Warranty Requirements

[snowman]

OK, so firstly i apologise for some misleading posts regarding the 5-10 year warranty.

i have posted that unless using Mitsubishi Servicing you do not retain this warranty. This is incorrect.

How did that come about? My dealer VERBALLY told me that i had to use them for the 'major' service intervals to keep warranty. Bastards. .....and i wasn't the only one.

anyway enough of that.

I have made some enquiries and this is what i now know.

To retain the 0-10 year (klm limited) warranty you must:

1. Get the vehicle serviced to the log book requirements by a licenced mechanic AND get the book stamped.

2. Use GENUINE parts (now there has been conjecture here about 'or equal' but i was advised that a well known non genuine brand of oil filter failed and destroyed a diesel engine - it was NOT warranted). So in MY opinion - use genuine parts so there can be no argument in this regard.

3. Obviously get the log book stamped and at 3 years get this witnessed and the extended warranty validated by your local dealer.

4. You cannot transfer the 5-10 year warranty - so only new car purchasers retain this warranty.

5. Modifcations. That's a whole new can of worms..........case by case basis.

For all of you on the east coast who may wish to know where very competitive GENUINE Mitsubishi parts are available please PM myself or Homer. Freight will be applicable from Brisbane.

Again I apologise to anyone i misled previously.

[perko]

Thanks Snowman, I was told the same...

[SecondEye]

Sad to see a snowman down on his knees pleading for mercy. Ah what the hell everybody knows everything on the internet can only be taken at face value snowball. They come here for advice which naturally is off the cuff not always pure fact. Dont worry yourself so much dude.

[Cowboy Dave]

Snowie having just read the 30,000km service thread (mine is pending...) you look to have said much the same thing only ages ago. Maybe somewhere else you got it wrong but I must have missed it.

[Mongrel]

Hi Lads,

I have been doing a fair bit of reading about warranties and have a couple of concerns..

I have a 2011 MN - and its 2 months old. Now I want to put a Bullbar on the front, and as such will probably require a suspension upgrade. The problems is, everything I have read says to me that I can't use anything non genuine or my warranty is out the door!!

So basically my idea of fitting a flash new Ironman Bar and an Ultimate Suspension 2inch lift is out the window!!

Where does that leave me now??

[Homer]

You wont get warranty on your standard suspension because it's not there any more, but it wont decline the warranty on the rest of your vehicle.

Say the engine blows up from a manufacturing defect - or it carbons up from the EGR - it will still be assessed as per usual.

Any modifications you do to the vehicle will have to be proved to have caused or instigated any particular warranty claim for it to be knocked back.
Some dealers may try to use mods as an excuse, but when it comes down to it they will have to prove the mod caused the issue if they are to decline your claim.

Best bet is to find yourself a good dealer that you can trust (I know what you are going to say here) as it will remove some of the potential aggravation if you do have a warranty issue but a suspension lift and bar will only affect your warranty if they cause the complaint.

Legality on the other hand is a different issue.

[Mongrel]

Thanks Homer,

I have read bits and pieces where MMA consider a bar or tow bar that is not MMA to be an illegal chassis extension. The post bit I read stated that it came from MMA direct.

Recently I saw a bloke that had the chassis bend on his new MN and MMA refused to fix it under warranty because of after market shocks. So now I don't know which way to go.

I also read that because my truck as ASC (Stability Control) it is illegal to change the shocks.

MIght have to ring the RTA me thinks.

[RHKTriton]

Looking more and more like the MLs are the last of the user customiseable units and even here we can't fit home built bullbars due to airbag requirements.

I'd suggest the old "Restrictive Trade" would pop up if manufacturers challenged fitting of properly engineered third party products. Maybe if they fitted shockers fit for purpose, instead of glorified bicycle pumps, etc. then the requirement for customers to go looking for third party bits would reduce.

The issues with warranty claims that some have encountered on this site suggest that the product support network creates so much angst that people eventually don't want to persue warranty anymore!

You've got to wonder (and this seems common across many markets) whether suppliers want return business.

[Mongrel]

I agree!! And it leaves people like myself very disgruntled as I want to put a Bar on the front, but have been told by numerous people (some very experienced) that I will need to upgrade the shocks as the nose will drop and the handling will degrade.

So... I either make the car more dangerous, or face the possibility of forfeiting my warranty!! WTF!!!

[Lee-thal]

Mongrel, The manufacturer cannot tell you if it is a illegal modification, that is up to your states Transport authority and their regulations.

If you are going to put a steel bullbar on yes upgrade your springs and shocks, i have found cars with alloy front bars dont change that much from standard.


Cheers

[Homer]

Don't get put off by the chasis bend mate, that was a one off and the usual overload/incorrect setup airbag situation like all the other utes you see bent on the net more than the after market tow hitch.

