Will subwoofer void warranty?

[bigruss]

Hey guys...I want to get a subwoofer installed in my CX-5 (2014, 22k moles) sometime soon but I am nervous that it might void the whole warranty of my car. I have called around and done some research but i keep on getting mixed answers so I was wondering if getting a sub professionally installed will void your warranty completely or will I just void the warranty on the sound system? I'm don't know much about subs or sound systems so does anyone have any suggestions for a small, not to expensive sub that will fit into the cx-5 pretty easily? I want to have it in the trunk not in the spare wheel casing or anything like that

 

[andyg]

you cant void the entire cars warranty by adding a speaker.

 

[Skorpio]

you cant void the entire cars warranty by adding a speaker.

True, they can't technically. But, dealers may try to fight you and try to use it against you if the situations arises. That's why bigruss may see discrepancies from what he's read. Personally, bigruss, I have a removable sub/amp installed in the hatch, so if I have to go to the dealer I can remove it easily and eliminate any extra ammo for them to use against me. That's the route I'd suggest if you are worried about this subject.[emoji106]

 

[LeeShadow]

Agree with Skorpio....if you add a subwoofer, and you have a drive train problem still covered by your warranty, there's likely absolutely no connection to potentially leverage against you. If instead you have some type of electrical problem that would be covered under warranty, the dealer and/or Mazda might try to claim your mod caused the issue, even if truly unrelated. As Skorpio suggested, just remove the mod before bringing the car to the dealer if there's any chance any problem you might have could be viewed as related. I tend to think of the warranty like insurance....someone will likely try to avoid spending money if they don't have to.....

 

[bigruss]

Thanks guys! Any recommendations on What system i should look into?

 

[Skorpio]

Thanks guys! Any recommendations on What system i should look into?

That's harder to answer, as sound is subjective. Different music and ears takes different subs, sub box, and amplifier sizes. The best answer I can give you is to do a Google search and perhaps join an audio forum. But, some tips-
-Better sounds come from better, sometimes more expensive equipment. But, it doesn't mean you need a $3,000 system to sound good, but buying the cheapest brands won't sound great IMO. However, Walmart does sell a decent 1.5cu ft. Sealed box and Kicker, Sony, and Pioneer subwoofers that are decent for the price ($40-80 per sub). You could buy it and have it professionally installed. Of course, you can also buy what the installers recommend, but keep in mind their recommendations may not always have your best interests and criteria in mind
-Buy heavy gauge wiring. Don't cheap out here.
- amp: cheaper amps will advertise big maximum wattage numbers but average (nominal) power is low. I prefer a well known name brand amp (JL Audio, Alpine, Rockford Fosgate, etc.) as their internals are usually solidly built and will not only last longer, but hit harder for their size. I also prefer a sub amp specifically built for subs, but any good amp can be "bridged" to 1 channel. Again, research "mono amp" or "sub amp".

My setup? It's not audiophile, contest winning quality, but it sounds great in conjunction with the stock Bose system, especially for the cost. It's what Mazda should have offered as an option.
-4ga battery and ground wires, 8 ga to amp, 10 or 12ga to sub
-1.5cu ft. Sealed box with Infinity W12 12" 4 ohm sub (left over from another car)
- JL Audio 500/1 500 watt mono amp (overkill, gain is only half way up, sounds amazing!)
-line out converter (LOC) from Walmart; ties the Bose system to aftermarket amp.

There is a lot more on this subject that can't be explained here, like anything else, proper research and filtering out Internet users that don't have on hands experience is key. I believe RLCarrington also knows "some stuff", too [emoji6]. And, your welcome to PM me if you need more assistance!

 

[MikeM.]

Hey guys...I want to get a subwoofer installed in my CX-5 (2014, 22k moles) sometime soon but I am nervous that it might void the whole warranty of my car.

Sounds like you have a big mole problem. Unfortunately, rodent infestations are not covered by the warranty. (burnout)

 

[xxxmonoxidechil]

No mod in itself voids your warranty. People need to realize this. You have laws protecting you. Hell, you can slap a turbo system on the car, and if something fails that they cant PROVE 100% that the turbo caused it, its FULLY COVERED under warranty.

Read up on the "Magnuson act".

 

[Ride92]

depending on your tastes for sound and your budget you could get a small 8" shallow mount sub and get a shop to build a custom box into the side pocket area of the rear hatch. This would prevent losing any noticeable cargo area back there and you wouldn't have to worry about a box being in the way if you need to drop the seats. Check out crutchfield.com for their selection and reviews. I had a 8" kicker in the back of my Protege5 and it was plenty of extra bass for my tastes, then again I didn't want to blow my windows out or win competitions or anything like that. I just wanted a fuller sound from the stereo system and the 8" was enough for me. If the sub is high quality and matched to the correct and good quality amp it will sound good.

