Tuners voiding HD warranty?
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 648
Likes: 152
From: Tampa, FL
Tuners voiding HD warranty?
Has anyone seen issues where HD would not honor the warranty if a tuner had been installed/used?
At my local dealer today that was the consensus of my fellow riders but I didn't have time to speak with the staff. I'm wondering about other's experience here. Maybe Fuel Moto can comment?
At my local dealer today that was the consensus of my fellow riders but I didn't have time to speak with the staff. I'm wondering about other's experience here. Maybe Fuel Moto can comment?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,034
Likes: 128
Strictly speaking, tuners fundamentally change the air fuel mixture which renders them in non compliance with the current (at manufacture time) EPA regulations. This would certainly give the manufactures the right to void warranties. In the past, most dealers have overlooked this because they were profiting handsomely from selling the devices and selling dyno time. I don't see many off-road baggers in my neighborhood but I do see a lot of fuel management tuners installed on them. At some point the feds will start cracking down on dealers by levying large fines and there will be no such thing as aftermarket pipes tuners and cams.
Negative.
Adding a tuner can not void your warranty.
I'm not typing my whole reasons out again....
If you adjust the tune where the tune, in and of itself, causes damage, i.e. burning a hole in a piston due to **** poor tune, that damage will not be covered.
But your warranty is not voided.
Adding a tuner can not void your warranty.
I'm not typing my whole reasons out again....
If you adjust the tune where the tune, in and of itself, causes damage, i.e. burning a hole in a piston due to **** poor tune, that damage will not be covered.
But your warranty is not voided.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,585
Likes: 673
From: Rolla
I had them do exhaust, A/C and tune with the new FP3 before I picked it up.
They are the ones that recommended the FP3, saying they were having some really good results and comments on it.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,518
Likes: 57,069
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
This argument/conversation is constantly showing up ... Be assured that anything that you add to your scooter will NOT void the warranty unless the addition of parts can be determined to directly have caused the failure of a warranty covered component. for example you put a tuner on your scooter and the transmission fails you're covered.
http://www.mlmlaw.com/library/guides...s/undermag.htm
http://www.mlmlaw.com/library/guides...s/undermag.htm
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 103
Likes: 2
From: NW Ohio
Ford had huge issues with people putting tunes on their PowerStroke diesels, and blowing holes in pistons, blowing head gaskets, turbos, eating injectors, etc. It cost Ford many, many millions of $$$. Then they figured out a way to detect any tune put on the engine (even if it was removed before the dealer got it for repair), and steadily denied power train warranty coverage when tunes were detected. Can't blame them, the engines just weren't made for that type of power.
Not quite the same for Harley however, at least not so far. As previously mentioned, they have to determine that the failure was caused by the tune. If they start getting hard-*** about it, they can make that determination, deny the warranty for the affected parts, and let you fight it out with them. Don't know about you, but HD has a few more bucks and more lawyers than I have. Don't rely on the feds to ride in on their white horses and bail you out. A couple dozen complaints will not get their attention.
I feel that as long as they are selling tunes themselves, they are not going to deny a warranty claim based on the fact that a tuner was used to make the engine run like it should. A really bad tune that undoubtedly caused an engine/clutch/transmission problem, maybe, but it would have to be a really bad one.
Not quite the same for Harley however, at least not so far. As previously mentioned, they have to determine that the failure was caused by the tune. If they start getting hard-*** about it, they can make that determination, deny the warranty for the affected parts, and let you fight it out with them. Don't know about you, but HD has a few more bucks and more lawyers than I have. Don't rely on the feds to ride in on their white horses and bail you out. A couple dozen complaints will not get their attention.
I feel that as long as they are selling tunes themselves, they are not going to deny a warranty claim based on the fact that a tuner was used to make the engine run like it should. A really bad tune that undoubtedly caused an engine/clutch/transmission problem, maybe, but it would have to be a really bad one.
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This argument/conversation is constantly showing up ... Be assured that anything that you add to your scooter will NOT void the warranty unless the addition of parts can be determined to directly have caused the failure of a warranty covered component. for example you put a tuner on your scooter and the transmission fails you're covered.
http://www.mlmlaw.com/library/guides...s/undermag.htm
http://www.mlmlaw.com/library/guides...s/undermag.htm
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
owners will find that the person selling a product will often represent that it won;t cause problems.
However your Warranty is with Harley-Davidson, nobody else ( not even a dealer) can alter the terms of that warranty- which each of us get when we buy a bike.
this really comes down to the phrase we use so often in the USA "Personal Responsibility".
IF the owner thinks they know better how to mix air and fuel and adjust spark timing than the company who hired engineers designers builders etc how to make a motor run- then their conviction of the Personal Responsibility concept should guide their actions.
here is a quote from a pal who is SM at a dealership:
"Putting on pipes and air cleaners is a grey area. We've read the fine print on the warranty and it says " installing certain exhaust systems MAY void your warranty", but it doesn't tell you which ones! Go down to your local HD dealer and ask them a bunch of questions. I tell my customers, if you bought the bike here and we installed the parts, we will stand behind your warranty."
mike
However your Warranty is with Harley-Davidson, nobody else ( not even a dealer) can alter the terms of that warranty- which each of us get when we buy a bike.
this really comes down to the phrase we use so often in the USA "Personal Responsibility".
IF the owner thinks they know better how to mix air and fuel and adjust spark timing than the company who hired engineers designers builders etc how to make a motor run- then their conviction of the Personal Responsibility concept should guide their actions.
here is a quote from a pal who is SM at a dealership:
"Putting on pipes and air cleaners is a grey area. We've read the fine print on the warranty and it says " installing certain exhaust systems MAY void your warranty", but it doesn't tell you which ones! Go down to your local HD dealer and ask them a bunch of questions. I tell my customers, if you bought the bike here and we installed the parts, we will stand behind your warranty."
mike