I read somewhere here on the forum that Ducati may/can void your warranty for engine mods which are not approved/authorized by Ducati. Specifically the use of aftermarket exhaust systems other than Termi. Is this true? Also if I change my oil myself prior to my 600 mile service and tell my dealer not to change it can this void my warranty. I just installed my rearsets and while the fairing was off I decided to change my oil (mileage is 550). We had a tropical depression pushing through here so I was bored and chose to do this work prior to 600 mile service, also just got my rear stand and was only now able to lift the bike to remove the belly pan without having to drag the left side under the kickstand.
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Warranty Issues
- Thread starter carjim524
- Start date
Green And Angry Kitteh
New member
Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if you're right. It's best to check with your dealer. It's really done on a case by case basis. For instance, BMW USA will not void the warranty if you put in an exhaust system while BMW Phil's would do so. My .02. Good luck!
♥laNoviaDeTito♥
New member
It's funny, what brought this was I went to my dealer today and they were showing me an Arrow exhaust that they had mounted on one of their 1098s. I mentioned to them that I read on this forum that only termi was appoved by Ducati and that unapproved aftermarket modifications could in fact void your warranty. I just did a search of warranty related threads which I will continue to read to familiarize myself regarding these issues. One interesting post stated which I verified by reading the owners manual, pg 6 states that... Motorcycles used in compitition... if motorcycle is tampered with, modified or replaced with parts other than original Ducati spare parts during the warranty period, the warranty is automatically invalidated.
If I were you I'd keep your receipts regarding the oil change, and the old oil filter, to prove that you have in fact made the oil change, in case it ever came into question.
Does it say anywhere that this part of the service can only be carried out by an apporved Ducati service technician?
Does it say anywhere that this part of the service can only be carried out by an apporved Ducati service technician?
mailaccount63
New member
hrmm good question. i need to ask my dealer.
Dennis Ron F
New member
I am considering this a learning opportunity. I agree it's a line not to be crossed. I just checked the owners manual and it does state that the "operations are to be carried out by the dealer".
sugarcraver
New member
Warranty Law is a complicated issue and there are lots of lawyers in this country who do nothing other than practice warranty law. I'm no lawyer but there are lots of refferences to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act which boil down to this opinion:
Q: Will I void the warranty if I don't use the recommended manufacturer items?
A: Generally, tie-in sales provisions aren't allowed. Such a provision would require a purchaser of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under the warranty. The following are examples of prohibited tie-in sales provisions.
"In order to keep your new Plenum Brand Vacuum Cleaner warranty in effect, you must use genuine Plenum Brand Filter Bags. Failure to have scheduled maintenance performed, at your expense, by the Great American Maintenance Company, Inc., voids this warranty."
While tie-in sales requirements can't be used, the warranty need not cover use of replacement parts, repairs, or maintenance that is inappropriate for the product. The following is an example of a permissible provision that excludes coverage of such things.
"While necessary maintenance or repairs on your AudioMundo Stereo System can be performed by any company, we recommend that you use only authorized AudioMundo dealers. Improper or incorrectly performed maintenance or repair voids this warranty."
Now that being said, Yes Ducati plays a hard line. They denied my warranty claim after a major ring failure because I had a Rapid Bike installed.
I still am planning on debating this with Ducati, in court if necessary.
If interested, check out http://www.Ducati-Lies.com
Q: Will I void the warranty if I don't use the recommended manufacturer items?
A: Generally, tie-in sales provisions aren't allowed. Such a provision would require a purchaser of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under the warranty. The following are examples of prohibited tie-in sales provisions.
"In order to keep your new Plenum Brand Vacuum Cleaner warranty in effect, you must use genuine Plenum Brand Filter Bags. Failure to have scheduled maintenance performed, at your expense, by the Great American Maintenance Company, Inc., voids this warranty."
While tie-in sales requirements can't be used, the warranty need not cover use of replacement parts, repairs, or maintenance that is inappropriate for the product. The following is an example of a permissible provision that excludes coverage of such things.
"While necessary maintenance or repairs on your AudioMundo Stereo System can be performed by any company, we recommend that you use only authorized AudioMundo dealers. Improper or incorrectly performed maintenance or repair voids this warranty."
Now that being said, Yes Ducati plays a hard line. They denied my warranty claim after a major ring failure because I had a Rapid Bike installed.
I still am planning on debating this with Ducati, in court if necessary.
If interested, check out http://www.Ducati-Lies.com
Wow. Sorry to hear about your Tricolore. I took the time to read your whole website, and I do empathize.
