Using after market oil filters will void the warranty.. What?
 

So i was at the dealer earlier to get some parts i order and i decided to go to the supply department and get some copper washer for my first oil change. The sales personnel told me that using other oil filters instead of the nissan factory filters will void my warranty.

I was shocked but i didnt wanna argue. Anyone know if it is true? I swear i read about this somewhere and the conclusion was using other branded oil filters will not void any warranties..

Doesn't matter if it's true or not. If you plan on having your car serviced at that dealership if a warranty issue arises, it matters.

Sure, Nissan will probably make it right in the end, but I PROMISE you will have an easier time of it if the service-manager is in your corner going to bat for you instead of hamstringing you.

No, OEM filter is not TECHNICALLY required for warranty, but in YOUR case, it makes things better.

I would just run it. It can't be that expensive and I'm sure it works just fine.

also, if its a car you care about and are concerned with long term warranty issues, you are better off letting the dealer do your oil changes and other routine maintenance. Sure its a little costlier up front, but in the off chance something questionable happens later, or something fails just out of warranty, they are more likely to go to bat for you if you have a service history with them than if you just came when you have warranty work only.

This is simply not true -- aftermarket oil filters will not void the warranty.

That dealer just broke a federal law. There was a US supreme court ruling (can't remember the reference), that turned the whole "you must use OEM filters" lie from manufacturers on its ear.

If they say that it will void any warranty, they can and have been successfully sued. It's garbage what they're saying. Part of the reason is that ALL car manufacturers DON'T make their own filters. Aftermarket companies do. And to say that not using OEM filters voids a warranty is like saying that there is no filters made that will. (Part of the ruling from the courts.)

I suggest you go elsewhere. They're telling you a lie (and they should know it).

Man, if you could find that ruling, I'd love a link to it. I'm kind of a d*** and like to shove a paper in someone's face when they're trying to throw b.s. in my face.

It cracks me up that they try to make people think that they make their own filters and oil. They don't even make all of the moving parts in their cars. No one does anymore.

Yea, unfortunatley most dealers are crap nowadays.....

My dealer originally told me that their oli filter was the only one that would fit a 370z. LOL

They also have to prove that your modification are what caused that damage.

Federal Warranty Laws For Your Car, Truck, Van Or Suv

I just found it. It's called the "Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act". As a result of a US Supreme court ruling, the Federal Trade Commission wrote and Congress passed this act. Which forbids a manufacturer from claiming that a vehicle's warranty would be void if anything other than the OEM filter is used during the warranty period. If the manufacturer makes such a claim, they are violating federal laws and are subject to "action" from federal authorities.

Hope this helps.

i use factory filters but that's because i can get them pretty cheap locally with the washers. :D

i dont think using other manufacture filters can void your warranty... unless they can prove to you that the crap filter of choice ruined the engine somehow including the threads for the filter and stuck o-ring or something creating a leak. :D

i have ran k&n oil filters since i bought the car and mobil 1 oil for every oil change. never had an issue, never had the dealer say my warranty was voided. screw that dealer.

:iagree:

AMSOIL + Mobil 1 Filter...Used it on my G35 for 6 years. Doing the same with the Z..:tup:

Keep in mind if you use aftermarket filters and the engine goes bad, it makes it easier to point out that the filter used caused the damage, thus voiding the warranty, I work for a warranty service center for a crappy American car company and I have spoken with dealers who will say the aftermarket filter caused sludge buildup or dirt to get in from a aftermarket air filter, basically..dealers are not going to go to bat for you if you dont service with them and just take the car in to try and get warranty work done, they hate it. However if you just use their parts and do routine services they will stand behind you, If you dont go to them for work, then they are going to find reasons to not help vs if you are a good customer they will stand by you. Usually the warranty service center is going to stand by what the dealers diagnosis is

This is exactly why I get all my oil changes at the dealer.

I'm not sure what "crappy" American company you work for. But, many of my customers are Manufacturer Dealers (ie: GM, Ford, Honda, etc.). To them, warranty work is where they make their money in their service bays. If it wasn't for the warranty work, their service departmants would be out of business. And it has happened that some have closed their service bays because they aren't getting enough warranty work. So I'm not sure your explanation above holds water with a lot of dealers.