Re: chip shot

[Chuck Simpson <csimpson@zeltech.com>]

AND...  if you are still worried about this whole "performance chip"
voiding
your warranty, give VW a call and ask them yourself!  I know I did, and
they
told me exactly what Khan just told you.

-Chuck Simpson
'98 Jetta GLX (sold)
'92 GTI 16V  http://www.a2ipb.com/~csimpson/GTI/



Khan Klatt wrote:

> >When I was thinking about chipping my car I asked the service rep at
> >the dealer this question..
> >He said if you bring it in with the chip in... yes it does void the
> >warrenty on the ecu and engine... however if you put the stock chip
> >back in before taking it to the shop no it won't..
> >so get it if you have a problem, just throw the stock chip in when
> >at the shop and then switch em back when out of the shop.
>
> I think this guy that you talked to doesn't know what he's talking
> about. An add on component can only void the warranty of a component
> it replaces, or if it can be shown that a peripheral component failed
> as a result of your installing the aftermarket component.
>
> For example, if you got lowering springs, but you kept the stock
> shocks/struts, and your struts were always bottoming out, and
> eventually got busted, then the dealership can refuse to fix under
> warranty your shocks... (this is not a good example, because shocks
> are wear and tear items, that are not covered under warranty, but I
> think it makes the point).
>
> So, the only way an aftermarket ECU could void your engine's warranty
> would be if the engine failed somehow, and it was because the ECU
> failed or caused it to break. There is no way that they can, within
> the law, void your engine's warranty and your ECU warranty, just
> because you have an aftermarket chip in there.
>
> It's not like they can say "Oh, I see you have an aftermarket chip
> here... that means I'll have to void your engine's warranty right
> this moment, even though it is running fine."
>
> The only way they can do that is to say "I figured out why your
> engine failed, it was because of this ECU you put in here and it
> caused your engine to do 'x' and that's why the engine is toast."
>
> The service rep is wrong even further still... In the situation where
> your engine gets fried, and before you have it towed to the dealer,
> you have the original ECU put back into place, your warranty can
> still be voided... it's just that the dealer won't know about it. If
> they pull ODBII codes, and it shows something wrong that the chip
> caused, and they can show it wasn't the stock chip that caused the
> problem, regardless of whether you put the original chip in or not,
> they could void the warranty (assuming it failed because of the chip).
>
> So the bottom line is this:
>
> a) You can get a chip, but it will void your ECU's warranty. If you
> have to do any soldering/desoldering that may cause your socket board
> to be voided.
>
> b) If your engine never fails, your engine's warranty won't be voided.
>
> c) If your engine fails, pull the aftermarket chip before you have it
> towed in (if you want to be sneaky) or leave it in (if you're honest
> to a flaw).
>
> Finally, I have never heard of anyone causing their engine to fail
> because of an aftermarket chip (not to say that it hasn't happened,
> but there have been no reports of it happening).
>
> -Khan
> --
>
> Khan Klatt                                         khan@mediaaccess.com
>
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