Modding: How much can you get away with?

[Yaris Revenge]

....WITHOUT voiding the warranty?

I still don't have a Yaris yet, but that doesn't keep me from daydreaming about the end of the year and all the toys I'd like to install once I get one. Off the top of my head, I'd like the NST pulley, lowered springs, 16x7 rims, maybe a short ram intake, and a cat-back exhaust later on. However, I won't touch any of it if it's going to screw with the warranty.

Anybody know what parts (if any) will void it?

Thanks,
~YR

[ChinoCharles]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson-Moss_Warranty_Act

Hope that helps a bit.

I am not too familiar with the act itself, but if someone would like to start a thread titled "Will this part void my warranty?" and drop this link and an explanation of the act and what it means to us owners, I would bet that would be an instant sticky. This question pops up an awful lot.

Basically, what I have come to understand is that in order to deny you warranty service based on an aftermarket part, Toyota has to essentially prove that the part caused the problem. The act was drafted in response to the misuse and abuse of warranties. If I'm oversimplifying this, feel free to correct me.

Therefore, about which parts will void it, it is generally common sense. What could they blame just about anything on? Supercharger, turbocharger, nitrous, stuff like that... I wouldn't expect a warm warranty reception with any of that bolted on.

[WRBlue]

SEMA has a nice article on this too.

Some will try, but if you have an engine knock, the dealer can't deny your warranty service for suspension parts. But some dealers will defiantly try.

If you don't want to void your warranty, don't do anything - if you put on big wheels and your suspension fails, they'll blame your wheels. If you want to get around it, keep all the OEM bits and swap them back before service

[PetersRedYaris]

Originally Posted by ChinoCharles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson-Moss_Warranty_Act

Basically, what I have come to understand is that in order to deny you warranty service based on an aftermarket part, Toyota has to essentially prove that the part caused the problem. The act was drafted in response to the misuse and abuse of warranties. If I'm oversimplifying this, feel free to correct me.

Therefore, about which parts will void it, it is generally common sense. What could they blame just about anything on? Supercharger, turbocharger, nitrous, stuff like that... I wouldn't expect a warm warranty reception with any of that bolted on.

My dealer explained it to me exactly as Chino's statement. Hence, all the parts you mentioned would be impossible to prove inducing damage to your engine with the exception of the crank pulley. I know NST makes a nice pulley, however, I spoke to a friend in the service dept of my Toyota dealer specifically about this part. It boiled down to the fact that Toyota put a rubber dampened pulley on there for a reason. It may cause no problem whatsoever, but, if your the one in a million who experiences engine trouble and you have a lightened pulley bolted to your crank, the heart of the reciprocating assembly of your engine, it would be easy to blame.

[driver centric]

Originally Posted by WRBlue

If you want to get around it, keep all the OEM bits and swap them back before service

I agree with this method.