Poll: Warranty Claims when ECU Flashed (TD1 flagged)

[Irishbri]

Please post your experiences here. If you are so inclined, name the dealer so that I can add them to the friendly/unfriendly list. If you are looking for "horses mouth" insight into the relationship of Mods and Warranty coverage, please read this excellent thread by DBESTGTI

CLICK>>>Warranty 101: Warranty and You - TD1, recalls, updates, Magnuson Moss, etc...


:w00t: :clap: Mod Friendly Dealers :headbang: :burnrubber:

Oakland VW, Oakland CA <Link to Post>
Kerry Volkswagen, Florence, KY # Post #11
Niello VW, Sacramento CA
Chaplin VW, Bellevue WA
Winn VW (Newark, CA)
Moss Bros VW Moreno Valley CA
Carl Gregory VW; Columbus, GA
Hewlett VW Georgetown TX
Volkswagen of South Charlotte, NC #
Galpin VW San Fernando CA
Riverhead Bay VW, Riverhead NY #
Coastal Volkswagen - Hanover, MA
Wellesley Volkswagen - Wellesley, MA
Autonation VW Richardson TX
Linden Volkswagen. Linden, NJ #
Trend VW Rockaway, NJ*
Douglas VW, Summit, NJ
Union VW, Union, NJ *
Freehold VW, Freehold, NJ *
Galpin VW, North Hills, CA
Volkswagen of Freehold, NJ #
Cook Volkswagen Fallston, MD#
Pugi Volkswagen Downers Grove, IL#
Fowler Volkswagen Norman OK#
Volkswagen of Crystal Lake, IL#
Volkswagen of St Augustine, FL #
Goodwin VW Sumter, SC *
Gene Messer VW Lubbock, TX
Mossy VW in Escondido, CA

# Dealer provides aftermarket tunes or mods
*Performed Warranty work on tuned cars......Didn't ask, didn't tell

:thumbdown: Tight A$$ES :mad0259: :middlefinger:

Bachman VW in Louisville, KY
Charles Maud Austin TX
Onion Creek Austin TX
Family VW Bakersfield CA
Smithtown VW, Smithtown NY
Reydel VW Edison, NJ

 

[09GTIJOE]

when I had my 2009 gti with tsi motors, I had a dealer not wanting to replace my door module due to a boost gauge I had, called it "aftermarket influence". same car, throttle body went out and they wanting to blame the downpipe I had, stock file, for sporadic codes. they ended up replacing the throttle body but damn it was pulling teeth, they did not want to budge.

 

[Wykdtron]

So far any problem I have had they have not cared that I was tuned(APR stage 1) and fixed under my warranty *knock on wood*. I should add that I have had some of my service done at the dealer, but the rest I have kept documented receipts and such.

 

[Thumper]

Have not had any "engine" claims so far, but figured I would post up since so many people assume a tune (and any mod) voids their whole warranty.

Have had two warranty issues with mine, both after tuned and lowered.

First was a ripped CV boot and there was zero issue, they swapped it out and gave it back zero out of pocket, zero push back.

Had the headlight motors go out, warning on dash that adaptive system was malfunctioning. They found the programming was erased (note it had been over a year since tuned). Tech said the headlights just erased their program, at first they did try to push back, not from a tune.....but because of the OBD2 dongle I use for Torque was in the port. LOL He thought I had erased the coding myself (I hadn't plugged VCDS in for any checks or changes in months). but they covered it with no question, re-programmed and done, zero cost.

 

[Brinkmen]

Mine had to have the ECU replaced because of a fan issue and they never said anything about the tune. I just had to pay $50 to get reflashed. That was after APR released the direct port flash. I think that's probably the most likely to have some kind of warranty denial. Especially since when I originally got flashed they had to open the ecu at the time and that would void any ECU warranties for sure. My ECU hat had been opened was the one they replaced with no questions asked. Oh and all this was done a the VW dealer under my CPO warranty.

 

[GoodTimesIndeed]

I have not (knock on wood) but this is a good read all about this stuff, check it out: http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87355

 

[Stinger]

I think we should post the name of the dealerships...those who accept the mods and those who don't. Oakland VW has been great with me, never questioned my mods and everything has always been under warranty (sadly there every 3 months or so...).

 

[Irishbri]

I think we should post the name of the dealerships...those who accept the mods and those who don't. Oakland VW has been great with me, never questioned my mods and everything has always been under warranty (sadly there every 3 months or so...).

Great Idea!.....I will edit first post to include a running list of every dealer posted here Mod Friendly or NOT....

 

[Vroomer]

I think we should post the name of the dealerships...those who accept the mods and those who don't. Oakland VW has been great with me, never questioned my mods and everything has always been under warranty (sadly there every 3 months or so...).

Its a bit tricky, if you never had any services done at that dealer or bought a car from them, then they might still refuse to service your car even though they do service their more loyal modded customers.

 

[Irishbri]

Its a bit tricky, if you never had any services done at that dealer or bought a car from them, then they might still refuse to service your car even though they do service their more loyal modded customers.

You make a good point. Still, I feel getting an idea of overall dealer experiences from the members here is good information to have.

 

[The Canuck]

I didn't buy my car from this place or had any service done, but they are the closest Unitronic dealership to me. Kerry VW in Florence, KY (Cincinnati, OH) told me over the phone today that they have no issues with tuned or modified cars unless it can be proven that the mod or tune was the culprit when it came to warranty issues.

A service writer for Bachman VW in Louisville, KY told me that Bachman is not a mod-friendly dealer, and that if I wanted to do anything, to wait until my 3yr/36,000 mile warranty was up.

 

[Brinkmen]

FYI if you're looking for "mod friendly" Dealerships, you can add Niello VW in Sacramento to the list.

 

[Irishbri]

I didn't buy my car from this place or had any service done, but they are the closest Unitronic dealership to me. Kerry VW in Florence, KY (Cincinnati, OH) told me over the phone today that they have no issues with tuned or modified cars unless it can be proven that the mod or tune was the culprit when it came to warranty issues.

A service writer for Bachman VW in Louisville, KY told me that Bachman is not a mod-friendly dealer, and that if I wanted to do anything, to wait until my 3yr/36,000 mile warranty was up.

FYI if you're looking for "mod friendly" Dealerships, you can add Niello VW in Sacramento to the list.

Added, thanks gents.

 

[ChrisB1]

I haven't been flagged yet, but I bet my local dealership will flag my car if I ever bring it in for something warranty related that requires a scan of the ECU. I'm waiting for them to deny my "free" oil changes after the exhaust gets installed and I load the stage 2 tune.

 

[SixSpeeder]

I had my clutch replaced under warranty on my 2013 GTI that was APR stage 1 at Chaplin VW in Bellevue WA.