What Voids A Kia Warranty

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Most repairs and replacements of items that fail owing to flaws in the design or construction are covered by the Kia warranty. The automaker, based in South Korea, offers coverage lengths that are above normal. Powertrain coverage is provided to new owners for 10 years/100,000 miles, and bumper-to-bumper protection is provided for 5 years/60,000 miles. In addition to the bumper-to-bumper guarantee, new Kias come with 24-hour emergency roadside assistance for the same period of time.

The warranty terms offered by Kia are among the longest in the industry. Only a few other automakers, like Hyundai and Mitsubishi, can match the brand’s powertrain, bumper-to-bumper, and roadside assistance terms. Corrosion protection is an area where Kia lags behind; on the short end of warranty coverage periods, it is tied with Ford and Toyota. Kia was contacted by our staff for a reaction regarding its corrosion protection restrictions, but we did not hear back.

The Kia factory warranty, which is included with all new cars, is broken down as follows:

  • Basic limited warranty: Kia offers bumper-to-bumper protection. Except for a few exclusions and parts that are broken through natural wear and tear, this guarantee covers almost all of the vehicle’s components.
  • Limited powertrain warranty: This comprehensive guarantee covers the engine, gearbox, drive axles, and associated components that enable the vehicle to move.
  • Limited anti-perforation warranty: Under this warranty, body panels that rust and corrode from the inside out are replaced.
  • Roadside assistance benefit: The Kia roadside assistance benefit provides towing to the closest Kia dealership, battery jump-starts, flat tire changes, and other services at a cost of $75 each time you seek service.

As you can see, the Kia warranty is actually composed of various auto warranties, which is customary in the auto sector. Despite the fact that Kia models have longer warranties than many other cars, it’s vital to remember that some parts have lesser guarantees:

  • Battery: Kia will only swap out your car’s factory-installed battery if it entirely fails within the first three years or 36,000 miles of ownership.
  • A new Kia vehicle only receives a year’s worth of air conditioning refrigerant charge coverage.
  • Audio system: Your speakers and entertainment system are insured for three years or 36,000 miles, much like the battery.

What else is excluded from the Kia warranty?

Although the Kia guarantee covers a number of components, it does not cover all potential problems with your car. The following situations are exempt from your factory car warranty’s protection:

  • Services for routine maintenance, such as oil changes or inspections
  • Damage resulting from owner abuse or negligence
  • Damage caused by a vehicle accident
  • wearable components such as brake pads and wiper blades
  • damage to the environment caused by a disaster such a flood, storm, or fire
  • damage brought on by poor repairs

What actions could invalidate the car’s warranty?

The law that outlines what completely or partially nullifies an automotive warranty is known as the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act. Extended warranties aren’t governed by the same laws because they are technically considered car service contracts. Below are some of the more typical situations, but you should read the terms and conditions to understand what could make the coverage worthless.

#1 Getting Work Done in an Unauthorized Repair Shop

Warranty: While getting someone other than your dealer to work on your automobile won’t normally breach your warranty, if your manufacturer or dealer offers free repairs under the conditions of the warranty, they could specify where these need to be done.

Extended warranties and VSCs are frequent reasons for claim denials. Also keep in mind that certain extended warranties may state the region to which coverage is applicable.

#2 Doing Your Own Repairs

Warranty: The Federal Trade Commission, a consumer protection organization, states that coverage may be withheld if you make your own repair mistakes that result in a problem, albeit the warranty provider would have to show this. However, the warranty provider cannot revoke the coverage only because you handled the repair; any other car parts covered by the guarantee’s terms would continue to be covered regardless.

Extended warranties and VSCs are quite likely to render any claims you might have void.

#3 Not Sticking to the Routine Maintenance Schedule

Warranty: The routine maintenance schedule for your vehicle is detailed in your owner’s manual. This schedule often calls for tasks like tire rotation, fluid level checks, and oil changes. You run the danger of your warranty being voided if you don’t adhere to this timetable.

VSC: In the same way, disregarding the necessary maintenance tasks that keep you and your car safe can void an extended warranty.

#4 No Paperwork

Warranty: The Federal Trade Commission advises maintaining thorough records and receipts of all work performed on your car. Even if you strictly followed the maintenance schedule, your insurance policy may be voided if you don’t have the documentationspecifically, invoices and receipts that explain the work done and who performed it.

In order for the provider to determine if you have adhered to the maintenance plan and receive coverage, you must always keep detailed records of any work performed. Otherwise, your request may be denied.