I would very much doubt MMA could or would knock back a claim due to a Hayman Reece tow hitch etc.

I'd talk to Brendan at Ultimate on this site as far as options go for your suspension...they are the experts and will steer you right

These utes have pretty average suspension as standard - but so do the rest in the class. That does mean the people discussing suspension requirements for fitting a steel bbar are correct. It is preferred though - not absolutely necessary.

FWIW I'd do it - changed my suspension within 3 months or so of having it.

[SecondEye]

Its interesting how a bullbar aftermarket is considered an illegal chassis extension but if they fit its all good. Shows an area that the ACCC needs to clamp down on like the old logbook servicing that previously could ONLY be done by car company service yards. Didnt take long to prove that was a rort that nonservice departments usually give better service and repairs than the 1st year apprentice underpaid at the car yards.

[Lee-thal]

Secondeye,

WHo is telling you its an illegal modification???

[Mongrel]

Read this thread - It talks about MMA and what the stated about Tow bars, Bulls and shocks.

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=6435

ALSO - On the 4WD action forum, a poster there put up the details of a conversation he had with MMA. According to that post, he was told anything that is not MMA (Bulls Sus or tow) they would consider them unauthorised and therefor anything that happens to your truck as a result, will not be covered.

As far as shocks go - Ultimate posted this thread about the legalities of the lift in my truck.

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4372

[Lee-thal]

Mongrel, That 1st link is a very interesting thread, the problem with that car has been stated above by Homer, it was not annufacturing fault, it was an overloaded car with a lot of aftermarket accesories, the worst one being the air bags, it caused the failure.

A conversation means nothing find somewhere it is written, A manufacturer can only deny a warranty claim if the non genuine components causes the failure, If your RTA says you can put on a non genuine bull bar or towbar, it has nothing to do with the warranty on your car until it causes a problem, plain and simple.

Cheers

[Cowboy Dave]

Also I suspect that the second thread you linked to is out of date now as Ultimate have been fitting upgraded suspension to plenty of MNs in NSW (including mine) and I'm sure they wouldn't be doing that if it was other than legal.

There was also a post the other day about the new lemon laws etc - from memory they had some new material about warranties etc. As Lee says above (and Homer before that I think) there has to be a connection between the accessory and the problem.

So, if you stick on a bar and the holes on the chassis mount cracked or something, then sure fair enough, that might be the bar's fault and shouldn't be a warranty claim. If the engine dies though there's simply no connection. So you need to weigh up the cost/benefit/risk of what you want to do.

If I was planning on driving near roos, then I'd rather save myself from dying or my truck from getting mangled than worry about whether my bullbar might one day provide an excuse to MMAL for some unrelated warranty claim.

[patto]

Warranty - i know you have all had your dramas but i will honestly say that none of you have been through what i went through.

Im not allowed to advise of the outcome of my warranty issue (but most of you are aware ) all my after market accessories were either swapped or replaced at cost to Mitsubishi after i went to great lengths to prove they were not the issue... Early in the process i was advised by the Mitsubishi area rep that my engine constantly limping was ue to putting bigger tyres on that is what i was dealing with.

Any how they swapped all of my gear over and when it was all sorted and when it was all sorted and settled, the only thing they could not give me a warranty on was the suspension becuase as mentioned above its not from the factory and this was advised on hand over. Bull bar does not affect warranty. 265/75/16 does not void warranty. Snorkel does not void warranty.

As for brand of Oil filter well the R#co oil filter should it fail u will be covered. Im sure you will have to jump through hoops but you are covered.


Dont be put off mofifying your triton because some bloke who really knows F-all about cars tells you different. Man i put car dealers and service managers in the same hate bracket as a Green's politician or backer.

[Mongrel]

Ok - I just got off the phone with the RTA and this is what I have been told by a guy called Tony on the technical enquiries line... and I hope you are sitting down...

"The RTA does not recognise ANY bullbar that claims to be Airbag Compatible. Unless it is an EOM bar, it is not legal without an Engineers Certification - OR - you must have it in writing from the manufacturer of the bar that is engineered correctly and complies with ADR requirements" - Fair enough - I would imagine that most of the aftermarkets like ARB etc have ADR compliance.

Now I also spoke to him about suspension and I am not sure this guy should be answering the phones - He stated the following...

"ANY suspension upgrade that lifts the vehicle above its stock height will need to have an engineers certificate to be recognised - The suspension can be changed, but it must remain at stock height as per the manufacturers specifications"

I asked him about Active Stability and he said that there was a bulletin a little while ago but they scrapped it - so it is not applicable. He went on to again point out that it is all about the height.

