Mazdaspeed cai and powertrain warranty question

[Ben Nast]

Has anyone ever actually had or know someone that has had their warranty denied, voided , flaged or whatever due to a mazdaspeed cai?

I know the discussion of warranties and the ms cai has been beat to death but has anyone actually ever had a real problem? (I am NOT talking about hydrolock either)

 

[low_psi]

Discuss it with your dealer. They are the ones with the final say.

 

[3.slow]

Here in Arizona, I had Earnhardt Ford/Mazda tell me if I put the Mazdaspeed CAI on my car they would void the warrenty. I have 3 free oil changes at that dealership, so I will found out when I go.

 

[desperado-c]

Discuss it with your dealer. They are the ones with the final say.

The dealer most certainly does not have the final say. Mazda NA pays for the parts and the labor and they have the final say.

 

[desperado-c]

Has anyone ever actually had or know someone that has had their warranty denied, voided , flaged or whatever due to a mazdaspeed cai?

I know the discussion of warranties and the ms cai has been beat to death but has anyone actually ever had a real problem? (I am NOT talking about hydrolock either)

I've never heard of a warranty claim denied with any CAI other than for hydrolock.

 

[GizmoToy]

I've never heard of a warranty claim denied with any CAI other than for hydrolock.

I saw one on another forum who had his motor mount fail. Mazda NA claimed the intake created extra torque, causing the motor mount to fail. They denied his warranty claim, despite weak motor mounts and bolts being a known issue on the car. The intake was the only mod on the car.

It seems Mazda NA is very proactive in denying warranty claims for any reason it can find. I'm even timid about having the MS CAI installed by the dealer prior to delivery...

 

[assman]

I say just install it whithout the dealer and once a warrenty issue arises remove the intake.

 

[Ben Nast]

Discuss it with your dealer. They are the ones with the final say.

I understand that all dealers are different. Im just looking for real world stories of warranty issues because of the ms cai.
My dealer in particular said if I order it through them and they install it that my powertrain warranty will be honered as if it came this way from the factory. But what if I decide to move...

 

[Je5ter]

For me its just stupid for any dealer to deny a warranty claim.. They are basically turning down money.. It's not like Mazda has to know you have an intake on your car, there is easy ways around it if a problem does come of an intake or any other mod for that matter... I dunno, I'm a service adviser for Mercedes-Benz and we NEVER turn down warranty because Benz pays us back for every warranty claim we submit and it's money in my pocket...

 

[low_psi]

I understand that all dealers are different. Im just looking for real world stories of warranty issues because of the ms cai.
My dealer in particular said if I order it through them and they install it that my powertrain warranty will be honered as if it came this way from the factory. But what if I decide to move...

Then you talk to that dealership. Its really simple. If your current dealer is ok with it, then great. But don't expect every dealership to honor it. Hearing people's stories doesn't matter because its a case by case basis.

desperado- While MazdaNA has the FINAL say, they will almost always side with the dealership.

 

[desperado-c]

I saw one on another forum who had his motor mount fail. Mazda NA claimed the intake created extra torque, causing the motor mount to fail. They denied his warranty claim, despite weak motor mounts and bolts being a known issue on the car. The intake was the only mod on the car.

It seems Mazda NA is very proactive in denying warranty claims for any reason it can find. I'm even timid about having the MS CAI installed by the dealer prior to delivery...

This would be idiotic and Mazda NA is unlikely to have done this based on a CAI since they started pimping the MS-CAI from the moment they introduced the car to the press at Laguna Seca. Admittedly, they were trying to sell them for $500-$600 at that point, but I think this story is either apocryphal or the guy was running a boost controller or something else generating way more hp than a CAI.

Also, if he was one of the first with the issue, they were pushing back on the engine mount when the first one or two went, but came around after it was apparent it was design or assembly issue. All in all Mazda NA has honored a lot of warranty issues on these cars and on the 6, from what I've seen. They get the reps in if it's a big claim and usually they've accepted it even where there have been possible reasons to deny.

Really, CAI installed properly is very unlikely to be an issue. These cars with the new mount properly torqued can definitely deal with another 20-25 hp to the wheels. But if your dealer is saying no to selling it's own MS product and there's not another one around, you definitely have heightened risk. This cars pretty fun stock anyway, if you don't want to take on any risk.

