Void Warranty

[ally2yana]

hi everyone, :D

this is first post but I am an avid reader everything about corolla

now time has come to air my view,I just visited my corolla dealer to purchase an

oil filter,and befor letting me pay for it they informed of this dreaded news,,

according to them by doing my own servicing the 3 year warranty will be voided

,the car is under a year old it was registered nov 03, and based on the owners

manual it only requires replacemat of engine oil and oil filter and a few checks on

air con filter,brake pad and discs,and brake fluid and tyres check ,it has only done

under 3000 miles and everything still looks new being a weekend car,it not I dont

trust them, I love cars and I like to do the servicing myself and looking back to the

maual is does not clearly states that doing diy servicing will invalidate my warranty

especially on the first year being theres is only a few inspection to be done on

areas even a novice car owner is more than qualified my point is this true has

anyone encounter the same problem if it is this is ridiculous ...actually I am more

concerned that my warranty will be voided because I have modified my backbox

using an aftermarket part other than than tte,,,again if this is true it is just like

changing the wheels and putting on aftermarket alloys made by a company other

thann toyota

I can also say now that I have first hand experience of toyota customer service

which is so unpopular on this forum, because those guys in toyota dealer

somewhere in northeast, made me feel uneasy,hopeless and disaaponited,,,they

had been so unhelpfull and told them I will write to Toyota about al this

matter epescially their attitude

thanks,,,soon to hear from al of you

[bzn]

Over here there's no warranty for you if you miss out one service check... Even the 1k run-in one... We've had this prob with a Volvo and they refused..

You know, it?s the fact that they try to cheapen the cars. They do it by making the service more expensive, and they simply cannot afford you missing out there services.

From Toyota's point of view, its totally correct. They make you used to your dealer so that even after the warranty period you still go there!

[Twincam.GTi]

Hello Ally2yana,

Yes aftermarket accessories can void a particular area of the car if under warranty, i.e. your backbox you added will void any redress you have if any part of your exhaust system fails under warranty. Likewise if you fit aftermarket wheels and for example you have a wheel bearing or trackrod end fail under guarantee they (the dealer/manufacturer) will use the aftermarket wheels as an excuse to void that part of the warranty/area covered.

I know it's annoying but it's nothing new.

In fact it was worse years ago. At least to day Manufacturers accessories (yes, we all know they over charge for their so called 'approved' accessories) don't void the warranty, believe it or not years ago even that would!

The BMC/Leyland Special Tuning accessories for Minis and MGB in the 60's and 70's even when fitted by a main dealer would void the complete warranty for the car. A leyland special tuning book for my MGB even stated this on the front page.

As for your oil filter/service, yes i'm sure we all know and agree with you but they've got you on this. As bnz (Moscow,Russia, I like a lot of your old cars; one day would like to own a GAZ 21 Volga) pointed out it's not just Britain that this procedure is enforced.

[ally2yana]

thanks for the reply

you have been helpful,I guess I have to bite the bullet,let them service ???

my car,rip me £75 just for the first stamp,wish I had known this before I got

my hands dirty..I just love my car it is my pride and joy

[bzn]

My experience shows that when you are wrong (and unfortunatelly, you are) in situations like the one you described just try to show that you are a potential "good" client (you know "Oh, I was about to buy a yaris for my wife and my dad was obove to buy another rolla... etc) and they might forgive you. Just act stupid. Maybe even better if you send a woman there. They can pull off tricks like that in some style! (especially at the service :) )

[dub_boy]

With Toyota you can service the car yourself & you dont even have to use genuine parts & the warranty is still valid!

A few years back when I worked at a Toyota dealership I was involved in a court case between a customer & Toyota regarding warranty payouts & it emerged that providing you use "quality" parts & carry out the service in accordance with the Toyota schedule then they still have to honour the claim. Unless you do something that specifically effects the part you are trying to claim for then you have no worries.

Write to or call Toyota GB & see if they say your warranty is void.

Alot of dealers will tell you anything & more often than not dont even know themselves, but thankfully they arent all ignorant.

[ally2yana]

:)

a big thanks to you dud boy...your response and information given is very

much appreciated,I will Toyota GB as soon as possible :D

[Blacksheep]

I like my car being serviced by Toyota I learnt a lesson a few years ago with a Nissan I was getting serviced at another garage other than a nissan main dealer, and that was these company's like toyota/nissan/honda and all the others will be told to look for particular things on top of the normal service if there's a known problem with the model car you own.

My example was a nissan primera and the problem these had were the original Oil carriers for the camshaft had holes that were to small, main nissan dealers were aware of this problem and would check and rectify the problem unfortuntly the local garage I used whilst very good didn't know to check and it literally cost me a fortune to replace the parts that eventually got ruined (all 16 Valve stems and rocker arms)...

I also think if you get a problem with the car they can't argue about anything if they say it wasn't done correctly you can say well you did it...

Cheaper in the long run...