I also asked if he knew where I could find this information on the RTA website so I could have it in writing, but like I said, he probably shouldn't be on the phone because he didn't have a clue.

So take this info as you will... but that is what he just told me.

Cheers
Mongrel

[ag9111]

Here are the vehicle standards info from the NSW RTA

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/ ... ml?rlid=17

Have a look at VSI15 and find an engineer who you can talk to. They will tell you the real deal, dont rely on what somebody heard somebody else say. Go directly to the engineeer. Chinese whispers should always be taken with a grain of salt. Get it in writing.
The laws about ASC mods and light vehicle modifications were repealed not that long ago but they will be back in some form or another. Cant remember what the No was but it ended in 50 like ADR50 or ?

Good one for replacement tyres is VSI09

I have an MN with side airbags, and ASC. My car has been legally engineered with oversize tyres 265/75/16, 2" suspension lift, ARB bullbar and long range tank. All these mods are now legal on my vehicle and MMA would have a very hard time saying that they caused ant issues so they could knock back warranty

[Cowboy Dave]

This is what the current posting on the RTA website says:

Raising and lowering vehicles

Vehicle Standards Information (VSI) No 50 Raising and lowering vehicles was issued on 15 July 2009 by the Minister for Roads as part of a drive to help improve road safety in NSW.

The start date of VSI 50 has been deferred in order to provide industry and the community the opportunity to have input into the proposed changes.

A working group comprising industry, RTA and government representatives has been set up to discuss details and implementation arrangements for the VSI 50.

The working group met on August 12, to discuss options.

The RTA will investigate the options that arose from this meeting and make further determinations in due course.

The revised implementation date will be announced once the recommendations have been agreed.

The revised date will include a transition period to enable modification currently being made to vehicles to be completed. VSI 50 will be amended accordingly.

Inquiries may be directed to 1300 137 302 or by email to: Technical_Enquiries@rta.nsw.gov.au

The information is obviously pretty dated.

[Cowboy Dave]

There's also this from VSI 6 which I reckon means you can upgrade your suspension:

Vehicle modifications fall into three distinct categories:

„
• ‘Owner certified’ minor modifications which can be accepted for registration purposes without formal
  certification.

„
• ‘Engineering signatory certified’ modified production vehicles.

„
• ‘Engineering signatory certified’ individually constructed vehicles.

Owner certified minor modifications are generally those modifications which were optional equipment for the vehicle concerned. Owner certified modifications also include some non-standard modifications of a minor nature which do not affect the level of safety, strength or reliability of vital systems such as brakes and steering. These modifications have little or no impact upon the vehicle’s level of compliance with the Australian Design Rules.

Examples of minor (owner certified) modifications are:

• „ Engine changes where the capacity increase is less than 15% above the maximum size engine available for the vehicle (providing no major structural modifications are necessary and where noise and/or exhaust emission ADRs apply, all standard equipment such as carburettors, exhaust systems, exhaust gas recirculating valves, oxygen sensors and catalytic convertors relating to noise and emission control are retained and operate correctly).

„
• The fitting of a proprietary sunroof (if the modifications are of a minor nature only).

• „ Fitting a ‘package’ available as optional equipment for the vehicle (eg front disc brakes, power steering, alternative transmission and bucket or bench seats).

„
• Additional lighting eg fog & driving lights.

„
• Alternative wheels and tyres within the owner certified limits set by the Authority (see Vehicle Standards
  Information Sheet No. 9 Guidelines for alternative wheels & tyres).

• „ Fitting of handling enhancing suspension components such as roll stabiliser bars and up-rated shock absorbers.

Major modifications which fall outside the category of minor (owner cer tified) modifications require submission of certification by an RTA recognised engineering signatory. This is usually in the form of an Engineering certificate prepared by the signatory.

Formatting is not great but you can read the original on the RTA website here:
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsi/vsi_06_-_guidelines_for_light_vehicle_modifications_nov_2007.pdf

[ag9111]

Went looking for the NCOP for vehicle modifications on the NSW RTA website and they have removed all reference to it. IT was VSI50. I'm sure its still on the commenwealth website but I've had a shit of a day and cant be bothered finding it. Look for "National Code of Practice for motor vehicle modifications" or something similar

[Cowboy Dave]

Garth my quote a couple of posts up is what they say about VSI50 - it's effectively in limbo for the time being and has been for a while.

[ag9111]

Beat me to it Dave

[andyj]

I have the ARB steel bar on mine along with a snorkel and the stealers have done warranty work for me the only thing was squeaky springs and the apprentice said it was the OME shockys on the back,but it was sorted out with the recall and the spacers put in the springs. fitted when the springs went soft after 5,000k's and Mitsi changed the springs and refitted the OME shocks at the time.