that should only need replacing every few years has been tampered with and opened, even a part like a simple oil filter or air intake. An experienced mechanic at a good independent shop will also notice these things. It’s important to maintain your vehicle. But always keep in mind that some modifications are best left to the professionals, especially if you want to avoid voiding your warranty.

Performance Modifications: Tread Carefully

Let’s say you want more power. You might decide to make changes to your engine. Adding a cold air intake or even an aftermarket exhaust system can boost performance.

These are also changes that some dealerships view as questionable and potentially harmful if not done by a professional. It often depends on the dealership you work with. This is one of the trickiest aspects of DIY car maintenance when it comes to warranties. Always check your owner’s manual for their recommended service centers in your area and make sure the service manager is aware you have made modifications so it can be properly documented in the computer system for future visits in case another location accesses it and is confused.

Other modifications that could raise a red flag include things like installing a lift kit on pickup trucks, upgrading your car’s power steering system, or making changes to your car’s braking system.

Protecting Yourself & Your Warranty: 5 Simple Steps

Now you’re more aware of what you can (and can’t) do. Here are five important things you can do to protect your car warranty, because no matter how much you know, it all comes down to proving what was done and how it was done. Especially since laws like the Magnuson-Moss Act are meant to protect consumers, most of the burden of proof ends up falling back on the consumer if there is a disagreement about work performed.

Document EVERYTHING

Whenever you perform DIY car maintenance, always keep records. They should be detailed records. Note the date, mileage, and specific tasks.

Include receipts. Any receipts you can get for parts, fluids, or filters can work in your favor. Think of this as creating your car maintenance diary. It’s boring, but important to avoid those headaches if a warranty claim does pop up.

Use OEM or Equivalent Parts

When it’s time to replace a part yourself, choose either an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) part or an equivalent. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act protects you here by stating you aren’t required to use OEM parts and can’t be denied a claim because of it. However, the wording can still create loopholes. You MUST be able to prove the part is an equivalent part, such as a Duralast Gold Battery that offers a better warranty from AutoZone versus a factory battery.

Double-Check Your Warranty

Like most people, you probably shoved those warranty papers in the glove box and never looked at them again. There’s no better time than the present to pull them out and give them a read.

DIY car maintenance is confusing. Being more knowledgeable helps a lot. Plus, if there’s ever an issue with the dealership, one of your first calls should be to the manufacturer’s customer support phone number provided in your paperwork and escalate it through them.

Keep Your Skill Level in Mind

Be honest with yourself. Just because you watched a few YouTube videos on how to install an aftermarket supercharger doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to tackle this yourself.

Knowing your limitations is essential. There’s no shame in leaving the more complex repairs to the professionals. Your warranty (and your car) will thank you.

Check State Laws

Believe it or not, you may have additional protections under your state laws. Some states have their own versions of the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

These state laws may offer additional protections. These can apply to DIY repairs and modifications. You can usually find information on your state’s laws by visiting the website for your state’s Attorney General’s office or consumer protection agency.

Conclusion

DIY car maintenance: You love it and probably want to tackle everything yourself. Just use common sense. Know your limits. When in doubt, a trusted mechanic should handle it.