can dealer "see" if there has been a chip

[CAT 385]

I have been reading all the stuff about "black boxes" and the like. My Question is has anybody with an ez or any other chip gone in for warranty work and been denied because of a "electronic trail" from the chip. I never had any trouble with my 2000 even with the comp and peirced wire but the dealer here is not very bright and unless the computer told him something was up he would never guess. So I am wondering if the computer has been upgraded for service managers that do not know anything.

 

[jimnance]

A year or two ago I read a post about this. At that time the reader the dealer used could not detect if an EZ had been installed. However, Cummins had a more sophisticated reader that could.



With the more sophisticated electronics on the 3G's it's possible that the new dealers readers might be able to tell. If you blow up the engine you can be sure they will be looking for the cause. A spliced wire would surely be found.

 

[obie1]

It has just been a recent experience.



They did not see a chip (it was removed EDGE EZ on level 3) but due to a AFE PG7, torque tube and EGT, boost guage, they denied an injector warranty work. Quote "The Service manager and Cummins rep felt that there are too many modifications and therefore will not honor the 100K mile warrnaty. "



My father is on his death bed so I don't want to push the issue "yet".



What I find is interesting that there has been numerous Bosch injector failures both Cummins and Duramax from new models to the 03's. Injector pump failures etc. Yet they look for any excuse to void a warranty. So as they all say "you play you pay" I am personally selling all my "mods" going back to basics and hopefully get a few more thousand miles. OBTW my mileage is 79,000 with no problems ever... ... . and the EDGE EZ has been on for over 50K miles.

 

[ROCKJEEP]

My friend is a diesel tech at my local dealer. He can tell what mods you have done. The clasic ez tip is the velcro on the fuse box. and if the two connectors that edge uses are the only two clean ones from your hands. Also certin codes also are signs. Overboost is a major, fueling codes. He is cool working on my truck and showed me what to change. I moved the ez and remover the velcro from the fuse box. He also said to put your stock air box on even for recall work. mod on the truck get put in the computer for later use for them to deni future work. I know you pay to play, just dont want to be denied for some unrealted reason.

 

[Cattletrkr]

As a side note

I asked the dealer service manager if he had any preference as to which intake he preferred. K+N. AFE, or whatever. He said, and this is a near quote, "Any of them. Whatever you want. Get rid of that paper thing on there and get some air to it. No warranty issues here. "



That's why I'll drive 60 miles to Albany Chrysler when there's a differnt 5star-idiot-group 15 miles away.

 

[CAT 385]

Thanks for the replies

 

[NLamke]

My dealer informed me yesterday that even if I put on a larger tire they "may" deny some warranty work. Even if it's just one size bigger..... I think I need to start looking for a new dealership.

 

[Tomeygun]

My dealer informed me yesterday that even if I put on a larger tire they "may" deny some warranty work. Even if it's just one size bigger..... I think I need to start looking for a new dealership.

You can say that again

 

[KYLE4]

What is the connection with warranty problems and dodge cummins. You could buy a Hemi truck put flowmasters and a air intake system and they would not say anything I just dont understand. Some Dealers even put aftermarket exhaust on new trucks, Gassers anyways??

 

[BHolm]

They can TRY and deny warranty work but they have to prove that the changes you made cause the failure directly. If they can not PROVE it was your mod that caused the problem you are protected by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Now any box that ups rail pressure or allows extra boost is a possible problem.



Banks has used MM to fight for warranty coverage for years. They claim to work withing the parameters of the engine systems so as to not be the cause of a failure. On the other hand I read here that they left at least one guy out to dry even after admitting their box was faulty.



Unfortunately making them cover something they should cover, even with mods installed, pretty much requires a fight. Most folks just are not up for that. You rolls yer dice, you takes yer chances

 

[obie1]

You got that, fortunately I am a degreed Electrical Engineer with a minor in mechanical engineering. Worked in the software industry and write C++ code. So their engineers really need to walk the line. Still it takes time and the vehicle sits while you make payments and deal with legal mumbo jumbo.



I was careful about the velcro, checked codes all the time using the 3-cycle key thing. (never had any codes). So other than putting diesel in, changing oil at regular intervals, the stealerships will do what they want to do.

 

[SHyans]

My dealer informed me yesterday that even if I put on a larger tire they "may" deny some warranty work. Even if it's just one size bigger..... I think I need to start looking for a new dealership.

I practically drove straight from the dealer to my tire guy when I bought my truck. Put BFG 315's on and in 3k miles had to replace both ball joints.

No warranty crap at all. Just fixed 'em... .

Hinckley Dodge

SLC, Uath

 

[NScott]

You need to be a lawyer or have a friend or family member that is one.

They will push, you will have to push back and be prepared to go to the mat with the fight! :-{}

 

[Mad Bomber]

You can say that again

Tomeygun, sounds like you'd be a bomb friendly dealer of course if it were my fault I'd pay. TO bad you're a little too far. What dealer in the NW do you know is cool??

 

[Tryingit]

First off the dealer doesn't have to prove anything. They just make the claim that abuse caused the malfunction and leave the fighting up to you and your wallet. I never had a problem with my 97 ram 5. 2L. I had a cat back exhaust and a K& N air filter. I even changed the plugs to delco plugs. When I had a problem they determined the plugs were the cause. They changed the plugs back to original. The service writer mentioned about the Delco plugs, but that was it. The dealers seem to be a bit more leary with the diesels though.

 

[jimnance]

We have a friendly dealer here in Grants Pass, OR. So I don't put him in a spot I remove the EZ before service. Everything is nicely cleaned up with no remnants of the velcro, etc. . The service writer knows I have a chip, and I think if I smoked a piston or something directly related it could become an issue. However, I don't think it would be an issue for "normal" issues like bad injectors or a fuel pump.

 

[Sarge]

With the electronics in our trucks, the scanners see everything. For instance, the scanner knows how much boost the factory software with produce. Any overboosts are recorded in the trucks memory, at least temporarially. If your truck comes in on a hook, and the scanner says that when you melted a piston you were boosting 45 pounds, then the friendly dealer stuff is out... ... ... .

 

[CAT 385]

How can the dealer prove that the computer did not cause that 45 lbs of boost and the extra fuel and that caused the melt down, I understand that he can probably see those peramiters but where is the proof you had a chip.



On another note I paid a lot for that "warranty" and if I bomb and tear it up at least I will get some of my money back. Now if I had an option with no warranty after the first 10,000 miles (to make sure it was put together right) I could save 5 grand then I could see them having a problem but they force you to "pay" for a warranty.

 

[JThiessen]

Madbomber: Lynnwood Dodge seems to be "fairly" frienldly to mild bombing as they sell afe, K&N, and some chips. However, one time I took my lifted Jeep in and the female service advisor (there was only one) was all over that as a warranty disclaimer - she shut up about it when I asked her what the lift had to do with the windshield spayers!

 

[DSutton]

BHolm is right on!!!



I went through this with a local dealer. I took my old mans truck in for some work while he was on vacation. Vehicle has no mods, only a BDX monitor (Installed by the dealer!!!!). He had two or three bad injectors, and they attempted to hand me a bill. I simply mentioned MM, they got pissy and backed right down. The technician ASSumed that the monitor meant it had been turned up, so decided not to warranty it. This also indicated that they really had no way of knowing if it had or had not been turned up. They were embarrassed when they finally pulled the file and had to acknowledge doing the install themselves!!!)