After spending the last decade tuning VW and MINIs on my own and to some extreme power outputs, I have run across the same story many times. People who turn to ECU tuning/modification to get greater power and performance out of their vehicles usually with great effect, especially so in FI situations. As your situation illustrates, unfortunately when something goes south your story is the natural outcome.
Any major vehicle manuf. is going to null your engine warranty if you touch the fuel/timing/AFR/Firmware, etc. There is simply no way to disprove their position that the mods did not cause the failure. Though I commend you for your efforts with DNA, I suggest you just take your lumps, get your bike back together and enjoy it. Don't waste your riding time, sanity, and sleep trying to fight them in court. You are not going to win.
The MM is a joke when it comes to actually winning in a court setting. DNA will just continue to hit the point that you can't prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that the ECU did not lead to the problem. Unless you can do that no court is going to settle on your side. In the end you will be stuck with your bills, the expense of the repair, DNA's court expenses, and a lot of time you could have been enjoying your rebuilt bike wasted in a court setting.
I hope this is a lesson to those who are new to high performance high expense vehicles. It sounds like "Okd" is not new, but hadn't learned this lesson through personal experience yet just how this falls out. With how are vehicles are truly computer driven, any modification to how that computer works, is going to cost you any engine related warranty coverage. As I wrote, it can't be proven that his altering the ECU didn't cause the ring failure, though by the same token it can't be proven that it did.
I do question as to why you couldn't wait to get the engine tuned correctly with the DP Race ECU? What made it impossible to travel back the New Mexico? They say every "accident" has a sentinel event. In your case, I think this was it. Everything that followed stemmed from not sticking with the very tunable, and warrantied, DP Race ECU and going to an aftermarket one.
Regards,
Joel
After spending the last decade tuning VW and MINIs on my own and to some extreme power outputs, I have run across the same story many times. People who turn to ECU tuning/modification to get greater power and performance out of their vehicles usually with great effect, especially so in FI situations. As your situation illustrates, unfortunately when something goes south your story is the natural outcome.
Any major vehicle manuf. is going to null your engine warranty if you touch the fuel/timing/AFR/Firmware, etc. There is simply no way to disprove their position that the mods did not cause the failure. Though I commend you for your efforts with DNA, I suggest you just take your lumps, get your bike back together and enjoy it. Don't waste your riding time, sanity, and sleep trying to fight them in court. You are not going to win.
The MM is a joke when it comes to actually winning in a court setting. DNA will just continue to hit the point that you can't prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that the ECU did not lead to the problem. Unless you can do that no court is going to settle on your side. In the end you will be stuck with your bills, the expense of the repair, DNA's court expenses, and a lot of time you could have been enjoying your rebuilt bike wasted in a court setting.
I hope this is a lesson to those who are new to high performance high expense vehicles. It sounds like "Okd" is not new, but hadn't learned this lesson through personal experience yet just how this falls out. With how are vehicles are truly computer driven, any modification to how that computer works, is going to cost you any engine related warranty coverage. As I wrote, it can't be proven that his altering the ECU didn't cause the ring failure, though by the same token it can't be proven that it did.
I do question as to why you couldn't wait to get the engine tuned correctly with the DP Race ECU? What made it impossible to travel back the New Mexico? They say every "accident" has a sentinel event. In your case, I think this was it. Everything that followed stemmed from not sticking with the very tunable, and warrantied, DP Race ECU and going to an aftermarket one.
Regards,
Joel
This is definitely the reason I decide not to do lots mod with my new 1098. We all know it is expense to mess around with the our bikes, not mention about the $$ spent on mod parts. I work for smiliar industry. I have see customer mod the engine and got refuse on warranty service. That is lots $$$. I felt sorry for your lost.
I have seem one case where engine need 100% sync oil, but customer use the regular $20 oil change at gas station. Guess what, the engine fail at 18k miles. Customer fights for warranty. Do you think is fair for the manufacture? The new engine job is $9000 without labor.
I purchase the new exhaust system and HID kit. I am still leaving them in the garage because of warranty concern.....
So far I known that the only exhaust that will not void warranty is Termi and has to be install by Ducati certified tech. Oh well, good luck to ya....
I have seem one case where engine need 100% sync oil, but customer use the regular $20 oil change at gas station. Guess what, the engine fail at 18k miles. Customer fights for warranty. Do you think is fair for the manufacture? The new engine job is $9000 without labor.
I purchase the new exhaust system and HID kit. I am still leaving them in the garage because of warranty concern.....
So far I known that the only exhaust that will not void warranty is Termi and has to be install by Ducati certified tech. Oh well, good luck to ya....