 

[andyg]

Sounds like you have a big mole problem. Unfortunately, rodent infestations are not covered by the warranty. (burnout)

like I said in other posts, sarcastic BS, and not helpful.

 

[Buzzer777]

The unfortunate reality...

No mod in itself voids your warranty. People need to realize this. You have laws protecting you. Hell, you can slap a turbo system on the car, and if something fails that they cant PROVE 100% that the turbo caused it, its FULLY COVERED under warranty.

Read up on the "Magnuson act".

I agree with you and the interpretation of the Moss Magnuson Act...with none giant GOTCHA.(wow)

That is ......what are we to do when the warranty is voided and they say "sue me"? While we are in the right, these guys have the $$.

Even if the "little guy" were successful, and the suit were to reach class status...it takes years to bring to conclusion such an endeavor. I was a VERY little guy in two of these...One against BMW/Mini and the other against Toyota.
The Mini suit was for a windshield cracking issue, and the Toyota was for the unintended acceleration issue.
The Mini suit settled for about $500 each, to those of us that had the full pkg (ie: rain sensing etc windshield). The Toyota suit was more interesting, in that the class members also sued for loss of trade in value PLUS actual damages. If I recall, I got about $900 for that one. In both cases, I forgot what the class members received. (Note: the $900 did not fully cover the loss inj trade in value, but it did beat a hit with a stick!

In both cases, I was just a little guy, and did not fork over any of my own $$...I Simply cashed the check. Also in both cases, it took well over 5 yrs to bring it to a conclusion and get paid. The automobile companies sat on the $$ and the class members were out of pocket some actual $$..Of course the Lawyers won no matter what!

The Moss Magnuson Act did mitigate the damages but reality sets in quickly!

 

[MikeM.]

That is ......what are we to do when the warranty is voided and they say "sue me"? While we are in the right, these guys have the $$.

The Moss-Magnuson Act is an important piece of consumer protection enacted specifically to protect the little guy against abusive corporate practices. The big guys might have the $$ but we have the Moss-Magnuson Act. Two key provisions of the Act:

1) Both parties are required to make a good faith effort to resolve the dispute before making a legal claim under the act.

2) If the manufacturer is found to have violated the Act, they are on the hook for legal expenses, regardless of how small the actual claim for damages is.

This gives the consumer powerful leverage to resolve legitimate claims without needing a lawyer and, if the claim is legitimate and legal action is necessary, a lawyer can generally be retained without out of pocket expenses (contingency basis) because the lawyer only needs to win to collect his customary legal fees (even if the dispute is over a $200 problem). A class action might take 5 years to work it's way through the system but an individual dispute will be much quicker and the Act gives powerful incentive for manufacturers to cover all legitimate claims.

Canada has no equivalent law to my knowledge.

A lot of people are philosophically opposed to government regulations and consumer protections like the ,Moss-Magnuson Act. They believe in limited government and that consumers should look after themselves and only do business with companies who they are confident will live up to their end of the bargain. But this is no help when a giant, well-funded corporation puts profits in front of doing the right thing because there is no Moss-Magnuson Act to keep them honest.

 

[Rarebit]

A lot of people are philosophically opposed to government regulations and consumer protections like the ,Moss-Magnuson Act. They believe in limited government and that consumers should look after themselves and only do business with companies who they are confident will live up to their end of the bargain. But this is no help when a giant, well-funded corporation puts profits in front of doing the right thing because there is no Moss-Magnuson Act to keep them honest.

I always find that interesting, say, in the case of commercial air passenger service. The air transport company is betting its reputation and financial health against hundreds of passengers' lives on every flight. Seems a little asymmetrical to me.

Some executives - I think a large majority - will make humane and decent judgements. But enough of them are willing to bet your life to increase their bonuses. Want to know what that looks like? Check out the photos from the recent disaster at Tianjin, China. No regulations, no enforcement = no safety, big problems.

 

[russiankid]

The only time a warranty can be denied is if the aftermarket equipement caused the fault in question. If you, for example, modify the suspension and you end up with a leaking shock, that is your fault. In the past, I've had issues with the transmission in my tC, the car had full exhaust, intake, suspension, etc. Dealer didn't even mention a word about it because that had no direct relation to the transmission. I did have a short shifter on it, but it was a TRD so no problems.