If you drive a newer vehicle it’s probably covered by a manufacturer’s warranty that’s designed to give you peace-of-mind if a mechanical problem arises. Warranties typically contain provisions with bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage, most are transferable, and all have mileage or time limits based on the manufacturer’s terms. The average factory powertrain warranty is usually good for 60,000 to 100,000 miles, or 4 to 6 years, while most bumper-to-bumper plans protect you for 30,000 to 50,000 miles, or 3 to 5 years. But does being involved in a car accident, notably a serious one, void the manufacturer’s warranty? The answer to that important question may lie in the collision repairs themselves.
Within the fine print of your warranty you’ll find several reasons why the manufacturer can void it when your vehicle sustains damage due to these factors:
When your car or truck is involved in a serious accident and is subsequently given a “salvage” distinction by your insurer, which means it was a total loss, your entire warranty is voided.
This can be interpreted in many ways, and most often refers to using your vehicle for racing or subjecting it to other forms of excessive wear-and-tear, including off-roading. Potentially, any use outside of what’s considered “normal” can be interpreted as abuse by the manufacturer.
If damaged by an environmental disaster, sometimes referred to as “an act of God”, such as a fire, flood, tornado, hurricane or earthquake, your vehicle’s warranty is null-and-void.
Also called “rolling back” your odometer, for obvious reasons your warranty will be voided if you engage in such practices.
If you accidentally put diesel fuel in your gasoline engine, that’s not the manufacturer’s fault. Or, if you use the wrong type of antifreeze or oil that’s outside of what’s specified in the owner’s manual, it could invalidate the warranty.
The use of aftermarket parts is a very gray area when it comes to warranties, and most often comes up after an accident when your vehicle is at the body shop for repairs. To ensure that your warranty stays in-force, ask the shop manager to only use OEM parts, or aftermarket ones that are manufacturer-approved.
It must be noted that under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975, warranty coverage cannot be denied unless the manufacturer can definitively prove that an aftermarket part in question caused specified damage to the vehicle.
In most cases when your vehicle is repairable, an accident has no bearing on the warranty. According to industry experts, the only way the accident itself can void a warranty is if the vehicle’s been given a title salvage designation after being declared a total loss by the insurer because the damages sustained would cost more in collision repairs than its assessed market value. According to Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com), factors that influence your vehicle’s assessed market value include:
Simply being involved in an accident won’t void your vehicle’s warranty. However, taking it to an unfamiliar auto body shop for collision repairs, one that might install non-approved aftermarket parts, could cause warranty problems later. Keep your warranty in-force by taking it to one of the body shops in the nationwide Carwise referral network. All collision and glass repair shops in the Carwise network are ASE-certified, and technicians there have the training, experience, and know-how to install manufacturer-approved parts that’ll keep your vehicle looking and performing like new again.
Search your zip code now for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: www.carwise.com.
