I am looking to do a couple things to my car and want to make sure I don't void my warranty. I have a 06 CVT Cooper and am looking to put an AFE CAI and maybe a chip. Sorry for the newbie question, I've never done any mods before.

 

If the dealer can prove your aftermarket changes caused something else in the car to fail, then ANYTHING can void your warranty.

 

Purley depends on dealer. Your CAI probably isn't going to matter too much, chipping it could prove an issue.

 

I work for a Large dealership, non mini, and here is my understanding. Legally the dealership has to prove the part you added caused the failure. Your service dept. can technically say the modification caused the failure now at this point most people probably hang there head and turn over the cash but you should try to press the issue with them and find out how the failure happened. It does depend alot on the sdealer though. We work on alot of deisel pick-ups that have been chipped and modified, I have only seen one vehicle that was turned away, though he also added an aftermarket biodeisel system that was causing fuel issues. There is another shop in town that denies warranty service as soon as they here the word chip. Once the service dept denies you it becomes difficult for you but not impossible. Keep in mind there claim must be reasonable. For instance if your supercharger fails they cannot blaim it on your aftermarket struts/shocks. my two cents, feel free to correct me if I am, incorrect.

 

Dont even think about depending upon MM. Do a Search and read about Skiploader's BMW woes.

There ARE cases of consumers winning MM cases but if you can find one online where the issue was a performance mod, please post it because we cant find one.

 

Currently I have CAI, Header's, chip. free flow cat. exhaust, 22 sway bar rear, Iridium plug's , 15% pully, Stab. bar front, 8.5 mm plug wire's and a totally intact warranty. In fact had a recent prob. ,dealer allowed me to use 06 convert for 2 week's. Incidently your warranty for pollution related defect's since 1997 is 8 yr's or 80,000 mile's!

 

JTSO, maybe the approach to your question should be to the MINI dealer. I spoke with my dealer prior to modding my car and asked for their input as to which mods would still allow my warranty to continue and also which ones would make my car "less" sellable for a trade-in. My intent is really not to mod the MC, but to trade it in on a MCS in another year or so, so my concern was that my car would be an acceptable trade at that time, and that the mods I do won't detract from it's value.

You probably don't care about my car (haha), but I would just talk with the dealer and see what they think about the mods and what they will allow you to do and still maintain warranty. At a minimum, if you discuss it with them upfront and there is a problem later, your chances of having a sucessful resolution are better.

Power to the MINI's!!!

 

From Mini Mania
Federal Warranty Laws

1.The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2302(C))
This federal law regulates warranties for the protection of consumers. The essence of this law concerning aftermarket auto parts is that a vehicle manufacturer may not condition a written or implied warranty on the consumers using parts or services which are identified by brand, trade, or corporate name (such as the vehicle makers brand) unless the parts or service are provided free of charge. The law means that the use of an aftermarket part alone is not cause for denying the warranty. However, the law's protection does not extend to aftermarket parts in situations where such parts actually caused the damage being claimed under the warranty. Further, consumers are advised to be aware of any specific terms or conditions stated in the warranty which may result in its being voided. The law states in relevant part:
“No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumers using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or corporate name....” (15 U.S.C. 2302(C)).
2. Clean Air Act Warranty Provisions (42 U.S.C. S 7541 (C) (3) (B))
The federal Clean Air Act requires vehicle makers to provide two emissions-related warranties -- a production warranty and a performance warranty. The production warranty requires the vehicle maker to warrant that the vehicle is designed, built and equipped so that it conforms with emissions requirements at the time of sale. The performance warranty requires the vehicle maker to warrant that the vehicle will comply with applicable emissions requirements as tested under state vehicle emissions inspection programs for the warranty periods specified in the law (for model year 1995 and later vehicles, the warranty is 2 years/24,000 miles for all emissions-related parts and 8 years/80,000 miles for the catalytic converter, electronic emissions control unit and on-board diagnostic device). The performance warranty is conditioned on the vehicle being properly maintained and operated.
Like the Magnuson-Moss Act, vehicle manufacturers may not refuse warranty repairs under the Clean Air Acts performance and defect warranties merely because aftermarket parts have been installed on the vehicle. The only circumstance under which the vehicle manufacturer can void the emissions warranties is if an aftermarket part is responsible for (causes) the warranty claim.