Will aftermarket headers void warranty?

[Old School1]

Will adding headers void the warranty?

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[Mr Hyde]

On the exhaust yes specifically the manifolds And possibly the exhaust as a whole. It depends on the dealer but if something goes wrong with the heads or the engine they can try to deny it due to changes in flow dynamics.

 

[Kitulu]

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act states that the use of aftermarket parts will not void a warranty. The company would have to prove that the use of said parts caused whatever failure you would be trying to warranty.

Example #1: I have an aftermarket exhaust on my bike. I filed a warranty claim for the front fender rusting out, and it was covered as there is no conceivable way that the exhaust would cause the fender to rust.

Example #2: A fellow rider installed some fairly aggressive cams on his bike. The stock valve springs could not handle the stress and broke, causing his engine to grenade. The company denied his warranty claim because the cams directly caused the engine issue.

Now, Ford may still deny a warranty claim based on your header install, and you would then have to appeal and possibly take them to court over it.

 

[Old School1]

Thank you gentlemen. Something to consider, especially if just using my Mustang to tool around with the top down for 9 months. Not planning on going to the track but having a little extra power and sound is a good thing.

 

[Skye]

Disclosure: I'm not a lawyer. I've never filed a warranty claim.

From the 2024 Warranty Guide, Page 19.

"aftermarket parts or components, sometimes installed by Ford
Motor Company or an authorized Ford dealership, may not be
covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. Any damage
caused to Ford components due to the failure of aftermarket
parts (other than a certified emissions part) is not covered."

It depends.

Putting headers on the car should not void the warranty on parts other than the drivetrain (wheel bearings, electronics, body rust, etc.).

But, if encountering emissions problems (cats)? Most definitely. Engine problems? Maybe. The rear diff or trans? Possibly.

Every situation, every dealer, is going to be different. If the inspector writing up the case file implies the headers affected other bits and you challenge that, the issue goes to arbitration (Ford v. You).

You should consider the entire exhaust system as being void, at a minimum. As to the rest? It depends.

If this is an issue that's going to be a concern, wait until the factory warranty expires, then make the changes.

YMMV.

 

[Atlas Motorsports]

Will adding headers void the warranty?

I would be ready to let the warranty go if thinking about installing aftermarket headers, normally you'd be able to get away with swapping back to factory manifolds and taking it in, but on our S650 we received a phone call from Ford almost immediately after installing long tubes as the car reported there was a problem with the emissions system

 

[Mr Hyde]

Basically ford will do whatever suits fords bottom line. This is a performance car view it this way. they will try to void the warrantee for whatever they can as soon as they can if they see aftermarket parts. Just an exampleif you change your shifter to an mgw or steeda tri ax and a synchro goes bet they void the whole warrantee for the transmission due to altering shifting speed, and force. Install a heavier shift knob not so much. If your worried about the warrantee its recomended not to mod untill its out of the warrantee period. Only reason i got the extended one if for the electronics.

 

[MAT1955]

@Old School1 ..... nice Mustang (I have a 2024 GT 'vert too) IMO not worth the risk for the slight (if any) gain. If you want a mod that is easy, inexpensive and will not void warranty use an aftermarket H pipe. I do not have one but several in a local Mustang group do and the pipe does retain the Mustang growl, only a little deeper and louder. It was the "general consensus" that the Mustangs sounded better (more aggressive) with no drawbacks. Seems to be best buy for the buck in the exhaust department - for mild, worry-free exhaust mods. I have not heard any reports of drone from H pipes at freeway speeds.

 

[robvas]

It's not going to look good if you blow the motor and have headers on it

 

[Old School1]

Just asking the question. If I wanted a "go faster" Mustang I would have gotten the auto trans and coupe, maybe even the Dark Horse but my intent is to cruise and "let the dogs out" every once in a while. Previous post about headers indicated about 20hp gain but IMO not worth the money for just cruising but trying to offset the added weight of a convt. Thank everyone.

 

[robvas]

The other worry with headers is a lot of people end up with "oh shit this is way too fucking loud I hate it"

 

[MAT1955]

@Mr Hyde ..... agree 100% and so do Dodge and GM. You are just giving them a get out of jail card.

 

[Q6543]

Headers were my 1st bolt on at maybe 2k miles…

put 1 or 2k miles on it and you’re good to go, I picked up close to 40rwhp according to my track slips fwiw…
Definitely noticeable HP up top and TQ down low.

 

[JimC]

It's simple. Ford warranties the car that Ford built (the dealer doesn't warranty the car, Ford does).

When you modify the car it is no longer the car that Ford built, it is now the car that you built. If our modification can be found to have caused the failure then Ford will deny warranty coverage.

Magnuson Moss warranty act isn't some shield that you hold up and that is the end of it. All it says is that Ford has to prove your modification is the cause. Ford does that when they say "we have determined that the failure is the result of your modifications". They don't need to do anything more than that. The burden now shifts to you to start the lawsuit and challenge Ford's determination with your proofs.

 

[TcarterGT2024]

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act states that the use of aftermarket parts will not void a warranty. The company would have to prove that the use of said parts caused whatever failure you would be trying to warranty.

Example #1: I have an aftermarket exhaust on my bike. I filed a warranty claim for the front fender rusting out, and it was covered as there is no conceivable way that the exhaust would cause the fender to rust.

Example #2: A fellow rider installed some fairly aggressive cams on his bike. The stock valve springs could not handle the stress and broke, causing his engine to grenade. The company denied his warranty claim because the cams directly caused the engine issue.

Now, Ford may still deny a warranty claim based on your header install, and you would then have to appeal and possibly take them to court over it.

i tried this a few times in California. If you’re willing to spend $1000s of dollars on a lawyer you can use this act and still get stiffed by the dealership. You play you pay. Plan on having your warranty voided. If your state does emission testing you’ll fail the visual inspection too.

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