#5 Modifying Your Car with Aftermarket or Recycled Parts

Warranty: If you utilize aftermarket or recycled parts that are defective or improperly installed and your vehicle is damaged as a result, the manufacturer may refuse to provide coverage. However, this would only apply to the broken parts, and the maker would have to prove that the installation of aftermarket or recycled parts or their use caused the issue.

If the manufacturer offers particular parts for free as part of the warranty coverage, they may also stipulate that these must be used.

Extended warranty/VSC: Modifying your car should be done cautiously as it is a typical reason for claims to be denied.

What auto modifications violate your warranty? The suspension may need to be improved, or turbochargers may need to be installed. Manufacturer upgrades and modifications made by authorized dealers are safer alterations that are less likely to invalidate your policy. However, we still advise being cautious and carefully reviewing the terms of your plan.

What grounds void a warranty?

A merchant may decide not to uphold the conditions of a warranty by deeming it void in specific instances, particularly when a customer has used a product for a purpose different than what was intended. The Magnuson-Moss Guarantee Act, a federal statute that governs the majority of consumer purchases in the United States, or other state laws may strongly forbid merchants from attempting to void a warranty, however this does happen occasionally.

State laws add another layer and frequently greater consumer safeguards while the federal statute lays the foundation for U.S. consumers. You might be covered by an implied guarantee even if your written warranty is null and void.

The main topic of this article is whether or not a merchant can void a guarantee. For more articles concerning your consumer warranty rights, visit “Product Warranties and Returns.”

Acceptable Reasons for Voiding a Warranty

Understanding your warranty’s provisions in full, especially if it is a limited warranty, will help you safeguard your interests and prevent having your warranty revoked. Full warranties, which are legally obligated to cover any repairs or replacements related to faults during the guarantee term, are significantly less common than limited ones.

Therefore, the maker or particular product determines the causes for voiding a limited warranty. Knowing a warranty’s terms and restrictions will typically help you determine when and under what circumstances it can be revoked. It’s also a good idea to keep your receipt because it can be the only proof of the transaction.

When making a significant purchase, ponder the following:

  • How long will your purchase be covered by the warranty?
  • If the product breaks, does the warranty cover repair, replacement, or a refund?
  • Who should you get in touch with and how do you get warranty service?
  • Which components and issues fall within the warranty’s coverage? Which are expressly disallowed?
  • Does the guarantee also apply to “consequential damages” like the price of damaged food in the event that a freezer malfunctions?
  • Exist any unauthorized uses, alterations, or modifications to the product that can void the warranty? Federal law stipulates that in order to void a written guarantee, the merchant must demonstrate that the alteration constituted the root of the fault.
  • If a warranty is supposedly “lifetime,” does it refer to the lifespan of the item or the owner?
  • Is the retailer a respectable business?

The following are some of the most frequent grounds for which merchants void warranties:

  • The guarantee period is over.
  • The flaw or component is not covered.
  • Misuse of the product or improper maintenance are to blame for its failure.
  • You significantly altered the item, which has had an impact on its performance.

When Merchants Cannot Invalidate a Warranty

In order to benefit from a full warranty’s benefits, retailers cannot demand that customers fill out a registration card, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which upholds federal consumer rules. While relatively few restrictions may be made to complete warranties, the consumer must be made aware of the precise bounds of any reduced warranties.

The following are some additional warranty requirements or restrictions that the FTC deems unreasonable, and whose compliance will not render a warranty void:

  • requiring physical visits to warranty service centers when returning products (also called “carry back”)
  • requiring customers to return a vehicle (or watercraft) that is not roadworthy or that, if operated, poses a danger of human injury or further damage
  • requiring clients to pay for shipping or shipping insurance
  • Making the client liable for any goods lost or stolen during shipping
  • requesting the return of goods in their original packing
  • requesting the customer to elaborate on the nature or cause of the defect (as opposed to simply describing how it failed)

The phrases “sold as is” or “with all flaws,” although are permitted in other jurisdictions, may not be used by merchants to disclaim an implicit warranty in some states. For additional details, see “What is an Implied Warranty?” Another resource is “Facts for Consumers: Warranties” from the FTC.

