Warranty and Mods...?

Will installing a Mazdaspeed intake on the MS3 void the warranty...?
I know installing any other brand intake would...but this is a Mazdaspeed part going into a Mazdaspeed car...

How does the dealer differentiate between a Mazdaspeed mod and a other name brand mod...? What I'm trying to say is that a mod is a mod regardless for brand...

Just looking for a clarification... Thanks!!
 
It will void your warranty if say you hydrolock.

Mazda warranties the Mazdaspeed PRODUCT.. not the car components it effects.

Hope that helps! :)
 
Will installing a Mazdaspeed intake on the MS3 void the warranty...?
I know installing any other brand intake would...but this is a Mazdaspeed part going into a Mazdaspeed car...

How does the dealer differentiate between a Mazdaspeed mod and a other name brand mod...? What I'm trying to say is that a mod is a mod regardless for brand...

Just looking for a clarification... Thanks!!


Nope, by law they can only void your warranty if they PROVE that the aftermarket part CAUSED the failure. i.e. - If you install a CAI and your tranny fails, they cannot void your warranty.
 
That is what I meant. lol.

Hence the..

It will void your warranty if say you hydrolock.

It only voids the warranty if it negatively affects something.
 
So if I install the MS intake on my MS3 and bring it in for some aligment issues then I'm cool...?

I guess it wouldn't be that hard to revert it back to stock...
 
Yep, you'd be fine.

However, if you hydrolocked your engine with the MS CAI on that would be another story.
 
If you bought like an injen intake and your MAF went bad then you would run into some problems. I was told mazdaspeed parts are not viewed as aftermarket parts to mazda. But the dealer also told me if i did have an injen or cpe or someone else's intake...i could just put the stock one back on and bring it in and they would take care of it. it's only going to mess with warranty stuff directly related. it's going to vary from dealer to dealer, i would just and get a feel for it and ask some questions next time you're in.
 
But the dealer also told me if i did have an injen or cpe or someone else's intake...i could just put the stock one back on and bring it in and they would take care of it.

I wish we had dealers like this around here. That is not what I have found at the dealers here.
 
So are there concerns with the Mazdaspeed CAI and hydrolock...? I though the air-filter was in the fender shielded (enclosed) by the wheel-well...?
And doesn't it (the cone) sit around the top of the tire...? Meaning you'd have to completely submerge the wheel to drown the filter...?

Just wondering?
 
There is always concern with CAIs and hydrolock.

You'd have to hit about 10 inches of water for it to be an issue.
 
also if you got the dealer to put on the mazdaspeed intake it would not void warranty from what ive gather from previous posts.On the other hand if you installed the mspd intake yourself that might would void your warranty depending on what the dealer says but if they do it its ok..But yes they have to prove that what you did caused or is related to the problem before they can say its voided...If you do go with an intake any brand at that and you have to take it in for warranty just simlpy install the origanal parts
 
The possibility of hydrolocking should always be in the back of your mind when driving through rain with a CAI. Like was said above, it's best to avoid ALL puddles. I thought I was the most careful guy in the world and actually made fun of someone who hyrolocked their car. Well not even a month later, I hydrolocked my motor (in my previous car). There was a heavy downpour and some intersections were flooded. Well I looked at the water level and noted where it reached on the other cars that were going through and decided to take a chance. At first there was no problems then all of the sudden the road dipped and the engine died. That was it.

I had that CAI on for at least 20k miles with no issues in the hardest rainfall and all it took was one dumb move. The lesson? NEVER assume the road surface under standing water is level. All it takes is one slight dip to cover the filter and you can kiss your engine goodbye. It's best to just avoid them altogether.
 
Last edited:
The possibility of hydrolocking should always be in the back of your mind when driving through rain with a CAI. Like was said above, it's best to avoid ALL puddles. I thought I was the most careful guy in the world and actually made fun of someone who hyrolocked their car. Well not even a month later, I hydrolocked my motor (in my previous car). There was a heavy downpour and some intersections were flooded. Well I looked at the water level and noted where it reached on the other cars that were going through and decided to take a chance. At first there was no problems then all of the sudden the road dipped and the engine died. That was it.

I had that CAI on for at least 20k miles with no issues in the hardest rainfall and all it took was one dumb move. The lesson? NEVER assume the road surface under standing water is level. All it takes is one slight dip to cover the filter and you can kiss your engine goodbye. It's best to just avoid them altogether.

Yep... I drove through some water also in my integra and got hydrolocked with a cold air intake.. Water wasn't high at all.. maybe like 3 inches or so.
 
The possibility of hydrolocking should always be in the back of your mind when driving through rain with a CAI. Like was said above, it's best to avoid ALL puddles. I thought I was the most careful guy in the world and actually made fun of someone who hyrolocked their car. Well not even a month later, I hydrolocked my motor (in my previous car). There was a heavy downpour and some intersections were flooded. Well I looked at the water level and noted where it reached on the other cars that were going through and decided to take a chance. At first there was no problems then all of the sudden the road dipped and the engine died. That was it.

I had that CAI on for at least 20k miles with no issues in the hardest rainfall and all it took was one dumb move. The lesson? NEVER assume the road surface under standing water is level. All it takes is one slight dip to cover the filter and you can kiss your engine goodbye. It's best to just avoid them altogether.

That happened to me last Friday with my Mazda 3. Sad times.

But let me just reiterate. If you hydrolock your engine with a Mazdaspeed CAI you can bet your a** that warranty won't cover it--regardless if the dealership installed it.
 
Nope, by law they can only void your warranty if they PROVE that the aftermarket part CAUSED the failure. i.e. - If you install a CAI and your tranny fails, they cannot void your warranty.

BLAH BLAH By law they can't VOID your warranty. They can deny your claim. If you go in with a CAI and a blown motor because of hydrolocking most likely denyed, then you go in a week later with a tail light bulb out most likely covered. Much in the way if you put coil overs on the car and your sway bar end links become noisey, not covered. Or if you put an open down pipe on your car and burn up your chassis wiring harness, not covered. What ever you put on the car and it screws something else up is not their responsibility to fix it. If you can't afford to fix it don't mod it.
 
Last edited:
Seems odd that the MS CAI would cause hydro-lock in normal rainy driving conditions... I know CAI in other vehicles are pretty low (close to the ground) near the base of the bumper/wheel well area...

Looking at the MS CAI in the Mazdaspeed 3, it seem like you'd have to purposely submerge the left driver-side wheel in order to hydro-lock. Seem like the MS CAI doesn't place the filter low into the wheel well/bumper area.
Am I correct in saying this...?

Though I do agree with any CAI that hydro-lock should be in mind at all times.

Its just that with the MS CAI, it doesn't seem like an extreme CAI design...

Basically I just want MS CAI owners to give me their opinion on the risks of hydro-locking in relative weather conditions...not including extreme cases of flooding (not driving through flooded street), etc... If any of you Florida guys have a MS CAI, how does it handle the heavy Florida rain...?

Thanks!!
 
My MS3 is unlowered and I would say the pipe is 100% submerged in 12"'s of water. I try not to drive my car in the rain just incase.
 
Back