 

[sleeper3]

The dealer most certainly does not have the final say. Mazda NA pays for the parts and the labor and they have the final say.

actually that's kind of not true. the dealer decides if they want to do the work. the factory decides if they want to reimburse the claim submitted by the dealer. the only time that the factory would question anything is if one particular dealership is doing an inordinate amount of warranty work. the amount of warranty work done by each dealership is measured as a percentage compared to other dealers in his immediate area. Yes the factory looks at each claim, but they aren't going to be wondering if every car that comes in has a cold air intake.

bottom line is: it depends on how much warranty work the dealership you are at has been doing. if they're doing a lot, they're likely to deny your warranty because they don't want to create a problem for themselves. if not, it's free money, why wouldn't they do the work?

 

[sleeper3]

For me its just stupid for any dealer to deny a warranty claim.. They are basically turning down money.. It's not like Mazda has to know you have an intake on your car, there is easy ways around it if a problem does come of an intake or any other mod for that matter... I dunno, I'm a service adviser for Mercedes-Benz and we NEVER turn down warranty because Benz pays us back for every warranty claim we submit and it's money in my pocket...

exactly. I work at a jag/land rover dealer and we do the same thing. if you think about it, its good for the factory, the dealership, and the customer. the customer gets his problem fixed and leaves with a good feeling, which is good for brand promotion (ie the factory) and the dealership makes money. everyone wins!

 

[Mzumel]

so....basically the answer is it's by the dealership? so buying ms CAI even with their name on it doesn't mean that it's covered in the warranty?

 

[sleeper3]

so....basically the answer is it's by the dealership? so buying ms CAI even with their name on it doesn't mean that it's covered in the warranty?

the part will not be covered in the warranty. I can nearly guarantee that if you have a problem with your cold air intake, you will not be able to get it replaced by mazda under ANY circumstances. it's really the dealer's prerogative if they want to cover something that an upgraded intake may or may not have caused. if they are starving for work, odds are they'll take it and worry about fighting the factory for reimbursement if they have to (which they most likely won't).

 

[desperado-c]

the part will not be covered in the warranty. I can nearly guarantee that if you have a problem with your cold air intake, you will not be able to get it replaced by mazda under ANY circumstances. it's really the dealer's prerogative if they want to cover something that an upgraded intake may or may not have caused. if they are starving for work, odds are they'll take it and worry about fighting the factory for reimbursement if they have to (which they most likely won't).

It is a different situation when the part is installed by the dealer before the owner takes delivery of the car.

Accessories:

Mazda notes that all Genuine Mazda Accessories, if installed by the Mazda Dealer prior to or at initial vehicle retail delivery, carry the same new-vehicle limited warranty as the vehicle.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=shoppingToolsWarranty

 

[desperado-c]

actually that's kind of not true. the dealer decides if they want to do the work. the factory decides if they want to reimburse the claim submitted by the dealer. the only time that the factory would question anything is if one particular dealership is doing an inordinate amount of warranty work. ....
bottom line is: it depends on how much warranty work the dealership you are at has been doing. if they're doing a lot, they're likely to deny your warranty because they don't want to create a problem for themselves. if not, it's free money, why wouldn't they do the work?

Sure the dealer decides if they want to do the work but Mazda has the final say on whether there is warranty coverage. From what I've heard on this forum, it sounds as though Mazda is likely to send a rep into check whenever there is a substantial claim. I'm sure that as a practical matter it also depends on how much warranty work a particular dealership seems to be doing and whether it's outside the norm for their volume.

 

[Pale Fire]

It is a different situation when the part is installed by the dealer before the owner takes delivery of the car.

Accessories:

Mazda notes that all Genuine Mazda Accessories, if installed by the Mazda Dealer prior to or at initial vehicle retail delivery, carry the same new-vehicle limited warranty as the vehicle.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=shoppingToolsWarranty

That sounds good to me, my intake was on the car before i bought it. Oh by the way, does that mean I am stock???

 

[sleeper3]

I still think you'd have a hard time getting a mazda dealer to replace a mazdaspeed accessory. dealers can be finicky. if they don't want to do the work, they wont.

 

[Ben Nast]

I say just install it whithout the dealer and once a warrenty issue arises remove the intake.

there may be signs of the removal