Real-Life Examples of Warranty Limitations

Limited warranties have different conditions from one firm to the next, and occasionally even within a single company’s product line. The examples below demonstrate this variety:

  • Apple: “Jailbreaking” an iPhone, which allows users to run unapproved software by circumventing built-in restrictions, destroys the device’s warranty. However, breaking into jail is legal.
  • For as long as the initial buyer owns their property, Kohler’s lifetime limited warranty is valid for its faucets. The guarantee will be void if incorrect cleaning and care are used, according to the policy.
  • Chevrolet: The first three years or 36,000 miles are covered by the “bumper-to-bumper” warranty. The policy excludes coverage for the clutch, coolant hoses, and engine radiator, among other things.
  • Integrity Windows & Doors: The company’s 10-year limited guarantee covers stress cracks brought on by manufacturing flaws. Non-glass parts of windows “placed within one mile of a sea coast” are not covered.
  • Buck Knives: With a few restrictions, the knife manufacturer’s “forever” warranty is practically a lifetime warranty. Knives harmed by abuse, carelessness, tampering, or self-repair are not covered.

Notice to Our Loyal Service Customers Regarding Your Kia Warranty And Kia’s New Synthetic Oil Requirement

All Kia vehicles built after April 2021 must now use 100% synthetic oil in order to remain protected by factory warranty. Any vehicle that is still covered by a factory warranty after June 2022 will need to use full-synthetic oil to stay protected. Your guarantee may be void if conventional or semi-synthetic oil is used.

What modifications void the car warranty?

If you don’t follow the rules outlined in your contract, a manufacturer or service provider may void your warranty. There are several circumstances that will nullify your entire warranty, making it impossible for you to submit claims for repairs.

The following situations may cause a car warranty to expire:

  • Vehicle abuse: Your warranty will be void if you use your car for activities other than regular driving, like off-roading or racing. This also applies to employing unsuitable fluids.
  • Total loss: Your warranty is canceled if your car received a salvage title following a serious collision.
  • Severe environmental damage: If your product was harmed by a natural disaster such a fire or flood, your warranty will no longer be honoured.
  • Odometer tampering: If the odometer has been altered, the dealer won’t be able to determine the vehicle’s true mileage, which could void your warranty.
  • Aftermarket alterations: If you make any modifications to your car or install aftermarket parts, most manufacturers will void the warranty.
  • Ineffective maintenance: You must adhere to and record your factory-recommended maintenance schedule to maintain the validity of your warranty.

What happens if I install a cold air intake?

A Cold Air Intake Work my factory warranty be void? No. If an aftermarket part (such as a Cold Air Inductions, Inc. part) is used in a repair, the manufacturer of a warranted product (in this case, a car), may not void or refuse warranty coverage of the repair in the United States.

Can you void your car’s warranty?

Another myth is that in order to maintain your vehicle’s warranty, you must only use parts that have been approved by the manufacturer. Also false is this.

If an aftermarket or recycled part was utilized on the vehicle, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act also safeguards the owner. So, unless the part is free under the guarantee, manufacturers cannot require customers to utilize brand-name parts.

If an aftermarket component or modification caused the vehicle’s damage, the manufacturer may refuse to honor the warranty. But they must be able to prove that the damage was brought on by the aftermarket component.

What can void a car warranty?

Although purchasing aftermarket components or taking your automobile anywhere other than the dealership won’t nullify the manufacturer’s warranty, there are several actions that would. These include:

  • Off-Road Vehicles
  • Reckless driving or racing
  • Overloading
  • Natural catastrophes (flooding, fire, earthquake, etc.)
  • faulty auto maintenance
  • Using the Wrong Fluids
  • Some modifications or aftermarket components (see above)

How to Maximize Your Vehicle’s Warranty

  • Consult the Warranty: A standard car warranty, also known as a “bumper to bumper warranty,” usually provides coverage for three years and 36,000 miles (whichever comes first). A powertrain warranty often lasts longer, roughly 6 years or 70,000 miles, and it covers issues with the engine, transmission, and other powertrain components. Additionally, some manufacturers provide warranties for corrosion and pollution. To fully understand what is and is not covered, be sure to read the tiny print.
  • Service the Car Frequently: If you don’t adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions and execute regular maintenance, the automaker may revoke your warranty. This covers services like fluid flushes and oil changes. Read your owner’s manual and adhere to the recommended maintenance schedule to be on the safe side. And be sure to have the car inspected for any covered concerns when the warranty period is about to end.
  • No matter who does the service, maintain track of all fixes; you’ll need the documentation if you need to invoke the warranty. Additionally, it may raise the car’s resale value.
  • If you have any concerns about how your warranty claim is being handled, get in touch with the manufacturer, a dealer supervisor, or another dealer. If necessary, register a complaint with the FTC, the local BBB, or the attorney general of the state.